Hundreds of children along with their parents took part in the Vidyarambham ritual on Vijayadashami day in the district. Temples, educational institutions and churches had made elaborate arrangements for the ceremony.
The Vidyarambham ceremony mainly involves the master ( guru ) inscribing the invocation to Lord Ganapati ( hari shree ganapataye namaha ) on the tongue of the child with a golden ring and making them write with the right index finger the invocation, on a bed of raw rice.
Among Christians, the parish priest inscribes the words ‘Thampuran Thunaika’ (God blesses you) on the tongue of the child with a golden ring and makes them write on a bed of rice, after a special holy mass, at the alter inside the church.
Earlier, the Vidyarambham ceremony was usually held in connection with the feast of Pentecost, Fr. Sunil of Thomas Catholic Church. Vellamunda, said. This is the fifth consecutive year Vidyarambham has been celebrated in the parish on Vijayadashami day, a mark of communal harmony, he said. Vijayadashami signifies the triumph of good over evil and light over darkness. The Vidyarambham ceremony underlines the power of knowledge.
As many as 280 children came for Vidyarambham at various temples in the district. Arrangements had been made for children to begin their first lesson in the world of learning. In some instances, the he older members of the families initiated the children in their respective homes.
