Kids get the first taste of letters in Kerala

Thiruvananthapuram, Oct 9 (UNI) Hundreds of kids had the first taste of letters in Kerala on Vijayadasami Day today.

Temples, public places, educational institutions and newspaper groups made elaborate arrangements for the ceremony.

Devotees thronged various temples, including Chottanikkara Temple in Ernakulam, Azakodi Temple in Kozhikode, Thiruvullakavu Sasta Temple in Thrissur and Attukal Devi Temple here to mark the beginning of the children's formal education.

Besides temples, Vettukadu Church, near here, also received a large number of devotees belonging to various religions.

During the ceremony, the Guru (master) inscribed the invocation to Lord Ganapathi (Hari Sree Ganapathaye Namaha) on the tongue of the kid with a golden ring and make them write with their right index finger on a bed of raw rice.

However, no parents turned up this year at the Cheraman Mosque, the only Muslim place of worship which conducted the ceremony during the previous years.

Last year also, no parents turned up here for Vidyarambam, mosque sources told UNI, adding they had made all arrangements for providing the facility to all people.

Heavy turnout of children was reported from Panachickad Saraswathy Temple at Kottayam, known as Dakshina Mookambi, for the Vidyarambam.

A report from Kozhikode said hundreds of kids were initiated into world of letters at different venues, including temples in Malabar Region.

Eminent Writer and Film Personality M T Vasudevan Nair led the ceremony at Thunchan Paramba, the memorial of Thunchathu Ezhuthachan, the Father of Malayalam language, at Tirur in Malappuram District.

More than 5,000 children, some of them from outside Kerala, attended the function that began at 0500 hrs.Cultural programmes and Kavi Sammelan were also held.

UNI CGV GM SW HS1341