Vidyarambham ceremonies held across South India

Thousands of toddlers across South India participated in the traditional Vidyarambham ceremony to mark the beginning of their formal education. Held on the occasion of Vijayadashami, the ritual involves elders, scholars, and religious figures guiding children as they write their first letters on rice or sand.

In Chennai, children at the Vadapalani Andavar Temple traced the Tamil letter ‘அ’ with the assistance of dignitaries, including IIT-Madras Director V Kamakoti. The ceremony followed Navaratri celebrations, concluding with the deity appearing in Saraswati alankaram, the form associated with knowledge and the arts.

In Kerala, ceremonies took place at various major sites, including the Thunchan Memorial, Panachikkadu Saraswathi Temple, and Dakshina Mookambika Temple. Many devotees also traveled to the Mookambika Temple in Karnataka to initiate children into learning and the performing arts.