Every year between the months of January/February, Basant Panchami heralds the beginning of spring. As the sun makes it’s northerly ascent, and nature awakens to a spectacular dance of regeneration, the pure and new dawn expresses the beauty, grace and magnitude of the great Prakriti as Goddess Saraswati.
This Shakti, this expression of Nature’s glory or Prakriti, is celebrated as Saraswati Puja, the goddess symbolising the sattwik qualities, hence mostly depicted in the pristinity of whiteness. On this occasion, Devi Saraswati is what Devi Durga is during the Navaratri or Devi Lakshmi and Devi Kali during Diwali. She is the cosmic intelligence, the divine repository and expression of the supreme knowledge.
The festival occurs on the fifth day (magha shukla panchami tithi) in the Hindu month of Magha. The golden colour of the ripened maize grains is reflective in the bright yellow garments which is customarily worn for the celebration. It is this yellow (Basant) colour which gives the festival its name.
In the observance of the Saraswati Puja, students seek to have their books and other educational items blessed, so that their learning may bring the enlightment needed in life. There are different customs and traditions in its celebration across Indian states, but underlying all of these are the expressions of gratitude and love to the cosmic intelligence which pervades our very existence as Goddess Saraswati.
Tomorrow 28th Jan, 2012 is Basant Panchami. Wishing all our members a happy and blessed Saraswati Puja.
