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How to Perform Aksharabhyasam at Home and at Basara Temple

Introduction to Aksharabhyasam

Every parent treasures the first step of their child's education, a milestone. In Hindu Santana Dharma, the transition from toddlerhood to formal learning is celebrated as Aksharabhyasam.

The word is derived from two Sanskrit words Akshara (letters) and Abhyasam (practice). This ceremony is also known as Vidyarambham which is derived from the words: Vidya (education) and Arambham (start). The ceremony marks the initiation of a child into the world of formal eduction so that she / he mentally gets ready to go to school.

Back in 2012, we sat in the hall in front of the Basara temple sanctum sanctorum. My husband took our daughter in his lap. As we were performing puja as per the directions of the temple priest, we were watching her trace her very first letters under the guidance of the temple priests. It is a memory I still cherish deeply.

Ideal Age and Auspicious Days

Traditionally, Aksharabhyasam was celebrated when a child turned five. However, with the modern kindergarten admissions starting much earlier, most families now perform the ceremony during the child's third year (after the child completes 2 years). According to traditional beliefs, it is highly recommended to complete the ritual before the child enters their fourth year. The function can be performed on a mutually agreed-upon auspicious day. The most highly favored days include:

The function is performed either in a temple or at home. It depends on one's own choice and convenience.

Procedure to Perform Aksharabhyasam at Home

First get an auspicious day fixed by your family purohit and get the list of items for the function. Invite your close relatives (not compulsory) and start preparations for the function in advance to avoid last minute tensions.

Essential Puja Samagri

Before the priest arrives, keep all the items ready at the place where you are going to perform the puja.
  • Sacred Powders: Pasupu (turmeric powder), Kumkuma, Sandalwood paste (chandanam / gandham)
  • Aromas and Lamp:agarbatti, Karpooram (camphor), traditional oil lamps and wicks.
  • Offerings: a mix of white and yellow loose flowers, two coconuts (or as given by the purohit), bananas or any available fruits.
  • Raw rice grains, quantity as given in the list by the purohit. It is used for writing and is later given to the purohit.
  • Beetel leaves and nuts
  • Learning Tools: a brand new writing slate and a pack of slate chalks. Optional: a new notebook and a new pencil.
  • Naivedyam: Freshly prepared payasam (kheer) or Sooji halwa or Ravva laddu as per one's personal choice. Naivedyam should be white or yellow colour sweet.

Procedure

  1. Morning Preparation: All the family members get up early, finish your daily chores and dress up in traditional attire. Dress up the child in comfortable clothes. Comfort of child is more important than wearing heavy costume.
  2. Setting-up: Before the Purohit arrives, decorate the Puja Mandir with mango leaves' toran and offer flowers to idols. Keep all the items ready.
  3. Performing Puja: Once Purohit arrives, all the family members sit comfortably, the mother of the child has to do deeparadhana (lighting the lamp). While the Purohit chants the mantras, keep performing the puja as per his instructions.
  4. The Sacred Writing: Once the puja is over, the father takes the child in his lap. He then firmly holds the child's right hand index finger and makes him / her write the first letter 'Aum' or 'Om Namah Sivaya' or 'Om Namo Narayanaya' in Telugu / regional language on the rice grains spread on a brass plate.
  5. Writing on the Slate: Smear little pasupu paste on the four corners of the new slate. Now the father again makes the child write the same on a new writing slate with a chalk pencil.
  6. Ritual Conclusion: The puja concludes by offering sweet naivedyam to the deities and then distributing prasadam to the guests.
💡 Pro-Tip: If your budget permits, it is a wonderful gesture to donate small packages containing a notebook, slate, and pencils to less privileged children in honor of your child's big day. You can also distribute return gifts to the invited toddlers. This is purely a personal choice.

Aksharabhyasam is performed in Hindu temples also. However, it is the determination and dedication to perform the function which is more important than taking pains to travel long distances and troubling the little ones.

Important Temples for Performing Aksharabhyasam

  • Basara Saraswati Temple, Telangana
  • Kollur Mookambika Devi Temple in Karnataka
  • Vijayawada Kanakadurga Temple, Andhra Pradesh
  • Koothanur Saraswati Temple, Tamil Nadu
  • Vargal Saraswati Temple, Telangana
  • Other Saraswati Temples in India
  • Any nearby temple

How to Perform Aksharabhyasam at Basara Saraswati Temple

Sri Gnana Saraswati Devi temple is beautifully located along the banks of River Godavari in the Nirmal District of Telangana. The temple stands as one of the most prominent, historic abodes of Saraswati Devi in India. It is said that Sri Veda Vyasa resided in one of the caves at this place, which later came to known as Vyasa Guha (cave). The place got its name after Veda Vyasa.

