Vasant Panchami

Feb. 16, 2021, 7:15 p.m. by Karuwaki Speaks ( 865 views)

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Vasant Panchami is a very special day across India. A day dedicated to Goddess Saraswati, Vasant Panchami, also called Saraswati Puja is a festival that marks the preparation for the arrival of spring. Basant Panchami is celebrated in the month of Magha according to the Hindu calendar. Saraswati also known as Sharada is the Hindu goddess of knowledge, music, art, speech, wisdom, and learning. She is a part of the trinity of Saraswati, Lakshmi, and Parvati. All the three forms help the trinity of Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva to create, maintain, and regenerate the Universe, respectively.

History:

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As per the Hindu mythology, Brahma created the universe and impressed with the creation and wanted to see it with his own eyes. Hence, he set out on a journey but was disappointed with the complete silence and lonliness of everyone on planet Earth.After giving it a lot of thought, he had an idea and had an idea according to which he took some water in his Kamandal and sprinkled it in air. An angel with a harp in her hand appeared from a tree and was requested to play something.

Brahma asked her to do this so that the Earth was not silent and the angel obliged to bless the people of the Earth with her voice, filling the planet with music. That angel came to be known as Saraswati or Veena Vadini (harp player), the Goddess of speech, knowledge, music and art who provides voice, intelligence, force and glory.

Symbolism:

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saraswati, is a Sanskrit fusion word of saras meaning "pooling water", but also sometimes translated as "speech"; and vati meaning "she who possesses". Originally associated with the river or rivers known as Saraswati, this combination, therefore, means "she who has ponds, lakes, and pooling water" or occasionally "she who possesses speech". It is also a Sanskrit composite word of surasa-vati which means "one with plenty of water".

Celebrations:

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The most significant aspect of Vasant Panchami is that it is also the most auspicious day to begin laying one’s foundations of education―of how to read and write. Pre-school children are given their first lesson in reading and writing on this day, and all Hindu educational institutions conduct special prayer for Saraswati on this day.

Om Saraswati Mahabhagey, Vidye Kamala Lochaney |
Viswarupey Vishalakshmi, Vidyam Dehi Namohastutey ||
Jaya Jaya Devi, Charachara Sharey, Kuchayuga Shobhita, Mukta Haarey |
Vina Ranjita, Pustaka Hastey, Bhagavati Bharati Devi Namohastutey ||

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People wear yellow coloured clothes and also eat food that has the colour yellow in it (like khichdi). Saraswati’s idols are covered in yellow sarees as it is believed that it is one of her favourite colours and people dress up in yellow attires too as the colour symbolizes prosperity, optimism, energy and everything positive.

In the eastern part of the country, all educational institutions are expected to remain shut on the day, and families insist people stay away from textbooks and other books of knowledge just for this one day, so as to appease and respect the goddess and seek her blessings.


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