Aksharabhyasa is one of the sixteen important Vedic rites of life, referred to as "samskaras''. It is generally conducted when a child is two to five years old, and the ritual marks the beginning of the child's formal education. During the ceremony, the parents under the guidance of a learned purohit perform Ganapati and Saraswati pooja to ensure the child is blessed by the revered gods to have a smooth and enriching learning experience throughout the life, devoid of any obstacles.

After the pooja, the parents (commonly the father or any other elder male family member) make the child write the letter ॐ with its index finger on a plate of rice. It is then followed by the names of gods and alphabets of their preferred language.

The ceremony is followed by the distribution of prasadam among those in attendance. In addition to Ganapati and Saraswati pooja, praying to Hayagriva – an avatar of Vishnu also known as the god of knowledge is considered auspicious for the child’s prospects. The Aksharabhyasa ceremony can be a simple or an elaborate affair depending on the preferences of the parents.