Narendra Madhuranthakam

To call The Mahabharatha a literary text is a heresy and to say that it is a scripture amounts to sectarianism. Then what it is? It is a part of life to us, the people of erstwhile North Arcot district of British India and to the southern parts of Chittoor district and the northern parts of Vellore district of the present times. Every village of this area contains a place called Bharatham Mitta and many of these places have a small temple of Dharmaraja which becomes the hub of the respective village in the months of May and June every year as it would be the setting for the Mahabharatha yagna. It is hot summer when the mercury climbs over 40 degrees, the water level in the wells would get shrunk and the peasants would be waiting for rains. People of this area conduct the Harikathas   of Virataparva whenever there is draught and Nalacharithra when they fall on evil days as they believe that that   would bring    them good luck and happiness . Organizing Mahabhara...