वसंत पंचमी Vasant Panchami and सरस्वती पूजा Sarasvati Puja
02.02.2025
-Rohit Kumar Parmar [1]
PicVasPanc-01 Maa Saraswati
Vasant Panchami, Sarasvati Puja or Sri Panchami is celebrated in honour of माँ सरवती (Maa Sarasvati) on the fifth (Panchami) day of Shukla paksha (waxing moon) in the luni-solar month of Magha, corresponding to January/ February of the Gregorian calendar.
In 2025, during Kumbh Mela 2025, the `Third Shahi Snan’, will be performed on Vasant Panchami, February 2, 2025. [2]
A spate of festivals in January/ February signal the end of winter (at times harsh), especially in the northern/ western parts of India and preparations for the arrival of वसंत ऋतु (Vasant Ritu, Spring season). [3]
Vasant Ritu is associated with freshness and a new beginning. Vasant Panchami marks the beginning of Vasant Utsava, which ends with the festival of Holi, after 40 days.
Vasant Panchami is celebrated in the Indian subcontinent, notably India, Nepal, Bangladesh and Pakistan (mainly as kite flying. Kites are called guddi in Punjabi language), and in Indonesia, especially in the island of Bali, and by the Indian diaspora.
Vasant Panchami in Indonesia, with which India has strong historical and cultural ties, is known as `Hari Raya Sarasvati’ [4] (great day of Sarasvati) and also marks the beginning of the 210-day long Balinese Pawukon calendar.
Vasant Panchami is celebrated in different states/ regions of India in forms, which signify diverse Indian culture, religion, society, etc., but not in a homogenous pattern of one-size-fits all. The celebrations during Sarasvati Puja, have a cultural, religious and social form and content, in reverence of Maa Sarasvati. Maa Sarasvati is the goddess of vidya, education, learning, creativity, intelligence, language, music, arts and all fine things/ activities. The social form is melas (fairs), kite flying, etc,.
Maa Sarasvati
The name Sarasvati stems from the Sanskrit root word `saras,’ which means `fluid.’
Maa Sarasvati, part of the tridevi (Lakshmi, Parvati, and Sarasvati) is seated on a white lotus, with one hand on the veena (a musical instrument suited for classical Indian music), second hand holding a Kamandal, [5] the third hand holding a jap mala (rosary) and the fourth holding a book, symbolising her attributes (PicVasPanc-01).
The following shloka describes Maa Sarawati
।।श्वेतपद्मासना देवी श्वेतपुष्पोशोभिता श्वेतांबरधरा नित्या श्वेतागंधानुलेपना
श्वेताक्षसूत्रहस्ता च श्वेत चंदन चर्चिता श्वेतवीणाधरा शुभ्रा
श्वेतालंकारभूषिता
वन्दितां सिध्दगंधर्वैश्चिता
पूजिता मुनिऋषिभिः स्तुते सदा।।
Meaning of the shloka
We bow down to the Devi, who is seated on a white lotus, adorned with a garland of white flowers, and white clothes symbolising purity and peace.
We bow down to Sarasvati, from whom emanates a beautiful fragrance; who applies white sandalwood all over her body. Devi holds a Veena, wearing white jewellery.
We bow down to the Devi worshipped by all Siddhas [6], Gandharvas [7], Devas and Asuras. Devi, who is always praised by the great sages in scriptures.
PicVasPanc-02 Ripe Mustard crop and flowers, Sihoniya, Morena District, Madhya Pradesh, India
Significance of Yellow
There is ripening of the mustard crop (PicVasPanc-02) with yellow flowers (PicVasPanc-03), which is Maa Sarasvati's favourite colour. This is also the season for गेंदा (genda, marigold) flowers (in Yellow, Orange, Red and Maroon colours) which are used in prayers/ garlands, bloom.
PicVasPanc-03 Ripe Mustard crop and flowers, Sihoniya, Morena District, Madhya Pradesh, India
Yellow dress (PicVasPanc-06) - sarees, suits, dupattas, shirts, dhotis are worn on Vasant Panchami.
Mithe Chowl (मीठे चावल, ਮਿੱਠੇ ਚੌਲ, PicVasPanc-04), sweetened rice with saffron/ yellow colour, dry fruits is prepared for bhog of Maa Sarasvati, as part of an elaborate feast.
Yellow coloured snacks (Khandvi, PicVasPanc-05) and sweets (Motichoor/ Besan Ladoo, Rasmalai, Kesari Rajbhog, Kesari Halwa/ Sheera) are preferred.
PicVasPanc-04 Sweetened Rice Mithe Chowl, मीठे चावल, ਮਿੱਠੇ ਚੌਲ,
PicVasPanc-05 Khandvi
Learning on Sarasvati Puja
On Sarasvati puja, children are encouraged to write their first alphabet which could be ॐ; do some study; play a music instrument or sing.
Children between four and five years old, start learning to write on this day in a unique ceremony known as হাতে-খড়ি (Haate-Khori, with the hand) in Bengal and 'Khadi-Chuan' or 'Vidya-Arambha' (beginning/ start of education) in Odisha. The commencement of writing ceremony takes place on other festivals also.
