✍️The First Writing Lessonহাতেখড়ি
The sacred tradition of a child's first alphabet
A Special Morningএকটি বিশেষ সকাল
Little Riya woke up to the smell of marigolds and incense. Today was Saraswati Puja — and even more exciting, today was her Hatekhari! She was four years old, and this was the day she would write her very first letter.
"Wear your yellow dress, Riya!" called her grandmother, Dida. Yellow was the special colour of Saraswati Puja — the colour of spring, of knowledge, of sunshine and new beginnings. Riya put on her bright yellow frock and felt like a little sunflower herself.
"হলুদ পোশাক পরো, রিয়া!" — হলুদ হলো সরস্বতী পূজার বিশেষ রঙ, জ্ঞান ও বসন্তের রঙ।
Before the Goddessদেবীর সামনে
The pandal was beautiful. Goddess Saraswati's idol sat on a white lotus, wearing a white sari, holding her veena. Books and musical instruments were arranged at her feet — schoolbooks, pencils, even a tiny violin that belonged to Riya's older brother.
"Why do we put books there, Dida?" asked Riya.
"Because Saraswati is the goddess of knowledge, my dear. Today we don't study from our books — we offer them to her and ask for her blessing. She will fill them with extra wisdom for us!"
Riya's eyes went wide. "Will my new pencils become magic?"
Dida laughed. "In a way, yes. After Saraswati blesses them, every word you write will carry a little bit of her grace."
সরস্বতী পূজায় আমরা বই ও বাদ্যযন্ত্র দেবীর পায়ে রাখি — জ্ঞানের আশীর্বাদ প্রার্থনা করি।
The First Lettersপ্রথম অক্ষর
The moment arrived. Riya sat on her grandfather's lap before the image of Saraswati. Dadu placed a small slate in front of her and put a piece of chalk in her tiny hand.
"Hold my hand, Riya," said Dadu gently. Together, his large weathered hand guiding her small soft one, they drew the first letter: "অ" — the first letter of the Bengali alphabet. Then, on the other side, they wrote "A" — the first letter of the English alphabet.
Riya stared at the white marks on the dark slate. She had made them! She had written something! It felt like the most important thing she had ever done.
The priest chanted mantras and placed a garland of flowers around her neck. Dida wiped happy tears from her eyes. Everyone clapped.
"অ" — বাংলা বর্ণমালার প্রথম অক্ষর। এই একটি অক্ষর থেকেই শুরু হয় জ্ঞানের যাত্রা।
Every Journey Beginsপ্রতিটি যাত্রার শুরু
On the way home, Riya couldn't stop looking at her hands. These hands had written letters today! "Dida, will I be able to read books like you?"
"Of course, my love. Today you wrote your first letter. Tomorrow you'll learn more letters. Then words, then sentences, then whole stories! Every great poet, every scientist, every teacher — they all started exactly where you are today. With one little letter on a slate."
Riya smiled and held Dida's hand tighter. She couldn't wait to learn more.
This is the beautiful tradition of Hatekhari — literally "chalk in hand." For centuries, Bengali children have been introduced to the world of letters on Saraswati Puja, blessed by the Goddess of Knowledge herself. It reminds us that every long journey of learning begins with a single, precious first step.
হাতেখড়ি — "হাতে খড়ি"। শত শত বছর ধরে বাঙালি শিশুরা এভাবেই বিদ্যার জগতে প্রবেশ করেছে।
The Lessonশিক্ষা
Learning begins with a single letter. Every great scholar once held chalk for the very first time.
শিক্ষা শুরু হয় একটি মাত্র অক্ষর দিয়ে। প্রতিটি মহান পণ্ডিত একদিন প্রথমবার খড়ি ধরেছিলেন।