'Scribbles to scholars': Kerala sees Dussehra being celebrated with sacred Vidyarambham | All about this ritual

While India is rejoicing Vijayadashami, in Kerala state, an ancient tradition is being followed in the name of Vidyarambham. It is a ritual that symbolizes the initiation of a child in education and learning formally.

Hundreds of toddlers entered the world of alphabets at temples in Kerala, where 'Vidyarambham' was conducted on Thursday, the culmination of the nine-day-long annually Navratri festival.

Early morning, families had congregated at the Saraswathi Devi Temple in Poojapura in Kerala to undergo this ritual.

Photos that went viral on social media show some of the children -- generally two or three years old -- crying or laughing during the ritual. Others were subdued and curious, as scholars, writers, educators, priests, and other powerful members of society got them to write their first letters of learning, starting with the mantra.

Kerala Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar welcomed numerous kids to the world of letters at Raj Bhavan, wherein the ceremony was organized majestically.

"Kerala has the age-old #Vijayadasami festival by introducing children to the world of letters. Raj Bhavan also did not fall back with Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar himself conducting the #vidyarambham today," the Raj Bhavan wrote in a Facebook post.

What is the Vidyarambham ritual?

As a part of this ceremony, little children are helped with their very first letters, in the traditional manner of rice or sand on a brass plate under the able guidance of seniors, typically teachers, priests, or elder members of the family.

Vidyarambham is evidence of Kerala's respect for knowledge, as is in accord with Goddess Saraswathi, the Hindu goddess of knowledge and scholarship.

The ritual in the traditional sense involves toddlers drawing the Malayalam alphabets "Hari Sree." This is said to be a charm for prosperity in books.

Vijayadasami is observed as the day of 'Vidyarambham', the initiation of studies, in the southern state.

Temples, even those of Saraswathi, the goddess of learning and fine arts, have a heavy influx on this day. Major temples like the Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple and the Guruvayur Sree Krishna Swamy Temple also had a heavy crowd of devotees.