Two reading rooms associated with the CPM in Kannur have announced a pork challenge on the day of Karkidaka Vavu, a day when Hindus traditionally perform rituals to honour their ancestors.
The event was organised by the Karavoor AKG Reading Room and Library at Padiyoor in the Irikkur area, with one kilogram of pork to be distributed for ₹370, as reported in Kerala Kaumudi.
The organisers described the programme as part of their upcoming Onam celebrations. However, the event has specifically been scheduled for Karkidaka Vavu day, drawing criticism on social media.
Karkidaka Vavu Day (also known as Karkidaka Vavu Bali) is one of the most sacred Hindu ancestral observances in Kerala. It is dedicated to paying homage to deceased ancestors through a ritual called Bali Tharpanam. The ritual takes place annually on the Amavasya (new moon day) of the Malayalam month of Karkidakam (falls between July and August).
According to Hindu tradition, the souls of deceased relatives visit the living on this specific day. Offering bali ensures the departed souls attain moksha (spiritual liberation) and brings peace, grounding, and blessings to the living family.
While Hindus were offering sacred homage to their ancestors on Karkidaka Vavu, local Communists held a “pork challenge” to mock Hindus.
These are the very same Communists who respectfully host Iftar gatherings for Muslims during their religious festivals.
They spit on Hindu… https://t.co/qB3ovOxmLh pic.twitter.com/43WZ2V1Fzk
— Revolutionary Monk (@RevolutionMonk) August 12, 2026
Another reading room, Nidiody Gramaodharana Reading Room, was also associated with the initiative.
According to the organisers, the proceeds from the pork sale would be used to fund the upcoming Onam feast and other Onam celebrations.
The decision to hold a pork distribution challenge specifically on Karkidaka Vavu has become the focus of controversy, especially given the choice of date is of great religious significance for Hindus.
Earlier, a pork challenge was organised by the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI), the youth wing of the CPM, to raise funds for the Wayanad rehabilitation project. That event had also triggered controversy.
CPM-Controlled IRPC To Provide Facilities For Vavu Bali
While the CPM-linked reading rooms organised the pork challenge in Padiyoor, another CPM-affiliated organisation Initiative for Rehabilitation and Palliative Care (IRPC) also prepared to provide facilities for devotees observing Vavu Bali at Payyambalam in Kannur on the same day, as reported in Samakalikamalayalam.
The IRPC, a charitable organisation associated with the CPM, has announced arrangements for people arriving at Payyambalam for ancestral rituals.
The organisation will reportedly provide tea, refreshments, parking facilities, medical assistance and ambulance services to devotees visiting the site.
IRPC has been active in providing such services at Payyambalam during Vavu Bali for several years.
The organisation was founded by senior CPM leader P. Jayarajan and is associated with the party’s palliative-care and charitable activities.
The contrasting activities on the same day have drawn attention: while CPM-linked organisations are providing services to devotees arriving for Vavu Bali at Payyambalam, CPM-associated reading rooms in another part of Kannur are organising a pork sale specifically on Karkidaka Vavu.
Earlier CPM Attempts To Counter Religious Celebrations
The controversy also comes against the backdrop of earlier initiatives by CPM workers in Kannur to organise alternative public programmes during Hindu festivals.
During P. Jayarajan’s tenure as Kannur district secretary, CPM workers had organised so-called secular processions as alternatives to celebrations such as Sri Krishna Jayanti and Ganeshotsav.
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