Udupi;Oct 14: A mass’ Aksharaabhysa ceremony’ for the small children was held at famous and holy place Kollur Shree Mookambika temple magnificiently.The devotees from Karnataka,Kerala,Maharashtra and from many other places, who came in large numbers for starting Aksharaabhyasa in the temple.
Kollur, in Kundapur taluk of Udupi district is a holy place of combined energy of Shiva and Shakti. Kollur is an excellent place for Aksharaabhyasa. It is an old custom in Kollur that more than twenty thousand people are coming from Kerala and Karnataka on Vijayadashami day to perform Aksharaabhyasa for children. In front of goddess Sharadadevi idol by holding the hands of children, parents teach their children and ask them to write alphabets in white rice as the commencement of their education. At the tip of the children “Omkara” will be written with turmeric piece. Thereafter parents by holding the hands of the children will write ‘Omkar’ and Ganeshanama along with mother tongue, A.B.C, numerical and Kannada alphabets.
Sources said that the numbers of devotees, who come for Aksharaabhyasa, are from Kerala.
It was the blind belief and faith of Kerala people that by performing Aksharaabhyasa in Kollur, children will have a bright future. It was a matter of fact that Mookambika’s blessings only has helped the people of Kerala people are in the front line in education.Vijayadashami is a good day for the beginning of all the auspicious works. Therefore Vijayadashami’s Vidhyarambha has got that much of important.
Every year on this particular Vijayadashami day thousands of devotees start waiting from morning 3.00am and this will continue up to 01.30 pm.Also it was said that this Aksharaabhyasa will be held only in Kundapur except in Shringeri.This is what the speciality of Kollur.
There was also a custom of celebrating (Hostu)’Thene Habba on this occasion. After performing pooja for the spike in front of the Devi in the afternoon, the people will be given spike.
