Malayala Manorama journalist irks Roman Catholic Church

Malayala Manorama is the largest circulating newspaper in India and it is where, as a child, I got my grounding as a journalist and an editor under the tutelage of my grandfather, the late K. C. Mammen Mappilai.

The Malayalam version of the 'Da Vinci Code' novel, which is a work of fiction, translated by a Malayala Manorama journalist from Delhi, Jomy Thomas, and R. Gopikishnan of Mangalam, has proven a great hit, raising the ire of the Roman Catholic Church in Kerala.

The book has been published by a company called DC Books and the limited first edition was sold out on release.

The owners of the Malayala Manorama are Orthodox Syrian Christians. Although they are not in any way associated with the publication of the book, the fact that one of their journalists is in the limelight for translating it, may raise some eyebrows.

The Roman Catholic church says the film will hurt the religious sentiments of the Christian community.

The timing of the release of the Malayalam version with the release of the film and the controversy associated with it, has undoubtedly helped the book become a hit.

The Malayalam version of the book is priced at Euro 4 (Rs. 200).