Thousands of kids initiated to world of letters

Thousands of tiny tots were initiated into the world of letters and knowledge in the State on the auspicious day of Vijayadasami on Sunday. Children were made to write the first letters of their lives at various temples, especially arranged mandapams and at cultural centres and media organisation offices by acharyas.

Several children rejoiced at the new experience when the acharayas made them write the first letters, Harishree Ganapathaye Nama, in rice and sand with their index finger. But for many, the ritual was a bit scary because of the strangeness and crowds, and loud cries were heard accompanied with the soothing words of their parents and acharyas, who wrote the same suktha on the tongues of the kids with gold.

As in every year, Thunchan Parambu, the memorial for the Father of Malayalam language Thunchathu Ezhuthachan, was the focus this year as well with more than 6,000 children being initiated into the world of letters. Prominent political and cultural leaders including Education Minister MA Baby, writer MT Vasudevan Namboothiri, Alankode Leelakrishnan and Chathanathu Achuthanunnni led the Ezhuthiniruthu at Thunchan Parambu where the ritual was performed without religious considerations.

The time for the start of the functions was fixed as 5 am but the organisers were compelled to begin the Ezhuthiniruthu at 4.30 am owing to the heavy rush of kids and parents. Organisers said the rush was unprecedented. The acharyas here are traditional Ezhuthasanmar, teachers of letters belonging to the sect of Ezhuthachan.

Temples across the State reported heavy rush of kids and parents. Thousands thronged the Panchikkad Sarawati temple in Kottayam district, known as Dakshina Mookambika temple, to initiate the tiny tots into the world of knowledge. Here also the ritual started very early in the morning.

The focus in Thiruvananthapuram district was on the Iranimuttam temple, Attukal Vidyadhiraja Mandir and Thonnakkal Asan Memorial. Thousands visited these three places for marking the first letters of their lives.

The premises of the Chottanikkara Devi temple in Ernakulam district were full of kids and their parents from Saturday evening itself. The ritual here was led by temple priest Easwaran Namboothiri.

Cultural leaders led the initiation at SK Pottekkadu Cultural Centre in Kozhikode. The ritual was also held at many temples in Kozhikode district.

In Thrissur district, the main centres for initiation of the kids into the world of letters and knowledge was Thiruvullakkavu near Cherpu. The temple was full of devotees since Saturday night.

Finance Minister TM Thomas Isaac, K Jayakumar IAS and actress Urmila Unni led the ritual at a specially arranged venue at the DC Books headquarters in Kottayam.

All units of Malayala Manorama newspaper had specially arranged venues for the initiation of tiny tots into the world of letters.

About one thousand children appeared seeking entry into the world of letters at the Thunchan Madam in Palakkad district.

In the district, the other centre in focus was the Kalakkathu Bhavanam, the memorial for Kunchan Nambiar in Lakkidi near Ottapalam.

Here, nearly 500 children were ushered into the world of knowledge.

Vijayadasmi functions marked the culmination of the Navratri celebrations all over Kerala. Several programmes like Navatgri Music Festival had been arranged at many temples.

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