Vasanta Panchami (वसंत पञ्चमी) is yet another festival which is based on the season change, a festival which is the celebration of a season arrival. This festival is celebrated on the fifth day of the bright fortnight of the Magha month (माघः शुक्लपक्षे पञ्चमी). This festival marks the arrival of the spring season & end of the winter season. Here, Vasanta (वसंत) means the Spring season & Panchami (पञ्चमी) means the fifth day. Spring (वसंत) season is also known as “the king of all the seasons” in India. Spring not only brings warm relief from the cold of winter, but it is also the time when the mustard crop blooms yellow flowers.
Vasanta Panchami (वसंत पञ्चमी) is the auspicious festival which is celebrated with great enthusiasm & with different rituals in different regions. Vasanta Panchami (वसंत पञ्चमी) is also known as Shri Panchami or Saraswati Puja, as this day is also dedicated to the Goddess Saraswati. As Goddess Saraswati is the goddess of knowledge, she removes the darkness of ignorance & spread knowledge hence, Saraswati is worshipped on this day along with celebrating the agricultural fields ripening with yellow flowers of the mustard crop.
Significance of Vasanta Panchami (वसंत पञ्चमी) –
This festival marks the beginning of the Spring season in India & the blooming of the mustard flowers. The colour of the yellow mustard flowers is associated with the festival & entire fields of mustard flowers resembles beds of yellow flowers when in full bloom. The yellow colour of the flowers symbolizes knowledge, light, energy, prosperity & peace & so it is considered an auspicious time to begin new ventures, like getting married, buying a house, or starting a job.
Vasanta (वसंत) i.e., Spring is the youth of the nature. The Spring (वसंत) season brings new hope, energy, positivity, zeal, etc. in one’s life. It arrives as a new beginning imparting the knowledge of forgetting worst parts of the life & moving on to the new upcoming future. We can see this new beginning in all the sides of the nature. Just like we could see the waves of the ocean coming towards us, in the same way we could see the arrival of the Spring (वसंत) season.
Vasanta Panchami (वसंत पञ्चमी) is nothing but the celebration of change in nature & there is no mention of this festival in the Scriptures. Vasanta Panchami (वसंत पञ्चमी) festival is not created by the scribes (शास्त्रकारः) or it is not predicated by the Dharmacharyas (धर्माचार्यः) but, poets, singers & musicians have arranged it, youths & those interested in poems have arranged it, cuckoos have nurtured it & flowers have invited it. Spring (वसंत) is the song of the birds, the fragrance of the bunch of mango flowers (आम्रः मञ्जरी), the variety of the flowers & the variability of the wind.
As it is the festival of spring, people sing & practice new ragas (रागः) & so as the Goddess of singing & ragas (रागः) is Goddess Saraswati people worship her on this day. As Diwali is significant for worshipping Goddess Lakshmi - the Goddess of wealth & prosperity; Navratri is significant for worshipping Goddess Durga - the Goddess of power & valour, similarly Vasant Panchami is significant for worshipping Goddess Saraswati - the Goddess of knowledge & wisdom.
Goddess Saraswati is a Goddess of knowledge, music, singing, instruments, dancing & all kinds of art. She is seated on a white lotus, wearing a white silk sari & holding a white Rosary (जपः माला) in her upper right hand, a Book (पुस्तकम्) in her lower left hand & holding a Veena (वीणा) (a string instrument known as the Indian Lute) in her upper left & the lower right hand. The eyes of the Goddess are full of compassion. Her four hands denote four sides of human personality, i.e., mind, intellect, alertness & ego. Her white saree symbolizes purity of mind & body. The white Rosary (जपः माला) in her hand symbolizes concentration & meditation. The Book (पुस्तकम्) symbolizes knowledge & wisdom. The Veena (वीणा) symbolizes the tuning of heart & mind. The white lotus on which she is seated, symbolizes the quality of passion (रजः गुणः) that drives motion & energy. Her ride is a white swan which is known for its peculiar capability of separating water from the milk, symbolizes purity & discrimination. A peacock is always seen near her in a picture which symbolizes human ego, which is controlled by Goddess Saraswati.
The day of Vasant Panchami is important for Vidya Arambha (विद्या आरंभः), the ritual of introducing young children to the world of education & formal learning because of this reason too on this day Goddess Saraswati is worshipped. Those who are willing to start their education in singing or dancing start their education from this day.
This day also has its connection to the God of Love- Kaama Deva as, he is the only God who blooms the flowers & deck up the earth with a blissful fragrance & beautiful weather. He is the God who bring this spring (वसंत) season & so, in some regions Kaama Deva is also worshipped or remembered on this day in order to be grateful to him for bringing spring (वसंत) & because of this reason this day is also known as Vasanta Utsava (वसंतोत्सवः) & from this day people celebrate Vasanta Utasava, celebrating sping season which lasts for 5-7days or more.
Ritual ceremony on Vasanta Panchami (वसंत पञ्चमी) –
Vasanta Panchami (वसंत पञ्चमी) is the festival, which holds a vital part in India. As this festival is a celebration of a new spring season & end of winter, it also has its significant of harvesting in other states & also has its significance of worshipping Goddess Saraswati in yet another states. There are many religions & states in India & every Hindu follow their customs & traditions to celebrate this auspicious day. As there is no mention of this festival in the Scriptures, people of different religion made their own ritual ceremonies according to their way of living & according to the region they are living in. Let’s see how different states celebrate this festival with different ritual ceremony;
Punjab & Haryana - Vasanta Panchami (वसंत पञ्चमी) is pronounced as Basant Panchami in Punjab & Haryana. Basant Panchami rituals are not related to any worship. However, it doesn't make the occasion less significant as the day is marked with various fun & frolic activities to welcome the arrival of the spring known as Basant. The day is very popular for flying kites. Both, men & women, participate in the event. The activity is so popular that the demand of kites soars just before Basant Panchami & kite makers have busy times during this festival. On the day of Basant Panchami, the clear blue sky is filled with numerous kites with various colours, shapes & sizes. It should be noted that in Gujarat & Andhra Pradesh, kite flying is more popular during the time of Makara Sankranti & not during the Vasanta Panchami (वसंत पञ्चमी).
