A pillared sandstone hall at sunset. On a gold and ivory throne beneath a carved canopy sits a dark-complexioned young king in green and gold silks, crowned, garlanded, a faint gold nimbus behind his head and a long bow resting against the throne beside him. A young queen in a red and gold sari is seated at his left, her hands near his. A younger brother stands at his right in pale silks with a quiver at his shoulder, palms joined. At the foot of the throne a powerful monkey-faced devotee kneels on one knee with his palms pressed together and his eyes raised to the king, his tail curved behind him. Oil lamps burn along the plinth and lotus petals lie scattered on the polished floor

Adhyātma Rāmāyaṇam Kiḷippāṭṭu

Ezhuttacchan’s Malayalam Rāmāyaṇa, told by the parrot he calls to sing it: the Adhyātma Rāmāyaṇa in six kāṇḍas, read aloud in Kerala homes through the month of Karkkiṭakam.

Tuñcattu Ezhuttacchan7,924 couplets in 6 kāṇḍas

Read with

Reading plan

Before you beginThe opening prayers

The Rāmāyaṇa Māsam: the whole Kiḷippāṭṭu read through the month, a portion a day, ending on the coronation and the phalaśruti.

Go to kāṇḍa

Kāṇḍa 1Bāla
Kāṇḍa 2Ayodhyā
Kāṇḍa 3Araṇya
Kāṇḍa 4Kiṣkindhā
Kāṇḍa 5Sundara
Kāṇḍa 6Yuddha