Grand Celebration of Vijaya Dashami and Vidyarambham

    According to tenets of Sanathana Dharma Vidyarambham is the shubharambham (auspicious beginning) of life-long learning. Since the ritual of Ezhuthiniruthu is such a meaningful and deeply symbolic procedure, parents who practice other religions also have been fascinated by Vidyarambham.

    Members of KHNA and YuVA joined hands with other Hindu organizations in the DC-Metro area like the Nair Society of Greater Washington, Sree Narayana Mission Center, Sanathana Dharma Samithi and Namboodiri Sabha to celebrate Vijaya Dashami and Vidyarambham on Sunday, October 17th, 2010. More than 350 individuals accepted the invitation and assembled for the event at Sri Murugan Temple (Lanham, MD).

    The festivities began with Saraswathi Puja by Brahmasri Kallampally Easwaran Nampoothiri (Melsanthi of Ayyappa shrine, Sri Siva Vishnu temple, Lanham, MD and former Melsanthi of Sabarimala Ayyappa temple). The priests of Murugan Temple and KHNA-YuVA volunteers helped with the puja. The ritual of Ezhuthiniruthu started after the Saraswathi puja. Children were initiated by writing Hari Sri Ganapathaye Namah in rice. This was followed by writing the mantra on their tongue with a gold mothiram to receive the blessings of Goddess Saraswathi.

    Religious story books donated by Malayalam film star Sri Suresh Gopi were distributed to all the kids who participated in the celebration. This was followed by a delicious Kerala style lunch, a brief public meeting and a melodious classical music concert by Sri. Ajay Namboodiri.