Aksharaabhyasam in Pittsburgh on Vijayadasami Day During the Sharada Navaratri in Fall 2021


By K S Venkataraman

During Vijayadasami (the 10th and the concluding day of the Sharada Navaratri in Fall, which was in October 2021 this year), the Pittsburgh Chinmaya Mission organized the traditional akshara-abhyasam ceremony, initiating the 4 to 6-year-olds to their long journey — 20 or more years — in studies, learning and education.

Pandit Shri Dharmateja Nagalingam at the Pittsburgh Chinmaya Mission helping parents with the Akshraabhyasam ceremony

In the picture above, Pandit Shri Dharmateja Nagalingam at the Mission is helping parents with children sitting on their laps to write Om Ganeshaaya namah, Om Vaagdevyai namah or Om Namasshivaya or Om Narayanaya namah on slates using chalk pieces while reciting Sanskrit hymns.

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At the Mookambika Temple: The priest is writing Om on the tongue of a child with her father’s gold ring.

Typical Aksharabhyasam ceremony at the famous Mookambika Temple where the presiding Devi is worshipped as Saraswati, Lakshmi and Parashakti.

This famous temple is situated close to Mangaluru in Karnataka, India. Here parents or family elders initiate their kids to writing on rice paddy spread on brass plates using turmeric root as pencils. A detailed article here: www.tinyurl.com/aksharabhyasam-MookambikeTmpl — END

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