Congress leader Shashi Tharoor celebrated the last day of Navratri festival.
Congress MP from Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala, Shashi Tharoor marked the long-standing tradition of Vidyarambham, marking the last day of Navratri festival, known as Dussehra or Vijaya Dashami.
As the country celebrates the culmination of the nine-night festival in different ways, people in Kerala mark the day as Vidyarambham (meaning introduction to education), when children are exposed to the world of books and literacy. is initiated.
The Vidyarambham ritual involves a child writing the first letter on a plate of rice. It is customary for scholars, writers, teachers and priests to write their first letter to children between the ages of two or three.
Mr Tharoor, 65, shared glimpses of the auspicious day on Twitter this morning and said that several children were brought to his home to give initiation in writing.
“Started the day of Vijayadashami in the right spirit, honoring learning as a way to ward off the forces of darkness. Many children were brought home to be initiated in writing. As I do every year in Thiruvananthapuram Hoon, I traced the words with his little fingers ‘Om Shree’ in three scripts,” he tweeted along with pictures of the occasion.
Not all children were happy to be forced literacy by a stranger, but most were caught in the mood of “Vidyarambham” and the excitement of their parents! pic.twitter.com/pl5TtCbki6
— Shashi Tharoor (@shashi tharoor) October 15, 2021
In Mr Tharoor’s post, the children can be seen sitting on their parents’ laps while the Congress leader in traditional clothes helps them write on a plate of rice. While many of the children looked happy and curious, others were seen crying as their parents tried to help them get into the festive mood.
“Not all children were happy with a stranger forcibly feeding their literacy, but most were caught in the mood of ‘Vidyarambham’ and the excitement of their parents!” Mr Tharoor added.
Later he visited Saraswati Mandapam, Poojapura, Temple and continued the rituals there.
On the day of Vijayadasam/Dussehra a devotional morning started from home and proceeded towards the temple. Now starting of working day with flight to Delhi! pic.twitter.com/6UF2c6Yfo0
— Shashi Tharoor (@shashi tharoor) October 15, 2021
The Congress MP has been taking part in this ritual for the past few years, but was unable to do so last year due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
Vidyarambham is performed in various temples, schools and cultural centers of Kerala where a large number of people take their children for the initiation ceremony. However, due to the outbreak of covid, the number of people in public places has been restricted this year.
.