World · India Bureau
Kerala CM inaugurates formal learning for children on Vijayadashami
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Satheesan led a traditional ceremony in Kochi marking the beginning of formal education for around 25 children on the auspicious occasion of Vijayadashami. The event featured the ancient practice of guiding children to write their first letters on rice-filled platters.
LSN India ·
Chief Minister Pinarayi Satheesan presided over a significant educational milestone in Kochi as children commenced their formal learning journey on Vijayadashami, the Hindu festival traditionally associated with the commencement of new endeavours and the victory of good over evil.
During the ceremony, the CM personally guided approximately 25 children through the ritualistic practice of writing 'Harishree'—a sacred invocation—in Malayalam script. Using rice-filled platters as their medium, the young students traced the letters with their index fingers under the CM's supervision, a symbolic gesture connecting ancient pedagogical traditions with contemporary education.
The Vijayadashami observance holds particular significance in South Indian culture as an auspicious day for beginning academic pursuits. By inaugurating this formal learning event on the festival day, organisers sought to blend cultural heritage with educational advancement, underscoring the importance of grounding modern schooling in traditional values.
The ceremony in Kochi reflects broader efforts across Kerala to mark educational beginnings with cultural significance, ensuring that children's introduction to formal learning is imbued with both celebratory spirit and traditional wisdom.