A Day Devoted To Goddess Saraswati

Vasant Panchami is a Hindu festival that marks the beginning of preparations for the spring season. It is celebrated by Indian people in various ways; depending upon the region one belongs to. Vasant Panchami also marks the beginning of preparation for Holika and Holi, which occurs forty days later.

The spiritual meaning of the season denotes the end of the days of ignorance and the beginning of a new era. Goddess Saraswati, an emblem of tranquility and peace, bestows spiritual enlightenment upon her devotees on this day. Her four goddess-like hands stand for the brain, mind, attentiveness, and ego. She flies on a swan because, according to Hindu mythology, this bird has a curious ability to separate milk from water. Therefore, it suggests that a man who worships Saraswati should be able to distinguish between good and bad.

Every year, Vasant Panchami is celebrated on the fifth day of the Magha month; Vasant Panchami 2023 will be held on January 26th. The nation enjoys the auspicious occasion to the fullest extent with joy, enthusiasm, and excitement. 

History of the Vasant Panchami Festival

The Vasant Panchami is thought to have its roots in the time of the Aryans. Through the Khyber Pass, the renowned Saraswati River, and other routes, they entered the nation and established themselves there. They were a rudimentary culture, and most of their social advancements occurred alongside the banks of the Saraswati River. The river consequently began to be connected with wisdom and fertility. And this is how people began to observe Vasant Panchami on this day each year.

The legend of the poet Kalidasa is the tale most frequently linked with the festival. The legend holds that Kalidasa was a simpleton who had been duped into wedlock with a princess who didn’t appreciate him. A dejected Kalidasa intended to terminate his life, but just in time, Goddess Saraswati appeared before him and commanded him to jump into the river. Following instructions, Kalidasa emerged from the water a bright, informed, and cultured individual who became a well-known poet later on.

Significance of Vasant Panchmi

Saraswati Puja in the east, and Vasant Panchami in the north, is all about honoring the arrival of spring. The Hindu calendar places the Indian holiday Basant Panchami, also known as Vasant Panchami, on the fifth day of the Magha month. People begin preparing for the festival of Holi, which occurs after 40 days of Vasant Panchami celebrations.

People tend to celebrate Basant Panchami Day in a variety of ways depending on their respective locality. For instance, many Hindus celebrate this auspicious event by honoring Goddess Saraswati, who is revered as the source of all creative energy and power. Hindu mythology holds that Goddess Saraswati, a representation of skill, education, learning, and the arts, was born on this day. This is the rationale behind the devotion of Goddess Saraswati in various locations.

How is Vasant Panchami Celebrated?

Vasant Panchami is celebrated nationwide with much excitement and happiness; however it varies from state to state. On this day, some individuals also observe a fast, refrain from eating, and worship the goddess Saraswati. The pupils offer the goddess prayers for discernment, learning, and virtuous behaviour. For the duration of Saraswati Puja, they put their reading materials, writing implements, and musical instruments next to the statue to enlist the goddess’ blessings.

Jasmine garlands are typically worn by people in Rajasthan. Following the wedding, newlywed couples in Maharashtra go to a temple and offer prayers, wearing yellow dresses on this day. Sikhs and Hindus in the Punjab region dress in yellow headdresses or turbans. Along with Saraswati Puja, residents in Uttarakhand also worship Shiva and Parvati (the earth’s mother, and the agricultural sector or crops). Bengalis celebrate the day by donning yellow clothing, making and giving out yellow-colored treats like sweets and saffron rice, and adorning their homes with yellow flowers.

Goddess Saraswati is worshiped with boondi and ladoo in Bengal and Bihar. Bengalis offer mango wood, shriphal (coconut), Ganga water, and baer. Maake ki Roti and Sarso Ka Saag are traditionally enjoyed in Punjab. Saraswati Puja is celebrated in Bihar by presenting the Goddess delicacies like Kheer, Malpua, and Bundi. Biharis also put gulal to each other’s faces as it is the beginning of Holi festival. Like all festivals, it is celebrated with a variety of traditional foods. On this particular day, bhog is served with khichdi, mixed vegetables, kesar halwa, kesari bhaat, payesh, sondesh, and rajbhog.