About Vidyarambham
About this puja
Aksharabhyasa (Vidyarambha) is a child's first lesson. Between two and five years old, guided by the pandit or an elder, the child writes Om or ‘Sri’ in a plate of rice, with Saraswati's and Ganapati's blessing, and is given a slate, books and a pen.
Many Kannada families do it on Vijayadashami, or at Sringeri or Kollur Mookambika.
Why families book it
- Saraswati's blessing for learning
- A good start to schooling
- Memory, speech and focus
Good times to do it
- Vijayadashami and Vasanta Panchami
- A muhurta between two and five years
- Before the child starts school
What the pandit does
- Ganapati puja and sankalpa
- Saraswati puja
- Puja of the slate, books and pen
- Writing Om and the first letters in rice
- Blessings and prasada
Vidyarambham samagri list
- Slate and chalk or a plate of rice
- New books, notebook and pen
- Saraswati picture or idol
- White flowers and garlands
- Turmeric, kumkum and akshinthalu
- Fruits and sweets
Do’s and don’ts
Please do
- Keep a slate, a plate of rice and new books ready
Best avoided
Aksharabhyasam near you
Read the full guide to Aksharabhyasam — meaning, vidhi, samagri, best time and cost — or see local details for your city.
Questions devotees ask us
How much does Vidyarambham cost?
Vidyarambham with a verified Stuti Mandir pandit starts from ₹3,100 as pandit dakshina, for about 1 to 1.5 hours. The price can be a little higher outside the metro cities, live video pujas cost less than a home visit, and the full bill is shown before you pay.
What is the right age?
Usually between two and five, on a muhurta; many families choose the third year.
Is Vijayadashami good without a separate muhurta?
Yes — Vijayadashami and Vasanta Panchami are good enough on their own.