Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to Inaugurate Janmabhumi’s Three-Day ‘Ramakatha Conclave’ in Kochi on September 18

KOCHI :  Leading Malayalam Newspaper  Janmabhumi is organizing a three-day national conclave titled ‘One Epic, Many Stories: Ramakatha Across Bharat and Beyond’ from September 18 to 20, 2026, at the Bhaskareeyam Convention Centre in Kochi. Union Defence Minister Shri Rajnath Singh will formally inaugurate the grand event on September 18 at 1:30 PM, with Union Law Minister Shri Arjun Ram Meghwal set to address participants on September 19. Spanning 11 insightful sessions across three days, the conclave will feature vice-chancellors, academic experts, and researchers engaging in deliberations on the global and regional influence of the Ramayana. Day 1 (September 18) focuses on Adhyatmaramayanam, the global acceptance of Lord Rama, and Telugu and Kannada Ramayana traditions, followed by a cultural evening featuring a ‘Ravana Vadham’ Yakshagana performance by Shivashankara Divana’s 15-member Kasaragod troupe and a screening of Yadhukrishnan’s Sanskrit film Bhagavadajjukam. Day 2 (September 19), themed ‘Rama’s World and the World’s Rama’, will explore Southeast Asian Ramakatha, Indian ideals, South Asian traditions, Kamba Ramayanam, and performing arts, culminating in a ‘Rama Pattabhishekam’ Kathakali performance led by Kalamandalam Gireesh. Day 3 (September 20) covers Ramakatha traditions across the Northern Himalayan region, Hindi belt, and Northeast India, concluding with a valedictory session at 3:00 PM on the synthesis of Ramakatha traditions. Alongside the main conclave, several flagship competitions are being hosted, including debates, quizzes, Ramakatha Trail Campus Treasure Hunt, Engineering Wisdom of Ancient Bharat Design Challenge, AI & Digital Heritage Lab, ‘Ramarajyam: A Governance Model’ case study contest, Ramayana Tourism Ideathon, Leadership Dialogues, poster exhibitions, short film contests, and photography/reels challenges. Spot registration for participants is available at the venue from September 18 to 20 (excluding accommodation), with queries handled by Manoj (94477 63828) for registrations and Dr. K.R.N. Ashwini (9493952288) for flagship events.