THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Children were initiated into the world of letters and knowledge at ‘Vidyarambham’ ceremonies held at various worship centres and cultural institutions across the state on the occasion of Vijayadashami on Sunday.

Huge crowds were witnessed at the major venues as people belonging to various faiths brought their children to become part of the auspicious occasion.

Seated on their parent’s laps, the little ones were helped by prominent personalities in writing their first letters with the index fingers on a platter of rice grains.

Governor Arif Mohammed Khan guided 55 children at the ‘Vidyarambham’ ceremony organised at Raj Bhavan here. Kerala Assembly Speaker AN Shamseer and General Education Minister V Sivankutty were among those who led the Vidyarambham ceremony in various venues.

Panachikkad temple in Kottayam known as Dakshina Mookambika, Thunchan Parambu at Tirur in Malappuram and Poojappura Saraswathi mandiram,Thunchan Smaraka Samithi at Iranimuttam, Attukal Devi temple and Poojappura Saraswathi mandiram in Thiruvananthapuram were among the venues that witnessed huge crowds.

Former Minister and Kazhakkoottam MLA Kadakampally Surendran and IAS officer Adeela Abdulla led the Vidyarambham ceremony at the Kerala State Council for Child Welfare headquarters here in which scores of children, accompanied by parents, participated.