RSS, CPM in a cold war over Sree Krishna in Kerala

Unlike in other parts in the country, Kerala is witnessing a covert political war over Sree Krishna as the CPM and the RSS take out separate cultural processions to celebrate ‘Janmashtami’ across the state. On record, the Communist party is celebrating the birth anniversary of Chattambi Swami, a Hindu seer and social reformer who was born on August 25, 1853.

But the similarities between the preparations for the Janmashtami celebrations of the pro-RSS Balagokulam and the CPM’s Chattambi Swami Jayanthi festivities are too close to be ignored. Both parties have planned elaborate processions replete with floats, children dressed up as Sree Krishna and other mythical figures along with cultural gatherings.

Balagokulam, a Sagh Parivar organisation, started Janmashtami Celebrations in Kerala in the 1970s and has been organising  ‘Shoba Yathra’(colourful processions)  on the day with mass participation, cutting across party barriers.

The CPM’s Chattambi Jayanthi celebration apparently is an attempt to create a proxy to the hugely popular Balagokulam processions where even Communist party sympathisers join in the revelry

In hindsight, the CPM’s newly found interest in Sree Krishna and its decision to celebrate Chattambi Swami Jayanthi, that conveniently coincided with Janmashtami celebrations, had its beginning in Ganesholsava celebrations organized by a section of the party workers at Kannur after a few RSS workers switched over to the CPM  camp three years back.

The very next year, the party started parallel processions to Balagokulam’s ‘Shobha Yatras’ on Janmashtami day in 2014 in the district. The party explained that the cultural processions marked the culmination of Onam celebrations and that it had nothing to do with Sree Krishna.

The only difference this year is that the CPM will be celebrating Chattambi Swami Jayanthi on Sree Krishna Janmashtami. Again, the CPM’s celebrations from Kannur have spread statewide, this time with festivities organised at 2,000 centres.

CPM state committee member P Jayarajan said that the party’s celebration is part of a campaign to highlight renaissance leaders and progressive spirit as against the Sangh Parivar’s communal  agenda.

But the BJP state president Kummanam Rajashekharan took a dig at the CPM saying that the Sreekrishna Jayanthi celebrations of the party shows a shift from  ‘Marx to Maharshi.’


As the leaders continue their war over Sree Krishna Janmashtami celebrations, the politically sensitive Kannur district is tense as both CPM and Balagokulam are all set to make their processions a big event.    

• Sreekrishna Jayanthi
• CPM-RSS