Tickets and Timings

The temple performs Aksharabhyasam ceremonies daily on a first-come, first-served basis. Pre-booking of tickets online is not available. Tickets must be purchased directly at the counters in the temple premises.
  • Special Aksharabhyasam Ticket (₹1,000): With this ticket, parents and the child are allowed to perform the ritual within the main temple premises, directly in front of the sanctum sanctorum.
  • General Aksharabhyasam Ticket (₹100): With this ticket, the ritual performed in the mass gathering halls or in the mandapam corridors.
  • Daily Timing Slots for Aksharabhyasam: The ritual is performed in the morning from 7:30 a.m. to 12:00 noon and afternoon from 2:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. The temple remains closed between 12 noon and 2:00 p.m.

Important Guidelines for Performing Aksharabhyasam at Basara Temple

Basara temple is a profoundly popular destination where the Aksharabhyasam ceremonies are conducted in large group batches. The main temple halls easily gets congested and noisy. Use these survival tips to keep the day stress-free:
  • Temple Info: Check the timings of performing the ritual. The temple provides basic items for the ritual, with the ticket. However, you can carry a new slate and chalk pencil, not compulsory.
  • Listen to the mike: The ritual is performed in mass gathering inside the main temple. Focus on the instructions given loudly in the mike by the temple priest.
  • Perform the Ritual: Keep all the items in your lap. Child should sit in his / her father's lap or other family member's lap. While the temple priest chants mantras on mike, repeat the mantra, follow the instructions and perform the puja.
  • Final Touch: Once the group mantras conclude, form an orderly line towards the platform where the temple priests sits. The priest will physically hold your child's hand to write "OM" on the slate before sending you forward for the main darshan of Gnana Saraswati Devi.
  • Manage Festival Highs: Prepare for long waiting if you visit during peak festival like Vasanta Panchami. Carry a small bag with dry snacks (biscuits or crackers), juices, favorite toys and water to keep young child from becoming cranky or dehydrated. Avoid overfeeding them right before long queues to prevent sudden bathroom emergencies.
  • Strict Traditional Dress Code: The temple enforces proper traditional attire. Men must wear a traditional dhoti or plain kurta with an upper cloth, while women must wear traditional sarees or salwar suits with a dupatta.

Checklist for Basara Temple Visit

  • Do not back pack everything from home. Local shops lining the temple entrance sell fresh flowers, coconuts, slates, and chalk pencils.
  • Pack 1 kg of clean raw rice from home and a small new cotton towel to place underneath your child's slate.
  • You can reach Basara Rly Station by a direct train or connected trains.
  • Autos and cabs are readily available outside the station to take you on the brief 3 km ride straight to the temple gates.
  • Accommodation: simple, budget-friendly hotels and temple guest houses are available near the temple.
  • Food: Restaurants mostly sell local foods.

My Personal Reflection: Our 2012 Visit to Basara Temple

When we performed our daughter's Aksharabhyasam at the Basara Temple, there were no smartphones and no social media, so our planning was a bit difficult and we had to take the suggestions of our family elders. I felt overwhelmed as I walked inside the crowded temple corridors with my toddler who is going to be initiated into formal learning.

It was a mass function and many families with their toddlers sat in rows as per the directions of the temple authorities. The priest was giving directions in the mike and chanting mantras. Once that was over, the stressed parents stood restlessly in the long Q line with their cranky toddlers.

However, all my stress melted away when the priest took our daughter in his lap, held her hand and wrote 'Om Namah Sivayah' in Telugu on the slate. Here is an advice from my personal experience: inspite of the long Q lines and heavy crowd, try to stay cool and be patient. It is nature for the children to become cranky due, however the spiritual energy that you receive from the blessings of Saraswati Devi is worth the journey. It will make you forget all your pains.

Final Thoughts: Intent Over Distance

Whether you perform the ceremony at Basara Temple, or in a temple nearby your home or at your home, the core of Aksharabhyasam remains the same. It is the parent's pure intention, dedication and prayers for their child's bright education. So, select a venue that gives comfort and peace to the little one so that his / her educational journey begins with joy, smiles, and divine blessings.

ॐ Insights into Hinduism by Sobha Kalyani

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