16 February
Also known as Shri Panchami/Saraswati Panchami, this is a Hindu festival dedicated to the Goddess Saraswati. The festival marks the end of winter and the beginning of spring – Vasant Panchami means the fifth day (‘Panchami’) of Spring (‘Vasant’). It takes place 40 days before Holi and marks the start of preparations for that festival.
On this day Hindus worship Saraswati Devi, the goddess of wisdom, knowledge, music, art and culture. Legend has it that Lord Brahma had created the earth and humans, but felt it was all a bit too quiet, so on this day he created Saraswati by sprinkling some water in the air. As she came from water, she is also called the water deity. Saraswati then filled the world with beautiful music and blessed the world with her voice.
Saraswati has four hands which symbolize ego, intellect, alertness and the mind. She is often pictured wearing a white dress seated on a white lotus which symbolizes light, knowledge and truth. She not only embodies knowledge but also the experience of the highest reality.
The colour yellow is strongly associated with Vasant Panchami, representing the fields of mustard which a common sight in the Punjab and Haryana areas at this time of year. People wear bright yellow clothes and cook colourful food to mark the beginning of spring, with many of the dishes cooked being yellow, such as “meeth chawal”, sweetened rice, flavoured with saffron.
The day before Vasant Panchami, Saraswati’s temples are filled with food so that she can join the celebrants in the traditional feasting the following morning. In temples and educational institutions, statues of Saraswati are dressed in yellow and worshipped.
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