Saraswati Puja
Vasant Panchami, also spelled saraswati puja, is a festival that marks the preparation for the arrival of spring. The festival is celebrated by people in various ways depending upon the region in the live in the Indian subcontinent. 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 in to full bloom.
Vasant Panchami is celebrated every year on the fifth day of the bright half of the Hindu luni-solar calendar month of Magha, which typically falls in late January or February. Spring is known as the “King of all Seasons”, so the festival commences forty days in advance. (It is generally winter-like in northern India, and more spring-like in central and western parts of India on Vasant Panchami, which gives credence to the fact that Spring is actually in full bloom 40 days after the Vasant Panchami day).
The festival is particularly observed by Hindus in the Indian subcontinent, notably India and Nepal, it’s also has been a historical tradition of Sikhs as well. In southern states, the same day is called Sri Panchami.
On the island of Bali and the Hindus of Indonesia, it is known as “Hari Raya Saraswati” (great day of Saraswati).
Hinduism
Vasant Panchami is a festival that marks the beginning of preparations for the King of all Seasons, Spring. It is celebrated by people in various ways depending on the region. Vasant Panchami also marks the start of preparation for holiday and Holi which occurs forty days later. For many Hindus, Vasant Panchami is the festival dedicated to goddess Saraswati who is their goddess of knowledge, language, music and all arts. She symbolizes creative energy and power in all its form, including longing and love (kama). The season and festival also celebrates the agricultural fields’ ripening with yellow flowers of mustard crop, which Hindus associate with Saraswati’s favorite color. People dress in yellow saris or shirts or accessories, share yellow colored snacks and sweets. Some add saffron to their rice and then eat yellow cooked rice as a part of an elaborate feast.
