Parents, children on a new learning curve during Vidyarambham amid pandemic

The Vidyarambham rite looked different for thousands of children in the state due to social distancing requirements in the pandemic time.
A Vidyarambham ceremony at the Saraswathy Mandapam at Poojapura in Thiruvananthapuram. (Photo | Vincent Pulickal, EPS)
A Vidyarambham ceremony at the Saraswathy Mandapam at Poojapura in Thiruvananthapuram. (Photo | Vincent Pulickal, EPS)

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:  The Vidyarambham rite looked different for thousands of children in the state due to social distancing requirements in the pandemic time. A majority of the parents chose their homes as the venue for the ritual. And there were several hundreds of people who opted for temples and other places of importance where the ritual was tweaked in line with the social distancing norms. 

Special poojas marked the day at devi temples where thousands turned up for worship.Sharing of wares was prohibited at temples and public places where parents had to bring the plate, rice and coin for the ritual. Acharyas weren’t available at most temples and children were initiated into the world 
of letters by their parents or relatives. At some places acharyas were present to offer guidance to the parents. 

Around 600 children were initiated at the Poojappura Mandapam, one of the popular Vidyarambham venues in the capital district, as against the previous year’s figure of 1,700. Here too parents were asked to solemnise the ritual.

The devi temples at Attukal and Karikkakom had around 300 kids each where the turnout was over 1,000 in the last season. Less than 50 children were brought to the Thunchan Samaraka Samithi, Iranimuttam.   

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan donned the role of a guru when he initiated his driver Vasanthakumar’s granddaughter Devananda at the Cliff House. Former chief minister Oommen Chandy led the ritual organised by the Deseeya Balatharangam at his house at Jagathy. He solemnised the ritual for around 20 children.

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