There’s something about that name, they say. These six dozen men hailing from different parts of Kerala say proudly that they have been named after Ramanan, the leading character of Changampuzha Krishna Pillai’s famous pastoral tragedy written in 1936.
A play written in the format of a verse, Ramanan had inspired many a literature-loving parents in Kerala to name their sons after the iconic character. Headquartered at Thorapalayam in Palakkad, Ramaneeyam Trust comprises almost all men with the name Ramanan in the State.
“This may be perhaps the lone charitable trust of its kind in the entire country. The members hail from different castes and religions but we all share the universal vision of Changampuzha. It was only last year, the trust had initiated the first all-Kerala meet of people with the name Ramanan at Changampuzha’s final resting place at Edappally. The trust is now preparing to undertake various charity initiatives across the State,” said secretary S. Ramanan.
Hardly six months ago, all the Ramanans joined together to celebrate the house-warming of S. Ramanan in Palakkad. Soon happened the funeral of Poyyara Ramanan of Irinjalakuda, where the collective strength of the trust turned a major source of support to the bereaved family. A ‘Ramanan directory’ will be released soon and a medical cover extended to all members.
“Most of the Ramanans hail from southern States of Kerala, as the poem influenced only a minority in Malabar region. In Kasargod district, there is only one Ramanan and he has actually migrated from Kottarakkara,” said trust president M.C. Ramanan, who hails from Irinjalakuda. The senior most Ramanan is aged at 82 and he hails from Chalikkavattam in Ernakulam. It was after hearing about Ramanan community through social media that 60-year-old medical practitioner K. Ramanan travelled all the way from Russia last year to Palakkad to meet his namesakes.
