Vasant Panchami – Saraswati Puja

Vasant Panchami (February 5th, 2022), also known as Basant Panchami is a festival in honor of Goddess Saraswati, the hindu Goddess of education, learning and the fine arts (music, writing, painting, etc.). The festival is celebrated on the fifth (panch) day after the new moon (amavasaya) in the month of Magha according to the Hindu calendar (usually occurs in late January or early February). It marks the onset of spring (vasant) according to the Hindu calendar and is marked with great gaiety and celebrations all across the northern states in India.

Spiritual Significance of Vasant Panchami

Goddess Saraswati, the one who flows (saras) easily (wati), was created by Lord Brahma and is also known as Vach-Devi – the Goddess of Speech. Vasant Panchami marks the birth of the Goddess and is an opportunity for a new spiritual birth for the seeker.

The beej or seed mantra for invocation of Saraswati Devi is

AUM shreem bhreem saraswataye namah

ॐ श्रीम भ्रीम सरस्वतये नमः

Saraswati Beej Mantra / Mahamantras by Pandit Jasraj, Shankar Mahadevan. 2005.

This mantra is often used during the ceremonies conducted to start the formal education of a new child on the occasion of Vasant Panchami. The traditional first lesson or first words are taught to children by their parents on this day.

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Goddess Saraswati with Veena

Traditions of Vasant Panchami

The color yellow is perhaps the most prominent feature on Vasant Panchami. Yellow colored clothes, foods (like saffron rice), flowers (mustard) and sweets (with kesar) are the traditional norm on this day. Goddess Saraswati is adorned in yellow clothes (at home or at the mandir) as yellow is considered to represent the sattva guna – characteristic of purity, prosperity and love.

Kite flying is a very popular tradition observed (particularly in Haryana and Punjab) on Vasant Panchami. Children and adults alike engage in flying small and large kites and various kite-flying competitions are held across roof-tops and in playgrounds all over northern India. It is also a day for art and painting competitions, poetry recitations and music festivals all over India in honor of Goddess Saraswati – the patron of the arts.

So how do you celebrate Vasant Panchami? Do you have any special family traditions that you would like to share with us? Please share with us…

Comments

14 responses to “Vasant Panchami – Saraswati Puja”


  1. […] These mantras are often used as part of prayers to Goddess Saraswati, particularly during the celebrations of Vasant Panchami. […]

  2. Happy vasant panchami. Please watch and share

    https://youtu.be/ESWBGItpD8M

  3. […] his thoughts. The words (or Vach) spoken by Brahma to create the universe is indeed Sarswati. The Vasant Panchami festival is traditionally celebrated to honor Goddess Saraswati and seek her […]

  4. Dewan Chand

    Sur ki devi Saraswati Maa, Sur ka Gyan Sikha de maa, Hai andhiara is hriday me, Sur ka deep jala de maa……..Anup Jalota sings this beautiful bhajan invoking the blessings of Goddess Saraswati. India , stretchingg from the snow capped Himalayas in the north to the blue oceans at Kanya Kumari in the south and from Bay of Bengal in the east to the deserts of Rajasthan in the west is a land o extremes and diversities . It enjoys all seasons and Hindu festivals are a way of enjoying these changes……change is the only permanent law of nature. Filled with colour, music, fun and frolick, each festival is celebrated with much gusto. Indians are fortunate that their culture honours deities through these festivals.May Goddess shower her choicest blessings on everyone of you !

  5. Manoj kumar Patro

    I would like to give thanks first,its quite a good as well as valuable information .Although its necessary for starting the education………

    I wish u and all a happy and prosperous Vasant Panchami……………………………………..

  6. ravindra

    i would like to thank for this useful & informative knowledge sharing regarding our festivals ….
    keep it up ….
    all the best

  7. jay maa sarswati.basanta panchami is february 3 2011.so we very glad to worship of goddeses maa sarswati.damber narayan ray siraha nepal.

  8. Meena

    This is an excellent site educating people like me about the holidays/rituals we celebrate without having full understanding of why. Thank you very much for the excellent work. Keep up the good work!

    Namaste

    Meena

    1. kajmani

      Thank you for your kind comments – trust me, I learn as much from my readers via these comments and other interactions as they probably learn from me :-)

      Glad you enjoyed your visit – do come back and explore some more. Namaste!

  9. kajmani

    Thank you – Rahul, Pradeep and Anil for your kind words. Trust me, the more I research and write, the more I learn too. I grew up in India celebrating many of these festivals without really understanding the history, significance and traditions. I am a little bit better educated now :-)

    Happy Vasant Panchami!

  10. Anil Sood (uk)

    thanking all @this wonderful website for thier continued education of our very rich and cherished religious festivals and rituals…………it has reconnected me to my faith!

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