SARASWATI PUJA
Vasant Panchami, also rendered Vasanta Panchami and Saraswati Puja in honour of the Hindu goddess Saraswati, is a festival that marks the preparation for the arrival of spring. The festival is celebrated in Indian religions in different ways depending on the region.Vasant Panchami also marks the start of preparation for Holika and Holi, which take place forty days later. The Vasant Utsava (festival) on Panchami is celebrated forty days before spring, because any season's transition period is 40 days, and after that, the season comes into full bloom. As Saraswati is the Goddess of learning, it is a popular festival among students in various parts in India, namely the stares of Orissa, West Bengal and Bihar. Schools and colleges remain closed on the day of puja and it celebrated on the fifth day in the month of Maagh (January-February). The worship takes place on Vasant Panchami when the paddy field is in full bloom and hence it is also considered as a harvest festival. Students gladly stay away from their books on this day and a learned priest performs the rituals of the puja.
MORE ABOUT SARASWATI PUJA
Goddess Saraswati is the embodiment of knowledge, wisdom and learning. The word Saraswati has been derived from the two words, knowledge (Sara) and self (Sva).She is draped in a white saree or mustard coloured or basanti saree. White signifies purity and her demeanour reflects the same. In her two rear hands she holds akshmala or prayer beads in her right hand and pustaka or book in her left hand. With her two fore hands she plays the musical instrument veena that symbolizes harmony. Saraswati Puja is celebrated across the globe by the Hindus. This festival is also known by the name of Sripanchami festival and is observed on the fifth day of the spring festival on a full moon day in the month of Magh (January-February). The word panchami means five. The Saraswati Puja festival is related to the Kaumudi utsav and the Basant utsav. Saraswati Puja marks the beginning of the Vasant Utsav and is celebrated for a period of fifteen days by the people of Uttar Pradesh till Dolepurnima or full moon day.
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