Happy Saraswati Puja to all. It is also known as Basant Panchami.
Today is Basant Panchami. On this day, Goddess Saraswati, the Goddess of knowledge, learning and music is worshipped.
In West Bengal, India it is celebrated on a grand scale with Basant Panchami being a state holiday.
In schools and colleges plays are done and the Goddess Saraswati is worshipped early morning in each and every house.
Many musical programs beginning from early in the morning are shown on television channels.
Radio programs on Basant Panchami are held throughout the day.
“Basant” means spring and “Panchami” means the fifth. Therefore, it is celebrated every year on 5thday of Spring.
Singing and musical competitions are held throughout the day.
In lunch khichdi, chutney, a mixed vegetable and ladoos and maybe some other sweets (according to the collections) are served.
Small girls and adult women wear yellow sarees on this day.
Before the visarjan of Goddess Saraswati is done on the next day, people eat a mixture of curd and beaten rice, puffed rice mixed with sugar, banana and sandesh. It is called Dodhikarma in Bengali.
This festival is celebrated in West Bengal and Punjab (both of them are Indian states) in a grand way.
In Punjab it is the festival which welcomes spring and at this particular period of time all the mustard fields look grand and flowing in beautiful yellow colour, which associates the yellow colour with this festival. Kite flying festival also takes place in Punjab.
Happy Basant Panchami to all.
Adios!
P.S.-Sandesh is a Bengali sweet.
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