In India nothing starts without ॐ (Om) which is a mystical and sacred syllable in the Dharmic religions such as Hinduism, Sikhism, Buddhism or Jainism.
It is the symbol of the Absolute.
ॐ is said to be the primordial sound that was present at the creation of the universe and to be the original sound that contains all other sounds, all words, all languages and all mantras.
So welcome to this site with the sound of the universe, it's the first, original vibration, representing the birth, death and re-birth process.
Namaste and ॐ
"Pranava" - A tile with ॐ (Om) written in Devanagari - Varanasi (Benares), Uttar Pradesh, India.