Vidyarambham means “initiation of Knowledge” gaining. The nine-day Navratri festival and the Vijayadashami day is mainly dedicated to Goddess Saraswathi and is noted for the Vidyarambham ceremony.The ritual begins with an invocation to Lord Ganapathi,and proceeds with a prayer to Goddess Saraswathi,the goddess of letters.Another important ritual is the Ayudha Puja.
Morning of the auspicious Vijayadasami day,before Initiation into the world of alphabets,it usually begins with the writing of the mantra “Om Hari Shree Ganapathaye Namah”(ഓം ഹരി ശ്രീ ഗണപതയേ നമഃ) Hari(ഹരി) refers to the Lord,Shree(ശ്രീ),to prosperity.Initially,the mantra is written on sand or in a tray of rice grains.Then,the master would write the mantra on the child’s tongue with gold.Writing on sand denotes practice.Writing on grains denotes the acquisition of knowledge,which leads to prosperity.Writing on the tongue with gold invokes the grace of the Goddess of Learning,by which one attains the wealth of true knowledge.
