Salanga Pooja

Salangai pooja is usually done when one has learnt Bharatanatyam for a few yrs. and attained a good handle on talam. One is not allowed to wear their Salangai and perform until after the salangai pooja. On a Vijaya Dasami day, the family and friends get together at a temple, wherein pooja is done for the new salangai and the guru offers the same to the student(s).Then, the students wear their salangai for the first time and present a mini recital, mostly without a varnam. In this day and age of buying the costume, jewelry and the salangai even before the children start classes, it makes sense to emphasize the value of a salangai pooja and why one needs to go through at least some formal study before wearing the salangai.