Vasant Panchami is a day celebrated to honour the goddess of knowledge, learning, music, art, and science, Goddess Saraswati.
Vasant means 'spring' and Panchami means 'fifth day' that means this festival falls on the fifth day of the spring season.
According to the Hindu Mythology, people worship Goddess Saraswati in order to get enlightened with knowledge, to get rid of lethargy, sluggishness, and slumber. Goddess Saraswati is considered the goddess of literature, art and music. A three dimensional coordination between thought, emotion and sensation. Idols of goddess Saraswati have all these three elements in it. The Veena is a chordophone instrument of the Indian sub-continent and is a manifestation of music while book implies literature and peacock is the manifestation of art.
The need for intellectual development in an individual and the dignity of education is the tradition followed behind the Saraswati-Puja. Schools and educational institutes start their day with Saraswati Pujan on Vasant Panchmi.
Vasant Panchami is a religious Hindu festival of Saraswati Puja also called Shree Panchami. This day is also observed as the Sufr Basant in Sufi Shrines. This seasonal spring festival is celebrated in different regions with different reasons. It marks the celebration of Basant Panchami, the festival of kites, in Punjab and observance as Sikh festival in Gurudwaras. This festival is alos celebrated as the birth anniversary of Deo-Sun God in Bihar and a harvest festival. All these festivals are observed on the fifth of the Magha month according to the Hindu Calendar.
'Anubujh' muhurtam the perfect time and day considered auspicious to carry out the rituals followed during Saraswati Pujan. Astrologers consider the best time to worship Goddess Saraswati in the morning hours and while the Panchimi (fifth) Tithi (date) prevails.
Date and Time of Puja
Panchami Tithi Begins on 21st Janaury 2018 at 3.33 pm and ends on 22nd Jnauary 208 at 4.24pm.
The ideal time to worship and perform the rituals (Vasant Panchami Puja Muhurta) is from 7.37am to 12.32pm.
Puja Samagri or the key elements used in Vasant Panchami Saraswati Puja are:
-Purified Mango wood
-Kesar
-Haldi
-Kumkum
-Akshat
-Naivedya
-Gangajal
-Kalash
-Shriphal
-Havan Samidha
-Shodash Matrika
-Yellow clothes
-Saffron sweets
-Chandan
-Durva dal
-Saraswati yantra
The mantra recited on this day is:
या कुन्देन्दुतुषारहारधवला या शुभ्रवस्त्रावृता
या वीणावरदण्डमण्डितकरा या श्वेतपद्मासना।
या ब्रह्माच्युत शंकरप्रभृतिभिर्देवैः सदा वन्दिता
सा मां पातु सरस्वती भगवती निःशेषजाड्यापहा॥
शुक्लां ब्रह्मविचार सार परमामाद्यां जगद्व्यापिनीं
वीणा-पुस्तक-धारिणीमभयदां जाड्यान्धकारापहाम्।
हस्ते स्फटिकमालिकां विदधतीं पद्मासने संस्थिताम्
वन्दे तां परमेश्वरीं भगवतीं बुद्धिप्रदां शारदाम्॥२॥
Translation: Before reciting the Srimad-Bhagavatam, which is the very means of conquest, one should offer obeisance unto the Personality of Godhead, Narayana, unto Nara-narayaana rishi, the super most human being, unto mother Sarasvati, the goddess of learning, and unto Srila Vyasadeva, the author.
She is considered as the goddess of music as well. Those who wish to sing or play an instrument always seek her blessings and grace. Lata Mangeshkar used to remove her slippers while singing. When asked for the reason, she said, “I am singing because of the blessing of Mother Saraswati. So, I consider that when I am singing, it is the temple of Saraswati.”
