Where a book is worshipped

The Secular House of God at Prapoyil near Kannur in Kerala. 
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Prapoyil is a verdant village near Cherupuzha, a small town 64 km from Kannur, Kerala. In Prapoyil is an exceptional temple, perhaps the only one of its kind in the world, the Navapuram Mathaatheetha Devaalayam (Secular House of God). The deity in the temple is the sculpted image of a book.

The temple opened on March 4, 2021, and the installation of the idol, sculpted by Santhosh Manasam from nearby Kamballor village in Kasaragod district, was completed in October 2021. Devotees can pray in the sanctum sanctorum and offer books to the deity, and the prasadam in return is a book. There are no priests nor a hundi and anyone, irrespective of caste or religion, can pray in the temple. The idol-book is perched on a giant natural stone.

The vision of the temple is rooted in the belief that knowledge is divine. The temple promotes and nurtures the philosophy of knowledge, fostering universal love and humility.

Its entrance hall is an impressive library of a few thousand books. Through the hall, adorned with sculptures on the walls, one ascends the steps to reach the idol — a concrete book installed atop a 30-foot-high stone. Three sentences are etched in its pages: “God is knowledge. Religion is broad thinking. Humble wisdom is the path.” The sculptures in the entrance hall are of Cherusseri, the north Malabar poet who wrote the Malayalam epic Krishnagadha, Sri Buddha and a stone lamp, the symbol of knowledge. The two-acre complex in sylvan surroundings houses a few cottages, called Ezhuthupura (a cottage for writing) where writers can stay and write. Three of the cottages are complete and the target is 10.

Chasing a dream

This distinctive temple is a dream come true for Prapoyil Narayanan, who has been aspiring to create it for 35 years. His arduous life story is awe-inspiring. He is the only son of his mother. His father, Kokkodan Raman, a landlord, died when he was nine. All that Narayanan inherited was two acres. At the age of 15, he started shouldering the responsibility of his family. In his early twenties, he started thinking about the idea of the book temple and began setting aside a nominal amount for his dream project. He published many articles in different periodicals and became a reputable writer. Narayanan has authored 26 books. His initial education was in medical lab technology and after that, he started tutoring students. Sheer grit enabled him to own a flourishing parallel college in Cherupuzha town. The institution teaches degree and postgraduate courses in politics, sociology, history, commerce, Hindi, and philosophy. Naryanan himself is a postgraduate in five subjects and is currently studying for an MA degree in English literature. Income from his parallel college helped him save lakhs for the temple. The land development, sculptures, cottages and the festivals the temple organises are expensive and so far, he has spent a whopping amount of more than ₹60 lakh. Of late, he has received donations, but that does not even suffice for one-tenth of the expenses.

The temple conducts two annual cultural festivals, during April and the Puja holidays. Literary debates, classical and folk-dance performances, book releases, seminars and debates, and dramatic performances mark the festivals with large audiences. Awards are presented to writers in four Dravidian languages. Naryanan is supported in his noble endeavour by his friend Sabu Maliyekkal and the villagers. Narayanan’s ambition is to develop the temple into a self-sustaining institution. He has already initiated conversations with favourably inclined persons to make this a reality.

To Narayanan, a truly rare individual who has dedicated his life to literature and books, the unwavering support of his wife, Shyla, is immeasurable.

kkunhikrishnan@gmail.com