Woman scholar defies custom, pens book on mantra

KOCHI: Gayatri Mantra is the root incantation of India. This mantra, which has just 24 words, has the power to raise man to the divine, it is believed. The levels of meanings of the letters of the Gayatri Mantra, which encompass the depth of the ocean and the vastness of the skies is amazing. The privileged classes believed and forced others to believe that it was a sin for non-Brahmins and women to chant the Gayatri Mantra. 

Time has now entered a phase which recognizes that this mantra, which was kept under wraps, is the common wealth of the family of man. There is no man-woman distinction in spirituality. Many researches are being conducted in foreign countries on the power of the Gayatri Mantra. Sages like Yagjnavalkya, Bharadwaja and Agastya have interpreted the Gayatri Mantra. Shankaracharya, Maheedharacharya and Sayanacharya have also written exegeses for the Gayatri Mantra. And now a woman has forayed to write a book on the immortalized mantra.

Dr Indira Balachandran has written the book “Gayatri Mantram: Sarvavedasaaram” with the aim of taking the common people to a field inaccessible to them. This work which has 18 chapters aims at imparting comprehensive knowledge about Gayatri Mantra. Her work is published both in Malayalam and Hindi. Dr Indira Balachandran was a teacher at the St Joseph’s College, Alapuzha.

Her works include Kalidasanum Malayala Kavithayum, Kumaran Asanum Karunayum and Koodariyathe (novel). Her husband is Prof. G. Balachandran, former chairman of Coir Board. They have two children Adv. B. Jeevan and Ms I.B. Rani IPS. Dr Karan Singh MP  on Sunday released the book at Kerala House, New Delhi at a function in which Jnanpith winner Dr Saty Vrat Shastri delivered the keynote address.