Stepping into schools for the very first time is a different feeling altogether for the kids below age four. Little ones clad in bright cute uniforms wearing bags bigger than themselves get admitted to play and nursery groups, on the day of Vijayadasami. Parents believe that if kids are introduced to learning on this day, they would be blessed with a prosperous learning experience throughout their life.
As per Hindu belief, some parts of the country celebrate Vijayadasami, to mark the victory of Ram over Ravaana. While in some parts, the day is seen as the last day of Durga pooja remembering goddess Durga's victory over the buffalo demon to help restore Dharma. Back here in Tamil Nadu, Vijayadasami is considered to be a very auspicious day for introducing learning to children.
Hence, on this day study materials of all forms like books, pen, pencils, laptops, calculators and more are placed in front of Goddess Saraswathi seeking good knowledge and wisdom.
There is yet another ritual performed by the parents who spread a handful of grains and make their kids write the Tamil letter "à®…" as mark of beginning of their educational journey. This ritual is either performed at their homes or in temples. One such temple preferred by the parents in the city for performing the ritual is the Siddhapudur Ayyappan Temple.
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"Making the child write the letters through rice grains in the presence of God ensures wisdom to the child" shared Karthik and Preethi parents of a two-year-old kid from Vadavalli.
“Even though we are Punjabis, I am enrolling my child on Vijayadasami, for playschool, it is the first time he would experience learning and I see nothing wrong in choosing an auspicious day,” as quoted by Mini, one of the parent enrolling their child in Teeming Turtles on Vijayadasami.
“I am actually from Cochin, so when I started my school here in Coimbatore, a lot of parents would prefer enrolling their child on Vijayadasami. Initially, I found this very strange, but much later I understood the custom and belief attached to it. So apart from the regular enrollments in June, we too have an option of enrolling the kids on Vijayadasami” as quoted by Tejal, the Founder of Teeming Turtles, a play school in RS Puram.
"Lately a lot of parents of all traditions consider to admit their children in school during Vijayadasami and express interest in Akshara Abhyaasam which marks their beginning of learning by writing on the grains as a conquest for knowledge. Vidhyarambham is a tradition observed on the tenth day of Navrathri which is dedicated to Goddess of Learning , Saraswathi. This day is considered auspicious to begin art or any form of learning. Parents also prefer these midterm admissions as it is shorter and easily weans the kids off from home and aids in smooth transition into mainstream schooling" said Srinithi Mohan, Founder of Shiksha Montessori and Play School and also a certified Montessori trainer.
“On this day we worship Goddess Saraswati, and then introduce children to their books. Its not like a proper school day, but on this day the new students who have joined in for Vijayadasami get introduced to the world of knowledge and learning,” as quoted by Shiba, the coordinator at Orange Sprouts, a play and nursery school in Lawley Road.
"Most of the parents prefer enrolling their Children on this auspicious day of Vijayadasami. It's an ancient practice indeed to introduce study materials to the little ones, the very first time. We at Peacock daycare follow such practices as it gives content to the parents who dream of a prosperous learning experience for their kids. The teachers here hold the kids hand and make them write the letter "à®…" the first letter in Tamil language, in a slate", said Nivedhitha, Founder of Peacock Daycare in Vadavalli.
When questioned about how the kids react to the first day at school, Nivedhitha said "While a few kids sob in fear, there are a few who jump in jubilation to meet new friends and toys. As not all kids get acclimatized to the new atmosphere, we ensure that Kids feel homely here. The toys, the atmosphere and everything in our school are set in a way to make kids feel the school as their second home".
Every community follows a different practice to commence knowledge in the child’s life, while some just say a prayer and inscribe godly letters like 'உ' 'शà¥à¤°à¥€' on the books, few draw the same letters on child’s tongue using rice husk. Whatever be the practice, a fruitful and stressful learning experience for the child is what matters.