Vasant Panchami and Saraswati Pooja

Vasant Panchami is dedicated to Goddess Saraswati, the Hindu goddess of knowledge, music, arts, wisdom and learning. It is also known as Shri Panchami as well as Saraswati Pooja. Vasant Panchami marks the preparation for the arrival of spring and also the preparations for Holika and Holi forty days later. Therefore Vasant Panchami festival is celebrated forty days before spring and after forty days the season blooms.

Vasant Panchami is believed to be the birth anniversary of Goddess Saraswati. Hence Vasant Panchami day is also known as Saraswati Jayanti. As Diwali is for the worship of Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and prosperity, Navratri is for the worship of Durga, the goddess of power and courage, and Vasant Panchami is for the worship of Saraswati, the goddess of knowledge and wisdom.

On this day, devotees decorate the deity with white clothes and flowers as white is considered to be the favorite color of Goddess Saraswati. Usually sweets made of milk and white sesame are offered to Her and distributed among friends and family as Prasad.

The day of Vasant Panchami is also significant because it introduces young children to the world of education and formal learning. Most schools and colleges organize Saraswati Puja on the day of Vasant Panchami.

Vasant Panchami is celebrated in various ways. Many people honor Goddess Saraswati by waking up early and dressing in yellow, eating and sharing yellow sweets and snacks, and offering pooja to Her. Saraswati is also prayed to by students who want to succeed in their studies.