Dusshera - to me it was always some festival that doesnt have anything to do with malayalis. Celebrated elsewhere in India.. Known to me only as the 10lines of hindi essay that I had to learn byheart.
For me all that mattered was "Puja holidays" or the "Pujaveypu" or "Vidrarambham". I knew the 10days was important for students. Starting from the first day of Navrathri, no non-veg was to be eaten. You get your morning tea only after taking bath and you have to pray to Saraswathi. And then on Durgashtami day, you keep your books for Puja. The impression I had was one should never read anything onceyou have kept the books for Puja. So I couldnt read story books, newspapers or even read the prayer books. I remember taking effort not to read the titles written while watching TV or movies.
And as every other Hindu kid growing up in Kerala, I used to look forward to the Durgashtami day. Once you keep your books for puja on this day, nobody will ask you to study anything until you take it back on Vijayadashami day morning- even if you had an exam the next day.
My memories of Pujaveypu is always associated with memories of my father's house at Paravoor (in Ernakulam Dist) and the Mookambika temple there. Every year, there were two occassions when I would definitely go to my father's house - For Puja and then when he and his brothers go to Sabarimala. Navrathri is a big festival there. On Durgashtami day, after school, we go to my father's house and then along with my cousin's I go to Mookambika temple for keeping my books for Puja. On Vijayadashami day, early morning we go for the 'nirmalya darshan' , ie worshipping the devi before the previous days decorations are removed. So we will be there before the temple opens with my aunt, mom and cousins. This is a beautiful temple with the Srikovil surrounded by a Lotus pond and shrine of Ganesha to the right of the Godess. Outside the main temple are shrines of Mahavishnu, Hanuman,Veerabhadran, Yakshi and Subramanian.
Later, as I grew up and learnt more about temples and the stories associated with them, I grew closer to another temple. Sree Dharmasastha temple at Thiruvullakkavu in Thrissur Dist. More than the legends associated with the temple, what inspired me was the family story - One of my maternal uncles and a cousin of my mother had their initiation to study (Vidyarambham) at this temple and they both were exceptionally brilliant and had multiple talents and grew on in their careers to be becomes head of major companies. The temple was close for me during my Engineering college days in Thrissur and the good thing in this temple, you can do Vidyarambham on any day at any age. So during my engineering days, I did my second Vidyarambham at this temple. [ But career doesnt look so bright and my only way becoming head of a company will be start one on my own]. This temple is a "kavu" with only the main diety and Ganesha shrine to the left. A Saraswathy shrine is newly added in front of which is a hall where Vidrarambham is done. The place is supposed to have been a thick forest in earlier days.
Anyway, it was a dream come true for me, when I was able to take my son to Thiruvullakkavu for his Vidyarambham on VIjayadashami day last year and ofcourse I didnt forget the Mookambika Devi who bestowed me with her blessings. Let both the God and the Godess bless my son and all other students with their studies.
