CHENNAI: Young children were introduced to the traditional practice of beginning formal learning at the Vidyarambham ceremony held at Vadapalani Andavar Temple on Tuesday, October 20, on the occasion of Vijayadashami.
The ceremony was organised between 7.30 am and 10 am for children aged between two-and-a-half and three-and-a-half years. With guidance from elders and dignitaries, the children traced the Tamil letter ‘அ’ on rice as part of the ritual marking the beginning of their educational journey.
L Adimoolam, publisher and director of operations of Dinamalar’s Coimbatore edition; actor Y Gee Mahendra; IIT Madras Director V Kamakoti; and singer-lyricist Ravi Murrugaiah were among those who participated in the ceremony and helped children write the letter. Families attended the event as part of the Vijayadashami observances.
Vidyarambham is a traditional ceremony associated with the initiation of young children into learning. It is commonly observed on Vijayadashami, which marks the conclusion of Navaratri celebrations. During the ritual, an elder or another participant guides a child's hand as they write their first letter, often on rice spread across a plate.
The ceremony at Vadapalani Andavar Temple was held alongside the concluding day's religious observances. The presiding deity was adorned in Saraswati alankaram, representing the goddess associated with knowledge, learning and the arts.
Special pujas and deeparadhana were conducted in the morning and evening. The temple also hosted Sahasranama chanting, Vedic recitations, Thevaram hymns and devotional music as part of the celebrations.
Thousands of devotees visited the temple during the Navaratri festivities, according to the report. Children's competitions were also organised on a daily basis, with prizes distributed to participants.
The Vidyarambham ceremony forms part of the Vijayadashami tradition observed by families seeking to mark the beginning of their children's learning journey. The ritual combines a symbolic introduction to letters with religious observances associated with the festival.
