Maa Saraswati is the goddess of
learning, wisdom, knowledge, fine arts,
The story of Saraswati Puja is
related to the Brahma Vaivarta Purana. Sri Krishna granted Saraswati a boon
that she too will be worshipped on Vasant Panchami. After performing
morning ablutions and bathing, a Kalasha is established. After worshipping
Ganesh, the Sun, Vishnu and Shiva, Saraswati is worshipped. Thereafter,
coloured powder is thrown into the air.This is the general form of observance
of praying to Goddess Saraswati on Vasant Panchami. In places such as Uttar
Pradesh, prayers are offered to Goddess Saraswati and people sing religious
verses to celebrate the festival. Interestingly, in Tamil Nadu and South India
Saraswati is worshipped on the ninth day of navratri in the month of ashwin.
Saraswati Puja
In Nepal and eastern India, a
distinct festival in honour of Saraswati is celebrated. The festival is known
as Saraswati Puja in eastern parts of India, and as Sri Panchami in parts of
Bengal. In Bengal and eastern India, the primary focus of the day is to honour
Saraswati.
Traditions of Saraswati Puja
Vasant panchami.
The day before Vasant Panchami in
Nepal, Sarasvati's temples are filled with food so that she can join the
celebrants in the traditional feasting the following morning. In temples and
educational institutions, statues of Sarasvati are dressed in yellow and
worshiped. Most educational institutions arrange special prayers or pujas in
the morning to seek blessing of the Goddess. Poetic and musical gatherings are
held and children are initiated to learn the alphabet. and are often taught to
write their first words. This ritual of initiating education to children is
known as Akshar-Abhyasam or Vidya-Arambham/Praasana, one of the famous rituals
of Vasant Panchami. Older students clean their pens and inkwells but abstain
from reading or writing on this day. In Bengal, idols of Saraswati are taken on
procession and immersed in the holy Ganga.
The color yellow plays an important
role in Vasant Panchami as it is related to the bloom of mustard flowers during
this period. Celebrants usually wear yellow garments, Saraswati is
worshiped in a yellow dress, and sweet saffron rice and yellow sweets are
consumed within the families.
Even though in many parts of India,
Vasant is observed as a secular seasonal holiday, the Indian government is
encouraging the observance of Saraswati Puja in educational institutions.
Directives have been issued in Gujarat and Rajasthan to promote the festival
where it is traditionally observed as a seasonal festival.
Saraswati Puja is a "great day
to inaugurate training institutes and new schools – a trend made famous by the
renowned Indian educationist Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya (1861-1946), who
founded the Banaras Hindu University on Vasant Panchami day in 1916.
0 comments:
Post a Comment