Thiruvananthapuram | From hesitant scribbles to curious smiles, thousands of toddlers across Keralam took their first steps into the world of letters on Wednesday as temples and cultural centres celebrated Vijayadasami with the traditional 'Vidyarambham' ceremony.
The ritual, marking the culmination of the nine-day Navratri festival, saw children, mostly aged between two and three years, introduced to learning by scholars, writers, teachers, priests and other prominent personalities.
The ceremony began with children being guided to write their first letters, traditionally starting with the mantra 'Hari Sree Ganapathaye Namaha' on rice grains or sand.
The ritual was held at major temples and cultural centres across the state, including the Thunchan Memorial at Thunchanparamba in Tirur, Panachikkadu Saraswathi Temple in Kottayam, Dakshina Mookambika Temple in North Paravur, and also at the famed Mookambika Temple at Kollur in neighbouring Karnataka.
At Thunchanparamba, the birthplace of the Father of Malayalam language, Thunchath Ezhuthachan, the ceremonies began around 5 am, with prominent writers and traditional gurus initiating children into learning.
At Panachikkadu Saraswathi Temple, the rituals began after the shrine opened at 3.30 am and the ceremonial pooja was completed. Musical offerings and cultural programmes were also organised on the temple premises.
Thousands of devotees, particularly from Keralam reached the Kollur Mookambika Temple, to initiate the toddlers into the world of letters. Many also brought children for their first performances in music and other art forms.
In the state capital, arrangements were made at prominent places of worship and cultural centres, including the Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple, Poojappura Saraswathi Temple and Attukal Bhagavathy Temple.
The ritual transcended religious and social boundaries, with cultural figures, academics and political leaders also participating in the ceremonies.
Chief Minister V D Satheesan initiated children into learning at his MLA office in his constituency of Paravur in Ernakulam district.
Toddlers began arriving at the chief minister's residence in the morning for the Vidyarambham ceremony. Holding their little hands, the CM guided them to write their first letters on rice grains and wished them a successful journey into the world of learning.
Devaswom Minister K Muraleedharan led the ceremony at the Saraswathi Mandapam in Poojappura here.
"It is a privilege to usher little children into the world of letters," the minister told reporters.