In schools, as part of the morning assembly or in a special function, and/ or in other congregations, there is recital of Sarasvati Vandana/ puja and other prayers (PicVasPanc-06). There is also a picture/ statute of Maa Sarasvati. Poetic and musical gatherings are also held in some communities in reverence of Sarasvati.
PicVasPanc-06 Sarasvati Vandana/ puja by children
In Eastern India, especially Assam, Bihar, Tripura and West Bengal, and Nepal, people visit Sarasvati temples and/ or worship her at home. In the state of Odisha, Havan/ Homas/ Yagnas are also performed. In Andhra Pradesh and Telangana it is called Sri Panchami.
Traditionally, in Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Uttar Pradesh, after an early morning bath, people, especially women, worship Shiva and Parvati. Offerings of mango flowers and wheat are traditionally made, which symbolises nature, and the arriving/ ripening of crop.
In Rajasthan, it is customary for people to wear jasmine garlands. In Maharashtra, newly married couples visit a temple and offer prayers on their first (pahla) Basant [8] Panchami following the wedding, wearing yellow dress.
In Punjab region, Basant is celebrated as a seasonal festival and is known as the Basant festival of Kites. Children buy डोर (dor, thread); माँजा (maanjaa, thread suitable to cut competitors kites); चरकी (charki, wheel shaped toy/ object to roll the dor/ thread, and/or माँजा/ maanjaa); and गुड्डी, पतंग (guddi, patang, kites) for the sport.
In Bangladesh major educational institutions and universities observe a special Sarasvati puja.
Kite flying as part of Basant mela in Lahore goes back centuries, and is a highly competitive sport between regional teams.
Legends
Maa Sarasvati as Gayatri, was so much attracted by the brilliance of Sun God Surya (Sun), that she dissolved herself to become the Gayatri Mantra dedicated to Surya.
ॐ भूर्भुवः स्वः । तत्सवितुर्वरेण्यं भर्गो देवस्यः धीमहि । धियो यो नः प्रचोदयात् ।।
Meaning of gayatri mantra
उस प्राण स्वरूप, दुःखनाशक, सुखस्वरूप, श्रेष्ठ, तेजस्वी, पापनाशक, देवस्वरूप परमात्मा को हम अंतःकरण में धारण करें। वह परमात्मा हमारी बुद्धि को सन्मार्ग में प्रेरित करे।
अर्थात् ' सृष्टिकर्ता प्रकाशमान परमात्मा के प्रसिद्ध पवणीय तेज का (हम) ध्यान करते हैं, वे परमात्मा हमारी बुद्धि को (सत् की ओर) प्रेरित करें।
Maa Sarasvati is also known as वाग्देवी (Vagdevi, Goddess of leaning), a name given by Brahma, because she is the epitome of oratorial speech and sound.
Maa Sarasvati is also called शतरूपा (Shatarupa, a goddess with one hundred or multiple forms), which she used to adopt to escape from the infatuation of Brahma, because of her beauty.
In eastern India, Maa Sarasvati is considered the daughter of Lord Shiva and Maa Durga. Goddess Lakshmi, Lord Ganesha and Karthikeya are considered as her siblings.
The river Sarasvati was stated to be an earthly form of Maa Sarasvati.
Another legend behind Vasant Panchami is based on the Hindu god of love called Kamadeva, who awakens the passions of earth (and its people) and the world blooms. Pradyumna son of Rukmini and Krishna is considered as an incarnation of Kamadeva.
Vasant Panchami is also known as `Madana Panchami’. Madana Panchami is remembered as the day when the Seers (Rishis) approached Kamadeva to wake up Shiva in support of Parvati, who was performing penance to get Shiva as husband, and sought Kama's help to bring Shiva back from meditation to worldly desires/ life.
Kamadeva agrees and shoots arrows, made of flowers and bees, at Shiva in order to draw his attention to Parvati. Lord Shiva awakens from his meditation and his third eye opens, and a fireball is directed at Kamadeva, who is burnt to ashes.
This upsets both Rati (Kamadevi, Kamadev’s wife) and Parvati (Siva’s wife). Rati performs meditation for forty days, upon which Siva realises his mistake and forgives Kamadeva and brings him back to life. The return of Kamadeva is celebrated on the 40th day after Vasant Panchami as Holi. The Kamadeva legend has many variants, especially in South India.
In Kutch (Gujarat) Vasant Panchami is associated with the emotions of love and emotional anticipation, and is celebrated by preparing bouquets and garlands of flowers, with mango leaves, as a gift. People dress in saffron, pink or yellow and visit each other.
A popular legend associated with Vasant Panchami is the story of Sanskrit poet Kalidasa, who is kicked out by his wife, a beautiful princes, when she realised he was foolish. In despair, Kalidasa plans to kill himself, when Sarasvati emerges from the river and tells him to bathe in its waters. After a bath, the river water gives Kalidasa wisdom, which leads him to write poetry.
