Vasant Panchami 2019: Here's Saraswati puja date, tithi, timing and importance
New Delhi : Vasant Panchami is an important festival for Hindus. Dedicated to Goddess Saraswati, it falls in the fifth day of the lunar month of Magh. As the name suggest, vasant means spring and so the festival is usually celebrated sometime between late January and early March every year.
Vasant Panchami is observed in many regions across the world. Sufi Basant is observed in Sufi shrines; Basant Festival of Kites of the Punjab region; observance in Gurdwaras as a Sikh festival; the birthday of the Deo-Sun God in Bihar and a harvest festival.
Hindus believe that Saraswati, the Hindu Goddess of knowledge, music, arts, wisdom and all kinds of learning, was born on this day. It’s a big day for students in India, especially in northern part of the country where schools, colleges and other educational institutions arrange pujas and celebrate the occasion in a grand way. In most of the southern states, however, Saraswati Puja is celebrated during Sharad Navratri.
Vasant Panchami, Saraswati Puja 2019
This year, Vasant Panchami and Saraswati Puja will be celebrated on Sunday, 10 February.
Vasant Panchami tithi and timing
The Vasant Panchami puja muhurt this year will start at 07:08 am and end at 12:36 pm (5 hours and 27 minutes), according to Hindu calendar. The panchami tithi will begin at 12:25 pm on 9 February 2019 and end at 14:08 pm on 10 February 2019.
Vasant Panchami and Saraswati Puja importance
Vasant Panchami, also known as Shri Panchami and Saraswati Panchami, is the day when many families prefer to perform the Vidyarambh for children. Vidyarambh, or Vidya-arambham, means initiation of education and is also known as Akshar-abhyasam and haate-khori in different parts of India. The puja rituals is usually done in the morning hours, and the day is considered auspicious to start all good work.
Saraswati is also called ‘Veenapani’ as she holds a musical instrument, veena, in her hands. Always portrayed in pure white garments and sitting on a white lotus, Saraswati is seen holding a rosary and a book in her two other hands. In most of her images, the Goddess is seen with a swan.
The following lines of a prayer (Saraswati vandana) are said to depict the Goddess in the best possible manner.
|| Ya kundendu tushar haar dhavala, ya shubravastravreta
Ya veenavaradandamandita-kara, ya shweta-padmasana
Ya Brahmachyuta Shankara-prabhritibhi devaih sada vandita
Sa Ma patu Saraswati bhagawati, nihshesh-jadyapaha ||
The above mentioned Saraswati Puja matra has the meaning like:
Salutations to the Goddess who is pure white like jasmine, and who has the coolness of the moon, brightness of snow and who shines like a garland of pearls;
Who hands hold a veena and shower boon; and who is seated on pure white lotus;
Who is always adored by Lord Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva and other gods;
O Goddess Saraswati, please protect me and completely remove my ignorance.
