Vidyarambham 2026: Date, Ritual and How to Do It

Quick answer: In Kerala, Vidyarambham 2026 is on Wednesday 21 October, Vijayadasami in the state holiday list. Elsewhere in India Vijayadashami is on Tuesday 20 October; confirm the date and time with your temple.

Vidyarambham, "the beginning of learning", is the ceremony in which young children write their first letters on Vijayadashami, usually guided by a priest, teacher or elder. It is most closely associated with Kerala, where thousands of children are initiated at temples, cultural centres and homes every year, and similar initiation ceremonies are kept in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. This guide gives the 2026 date and explains the ritual.

Vidyarambham 2026 date

In Kerala, Vidyarambham 2026 is on Wednesday 21 October. The Kerala government's 2026 holiday list gives Mahanavami on Tuesday 20 October and Vijayadasami on Wednesday 21 October (Onmanorama).

Elsewhere in India, Vijayadashami (Dussehra) is on Tuesday 20 October 2026 (Drik Panchang). The difference comes from the tithi: Dashami begins at 12:50 PM IST on 20 October and ends at 2:11 PM IST on 21 October. Kerala keeps Vijayadasami on the day Dashami prevails in the morning, which is Wednesday. If you are booking a slot at a temple, confirm the date and time with the temple, which usually announces its schedule in advance.

Day	Kerala, 2026
Durgashtami (Puja Vaipu, books placed for worship)	Evening before Mahanavami, by local custom
Mahanavami	Tuesday 20 October
Vijayadasami (Puja Eduppu and Vidyarambham)	Wednesday 21 October

What happens at Vidyarambham

Puja Vaipu and Puja Eduppu

In Kerala, the last days of Navratri are devoted to Goddess Saraswati. Books, pens, musical instruments and work tools are placed before her for Puja Vaipu and are not used until Vijayadasami morning, when they are taken back after the Puja Eduppu. Learning begins again that morning, for adults as much as children; see our Navratri regional traditions guide.

Writing the first letters

The child, usually between two and five years old, sits on the lap of the guru, priest or elder. The guru holds the child's index finger and writes the opening words in a plate of rice, traditionally "Hari Sri Ganapataye Namah", followed by the letters of the alphabet, and then writes the same words on the child's tongue with a gold ring or a stalk of grass. The words and the script follow the family's language: Malayalam in Kerala, Kannada in Karnataka, Tamil in Tamil Nadu and Telugu in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.

Where children are initiated

Families choose a temple, a cultural centre or their home. Well-known venues in Kerala include the Saraswati temple at Panachikkad near Kottayam and Thunchan Parambu in Tirur, the birthplace of the poet Thunchath Ezhuthachan, along with countless local temples and libraries. Many newspapers and cultural organisations in Kerala also hold public Vidyarambham ceremonies with writers and teachers as gurus. Book well ahead at popular venues, which can be very crowded.

Why Vidyarambham is held on Vijayadasami

Navratri ends with three days for Goddess Saraswati in Kerala and much of South India: her worship begins with Puja Vaipu, continues through Mahanavami, and ends on Vijayadasami, when she is believed to bless every new beginning. Beginning learning on that morning ties a child's education to the Goddess of knowledge, speech and the arts. The first words, "Hari Sri", salute Lord Vishnu (Hari) and Goddess Lakshmi (Sri); "Ganapataye Namah" salutes Lord Ganesha, the remover of obstacles, whose blessing is sought at the start of any undertaking.

Not only for children

Vijayadasami is considered a good day to begin anything new. In Kerala, adults also begin learning on this day: students of music, dance and martial arts such as Kalaripayattu often start or restart their lessons with their teacher, writers and artists take up their work after the Puja Eduppu, and many begin studying a new language or skill. Music schools and dance teachers commonly hold initiation sessions on Vijayadasami morning.

Preparing for the ceremony

Book early at popular temples and cultural centres, which publish registration details and timings before the festival and can be very crowded.
Dress the child comfortably, traditionally in new clothes, and keep the morning calm; the ritual takes only a few minutes.
Bring what the venue asks for, often a small offering, a plate and rice if you use your own, and a notebook or slate for the child.
Choose the guru with care: a priest, teacher, grandparent or respected elder whom the family values.
Afterwards, many families let the child write or draw something on paper for the first time and keep it as a memento.

Vidyarambham at home

Vidyarambham can be done at home with a parent or grandparent as the guru:

Place a picture or lamp for Goddess Saraswati and the family deity, with flowers and a small offering.
Spread uncooked rice in a plate.
Hold the child's index finger and write "Om" or "Hari Sri Ganapataye Namah" and the first letters in the rice.
Bless the child and offer prasad.

Telugu and Kannada families often keep the same initiation as Aksharabhyasam, sometimes on Vijayadashami and sometimes on Vasant Panchami or another auspicious day; our Aksharabhyasam and Vidyarambham guide explains both, including how families abroad keep the custom.

Vidyarambham outside India

Malayali associations and temples in the Gulf, the UK, the USA and Australia hold Vidyarambham ceremonies on Vijayadashami or the nearest weekend. In most of these countries Dashami prevails at sunrise on Tuesday 20 October local time (in the UAE and Singapore on Wednesday 21 October); follow your temple's announcement.

See our Kerala Vijayadashami 2026 guide, the Ayudha Puja 2026 guide and Maha Navami 2026.

Frequently asked questions

When is Vidyarambham 2026?

Wednesday 21 October 2026 in Kerala, where Vijayadasami is a public holiday that day. In much of India Vijayadashami is on Tuesday 20 October.

What is written at Vidyarambham?

The guru guides the child's finger to write 'Hari Sri Ganapataye Namah' and the first letters of the alphabet in a plate of rice, and traditionally writes the same on the child's tongue with a gold ring.

At what age is Vidyarambham done?

Usually between two and five years, as the family decides.

Can Vidyarambham be done at home?

Yes. A parent or grandparent can act as the guru, with a lamp and picture of Goddess Saraswati, a plate of rice and a simple prayer.

Is Vidyarambham the same as Aksharabhyasam?

They are the same initiation into learning. Kerala calls it Vidyarambham and keeps it on Vijayadasami; Telugu and Kannada families call it Aksharabhyasam and may choose Vijayadashami, Vasant Panchami or another auspicious day.

Editor's note (15 October 2026)

Dates and times were checked on 15 October 2026 against the official and calendar sources linked in this article. Local customs and announcements vary, so confirm with your temple, puja committee, bank or local authority.