Sarasvati Mantra
ॐ श्रीं ह्रीं सरस्वतीै नमः सरस्वती मंत्र
Om Shreem Hreem Sarasvatyai Namaha -
Sarasvati Vandana
या कुन्देन्दुतुषारहारधवला या शुभ्रवस्त्रावृताया वीणावरदण्डमण्डितकरा या श्वेतपद्मासनाया ब्रह्माच्युतशंकरप्रभृतिभिर्देवै: सदा वन्दितासा मां पातु सरस्वती भगवती नि:शेषजाड्यापहा
Meaning of Sarasvati Vandana
Salutations to Goddess Sarasvati, who wears a garland of white pearls; the one who is dressed in white; the one who holds a Veena in her hand; the one who holds the blessing mudra; and the one who is seated on a white lotus.
Brahma, Vishnu and Shankara hail and worship you, O Goddess Sarasvati, bless me and remove all my ignorance.
Sarasvati Aarti
ॐ जय सरस्वती माता, जय जय सरस्वती माता
सदगुण वैभव शालिनी, सदगुण वैभव शालिनी त्रिभुवन विख्याता,
जय जय सरस्वती माता ॐ जय सरस्वती माता, जय जय सरस्वती माता सदगुण वैभव शालिनी,
सदगुण वैभव शालिनी त्रिभुवन विख्याता, जय जय सरस्वती माता
चन्द्रबदनि पद्मासिनि, कृति मंगलकारी मैय्या कृति मंगलकारी
सोहे शुभ हंस सवारी, सोहे शुभ हंस सवारी अतुल तेज धारी
जय जय सरस्वती माता
बाएं कर में वीणा, दाएं कर माला मैय्या दाएं कर माला
शीश मुकुट मणि सोहे, शीश मुकुट मणि सोहे गल मोतियन माला
जय जय सरस्वती माता
देवी शरण जो आए, उनका उद्धार किया मैय्या उनका उद्धार किया बैठी मंथरा दासी,
बैठी मंथरा दासी रावण संहार किया
जय जय सरस्वती माता
विद्यादान प्रदायनि, ज्ञान प्रकाश भरो जन ज्ञान प्रकाश भरो
मोह अज्ञान की निरखा, मोह अज्ञान की निरखा जग से नाश करो
जय जय सरस्वती माता
धूप, दीप, फल, मेवा, माँ स्वीकार करो ओ माँ स्वीकार करो
ज्ञानचक्षु दे माता, ज्ञानचक्षु दे माता जग निस्तार करो जय जय सरस्वती माता
माँ सरस्वती की आरती, जो कोई जन गावै मैय्या जो कोई जन गावै
हितकारी सुखकारी हितकारी सुखकारी ज्ञान भक्ति पावै
जय जय सरस्वती माता जय सरस्वती माता,
जय जय सरस्वती माता सदगुण वैभव शालिनी,
सदगुण वैभव शालिनी त्रिभुवन विख्याता
जय जय सरस्वती माता ॐ जय सरस्वती माता,
जय जय सरस्वती माता सदगुण वैभव शालिनी,
सदगुण वैभव शालिनी त्रिभुवन विख्याता, जय जय सरस्वती माता
Vidya Mantra
सरस्वती नमस्तुभ्यम्
वरदे कामरूपिणी
विद्यारम्भम् करिष्यामि
सिद्धिर बावथूम सदा
Meaning of Vidya Mantra
Salutations to Goddess Sarasvati, the one who gives boon and grants wishes
As I begin my education, shower me with the knowledge and intellect I need to attain wisdom.
[1] Author, Freelance, Indian Economic Service, Senior Economic Adviser (Retired), Government of India, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution and former Adviser (P 4) UNDP, Yemen has in posts
on his website (https://rohitkparmar.wixsite.com/site),
YouTube channel (https://youtube.com/@rohitkparmar),
X (formerly twitter) (https://twitter.com/rohitkparmar?s=09),
Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/rohit.parmar.5268750/),
been writing/ sharing varied topics and
can be reached at rohitkparmar@yahoo.com.
[2] A write up on Kumbh Mela can be accessed at the url
[3] Spring in the Indian sub-continent is different from the west in several respects, one of which is that all trees in India do not shed all their leaves.
[4] Several, if not all festivals in Malaysia and Indonesia have `Hari Raya’ as a prefix, for example `Hari Raya Aidilfitri’.
[5] A Kamandal is made of dry gourd (pumpkin) or coconut shell, metal, wood of the Kamandalataru tree, or from clay, usually with a handle and sometimes with a spout. Hindu ascetics or yogis often use it for storing drinking water. The water-filled kamandal, which is invariably carried by ascetics, is stated to represent a simple and self-contained life.
However, most images of Maa Saraswati show the second hand also on the veena.
[6] An ascetic who has achieved enlightenment.
[7] A spirit, usually depicted as a singer or musician.
[8] There are several states in India and in Nepal, where the alphabet V is replaced by B.
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