The school girls wear traditional Punjabi outfits known as Giddha & participate in kite flying activities. To welcome the arrival of spring, they prefer wearing yellow-coloured dresses popularly known as Basanti colour. Bhangra, a folk dance from Punjab, is also very popular among school girls on the eve of Basant Panchami. Sweet rice is one such mouth-watering dish served in Punjab on this day. Other dishes include Makki ki roti (roti made of corn flour) & Sarso da saag (vegetable curry made out of sarso leafy vegetable). The sight of wide patches of fields filled with mustard crops is another characteristic of this season in Punjab & Haryana.
Braj - Vasanta Panchami (वसंत पञ्चमी) celebrations are none other than those in the temples of Mathura & Vrindavan. The day of Vasanta Panchami marks the beginning of Holi festivities in Braj temples. On this day, most temples are decorated with yellow flowers. The idols are adorned with yellow dresses to mark the arrival of spring.
On this day, the famous Shah Bihari temple in Vrindavan opens Vasanti room for devotees. In Shri Banke Bihari temple of Vrindavan, priests start Holi celebrations by tossing white powder (अबिलम्) & pink powder (used in holy festival) (गुलालम्) on devotees. Those who prepare Holika Dahan Pandal dig up holes & install Holi Danda (a wooden stick) which would pile up with waste wood & dried cow-dungs in the next 41 days for Holika Dahan rituals.
West Bengal - Vasanta Panchami (वसंत पञ्चमी) is celebrated as Saraswati Puja in West Bengal. Like Durga Puja, Saraswati Puja is celebrated with lots of devotion & enthusiasm. Saraswati Puja is performed especially by students. As a custom, the girl students wear yellow Banarasi Sari & the boys wear Dhoti & Kurta. The students as well as artists keep educational books, musical instruments, paint-brushes, canvas, ink pots & bamboo quills in front of the idol & worship them along with Goddess Saraswati. The Goddess is worshipped with Bel leaves, marigold, Palash, Guldaudi flowers & Sandal paste.
Like Durga Puja, Saraswati Puja is also celebrated as a community festival, people come together & build Pandals in their localities & install the idol of Goddess Saraswati. Traditionally, music is played to appease & to get the blessings of the Goddess of wisdom & knowledge. In Naivedya, Kul (which is jujube fruit & popularly known as Ber in North India), apples, dates & bananas are offered to Goddess Saraswati & later distributed among devotees. Even though the Kul fruit is available in the market much before the festival, many people don't start eating it until the fruit has been offered to Goddess Saraswati on Magha Panchami day i.e., Vasanta Panchami (वसंत पञ्चमी). Most people look forward to relish the Kul fruit on this day. Topa Kul Chutney is special dish which is offered on the day of Saraswati Puja along with Khichuri & Lubra.
In the evening the idol of Goddess Saraswati is taken out of the home or the Pandals & immersed in the water body with a gala procession. Usually, the idol is immersed on the third day, but many people perform immersion of the idol on the same day of Saraswati Puja.
Karnataka – Saraswati puja isn’t synonymous with Basant Panchami in Karnataka. They celebrate it to mainly honour the Gods that have blessed them with good crops & a bountiful harvest. Different delicious dishes are prepared, Payasam is quite common. The whole family usually comes together to celebrate the festival. It is not only celebrated at home, but all learning centers arrange to conduct this puja. Students & others are invited & offered prasad.
Other Southern states of India - This festival is celebrated as Sri Panchami. Yagnas are done in schools & colleges as students celebrate with great sincerity. It is believed that Goddess Saraswati bestows her devotees with lots of wisdom, learning & knowledge. Students & teachers wear new clothes, offer prayers to the Goddess of knowledge & various programs of song & dance are organised to please her. Usually, toddlers start learning from this day in a unique ceremony known as Khadi-Chuan i.e., Vidya-Arambha (विद्या आरंभः).
Gujarat – Vasanta Panchami (वसंत पञ्चमी) is celebrated as worshipping Goddess Saraswati. Devotees wear white clothes, offer white flowers to the Goddess & the idols of Gods & Goddesses are decked up in white clothes & white flowers. In schools & colleges also Saraswati Puja is held along with the students. Faculty of performing arts arranges a huge Saraswati puja ritual along with yagna. Starting a learning for toddler is held on this day which is known as Vidya-Aarambha (विद्या आरंभः). Apart of this, many other new ventures like starting a business or starting a school, colleges or any other learning institutes, marriages are also held on this day as this whole day is considered as the most auspicious day. Gujarati people believe that on this day, no need to see the good time for any venture as this whole day is considered as the most auspicious day.
Thus, for Hindus, all across India, Vasanta Panchami (वसंत पञ्चमी) is quite an important day for different reasons. Some celebrate it to honour Goddess Saraswati, while others celebrate the harvest & the beginning of Spring. So, Hindus always embrace not only the Gods & Goddesses, but also the seasons or a season change. Yes, we do have a festival of season change. We welcome all the natural changes & celebrate it with great enthusiasm. Vasant Panchami (वसंत पञ्चमी) is not just a festival of spring, but it is the festival of Love, Passion, Knowledge, Wisdom & new beginning.
मार्गशीर्षः शुक्लपक्षे १०, २०७८