Thousands of tiny tots in Kerala were initiated into the world of letters and learning on Saturday, the Vijaya Dashami day, by priests, Gurus and cultural and political leaders at temples, cultural centres, media offices and homes.
Vijayadashami, the concluding day of the Navaratri festival, in Kerala is dedicated to Saraswati, Goddess of letters, knowledge and wisdom, and is observed as Vidyarambham (starting of learning) day, the auspicious occasion for entering the world of knowledge. The process is called Ezhuthiniruthu (initiation into writing) in common Malayalam.
On this day, Acharyas – senior persons like temple priests, spiritual persons, writers and cultural and political leaders and at private functions, uncles of the tots being initiated into the world of knowledge – perform the ritual of making the kids enter the world of learning by making them write the initiating Sloka: Harishree Ganapathaye Nama, Avighnamastu.
The ritual starts with the Acharya writing these letters on the child’s tongue using a golden pen, known as Narayam, or a gold ring. After that the Acharya would make the child write the same letters with his/her index finger in sand and rice kept in plates. Though this is basically a Hindu ritual, people of other religions have been observing it for the past many years.
The most important centre for Vidyarambham for Keralites is outside the State — at the Mookambika temple at Kolloor in southern Karnataka. Hundreds of children and their parents from Kerala had thronged the temple from 4 am Saturday for the ritual which went on till noon.
Heavy rush of children and guardians was seen at the Thunchan Parambu, the memorial of Thunchath Ezhuthachchan, Father of Malayalam language, in Tirur in Malappuram district for Vidyarambham.