Devi · Saraswati
Vasant Panchami
The spring-welcoming day when Saraswati, goddess of learning and the arts, is worshipped in yellow.
Also known as: Saraswati Puja, Basant Panchami, Shri Panchami
Date and muhurat
✓ 28.6519°N, 77.2315°E · Asia/Kolkata
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When is it observed?
On the fifth day (Panchami) of the bright fortnight of the month of Magha, usually late January or February. The date is the day on which Panchami covers the forenoon, the usual time for the puja.
About Vasant Panchami
Vasant Panchami marks the first stirrings of spring in India. Mustard fields turn yellow, the cold begins to loosen its grip, and people dress in yellow or saffron, cook with saffron and turmeric, and fly kites in many parts of the north and west.
It is also the day of Saraswati Puja. Schools, colleges, music academies and homes set up her image, and books, pens, instruments and tools are placed before her. Many families choose this day to begin a young child's first lessons, a custom known as Vidyarambh or Akshar Abhyas.
Significance
Saraswati is honoured as the source of speech, knowledge, music and clear thinking. On this day students, teachers, writers and artists pause to thank her and to renew their commitment to learning, with the belief, traditionally held, that a mind approached with humility is receptive to wisdom.
The festival also celebrates the turning of the season. Yellow, the colour of ripening mustard and of the spring sun, stands for brightness, cheer and fresh beginnings. Because it is regarded as an especially auspicious day, many people also hold weddings, house-entry and other new ventures on it.
Saraswati Puja at home or school
- 1Rise early, bathe and wear yellow or white clothes. Many people avoid eating until the puja is done.
- 2Clean a space and place an image or idol of Saraswati on a cloth, preferably yellow or white. Set a water-filled kalash beside it.
- 3Place books, notebooks, pens, musical instruments and other tools of your work before the goddess; these are not touched for study that day, as they are being blessed.
- 4Light a lamp and incense, and offer yellow flowers such as marigold, along with rice, turmeric, sandal paste and a tilak.
- 5Offer sweet yellow rice (meethe chawal or kesari bhat), laddu, fruit and boondi as bhog.
- 6Recite the Saraswati Vandana, "Ya Kundendu Tusharahara Dhavala", or the Saraswati Stotra, and sing her aarti.
- 7Little children may be helped to write their first letters, often "Om" or the alphabet, in rice grains or on a slate before the goddess.
- 8Distribute the prasad, and spend some time in reading, music or another creative pursuit. In some places the idol is immersed in water afterwards.
The story
According to a well-known account, when Brahma had created the world he found it silent and lifeless. He sprinkled water from his kamandalu, and from it arose a radiant woman with a veena, books and a rosary. As she played, speech, song and the rhythm of the seasons came into being, and she was named Saraswati.
Another tradition connects the day with the god of love. When Shiva was deep in meditation, Kamadeva is said to have been sent to stir him, and spring is told as the season that arrived with him. Separately, a popular folk tale, told in varying forms and not historically documented, says the poet Kalidasa was blessed with learning by Saraswati, and some tellers link this with the day.
What to do
- ✓Wear yellow, white or saffron clothes.
- ✓Keep books, pens and instruments clean and place them before the goddess.
- ✓Offer yellow flowers and sweets with a pure heart.
- ✓Begin a child's first lessons or a new course of study if you wish.
- ✓Spend some time reading, singing or creating.
What to avoid
- ✕Do not use the books and instruments placed in worship for work until after the puja.
- ✕Avoid anger, arguments and idle gossip.
- ✕Do not wear black if you can avoid it.
- ✕Do not cut flowers or plants needlessly for the decoration.
Around the country
- Bengal, Odisha, Assam and Bihar: Saraswati Puja is among the biggest days of the year, with large community pandals, and children offer their first written letters.
- Punjab, Haryana and Gujarat: yellow clothes and food, and a strong tradition of flying kites.
- Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan: Basant is welcomed with yellow flowers and music, and in Braj it opens the season that leads up to Holi.
- South India: known as Sri Panchami, and worship of Saraswati is more strongly tied to Navratri, though some temples observe this day too.
Frequently asked questions
Why is yellow worn on Vasant Panchami?
Yellow is the colour of blooming mustard fields and the spring sun, so it stands for the season itself. It is also the colour associated with Saraswati's offerings and with knowledge and brightness.
What is the best time for Saraswati Puja?
The forenoon (Purvahna) of the day on which Panchami is present is preferred. The muhurat on this page is worked out for your city.
Can children begin their studies on this day?
Yes. Beginning a child's first letters on this day, called Vidyarambh or Akshar Abhyas, is a long-standing custom in many families.