Where children are initiated into learning on Vijayadasami: Thunchan Parambu at Tirur

Background

The Kerala government declared 19 October a public holiday across the State for Durgashtami as part of the Navaratri celebrations, by an order of the General Administration Department, and those days close with Vijayadasami - the holy day on which children are taken to be initiated into learning.
The best known place for that initiation is Thunchan Parambu, located 32 kms from Malappuram at Tirur.
It is the birth place of Thunchath Ezhuthachan, described as the father of the Malayalam language.
The stretch of ground has been carefully preserved, with items such as the iron stylus used by the scholar kept on display.
The holy day of Vijayadasami witnesses children being brought here to be initiated into the world of education and knowledge.
The ancient kanjira tree, the Nux vomica under which he is supposed to have imparted knowledge to his disciples and composed his poems, is one of the treasured exhibits.
The memorial also houses a granite Saraswathi Mandapam along with a library of rare manuscripts.
Thunchan Parambu stands 2 KM from Tirur railway station and about 35 Km from Calicut International Airport.