Vasant Panchami th February 2023: Date, Muhurat | Saraswati Puja Procedure & Significance

Date and time

Vasanta Panchami is a one-day festival to offer prayers to Goddess Saraswati. It falls in the Magh month as per the Hindu calendar in between the months of January and February. As Makar Sankranti and Pongal mark the onset of Spring season in India, the festival of Vasanta Panchami shows the vibrant colors and flavor’s of freshness and greenery everywhere. On this day puja is done preferably in the morning but it should be completed within a specified time. This time is known as “muhurta” which is being pre-announced as per the Hindu Panchang.

Vasanth Panchami Date and Timing 2023

Thursday, 26 January 2023

• Panchami tithi start: 25 January 2023 at 09:29 pm
• Panchami tithi end: 26 February 2023 at 10:28 am

Vasanth Panchami Date and Timing 2022

Saturday, February 5th.

Pooja Muhurtam / Timings: 06:45 AM to 12:34 PM

Basant Panchami Madhyahna timing – 12:34 PM

• Panchami Tithi Begins – 03:47 AM on Feb 05, 2022
• Panchami Tithi Ends – 03:46 AM on Feb 06, 2022

Vasanth Panchami Date 2021: Tuesday, February 16th.
Pooja Muhurtam / Timings: 6.59 AM to 12.35 PM
Duration: :5 Hours 36 Minutes
Tithi Start at 03:36 AM on 16th February 2021
Tithi Ends at 05:46 AM on 17th February 2021

Behind the Name

“Vasanta Panchami ” as the name itself symbolizes, Basant means “spring” and Panchami means the “fifth day”, so it symbolizes that this festival is being celebrated on the fifth day of the Magha month of Hindus calendar.

Our Outlook

India is a country of festivals and celebrations. Its a manifestation of India’s vast culture, traditions, and customs. We always thrive to celebrate and enjoy. Our traditions are a mirror that reflects our brotherhood and fellowship. Hundreds of festivals and customs are preached in each and every part of India daily but we remain united and celebrate with each other irrespective of communities differences. As new year knocked our door, we enjoyed 31^st December 2019 to convey our thanks to the going year who gave us a chance to cherish for 365 days and we again celebrated 1^st January 2020 to give us a new chance to explore more in our life. In other parts of the world where festivities end with these two celebrations, we Indians don’t want to stop. We enjoyed so many til gul ladoos and kheer and Pongal dishes on Makar Sankranti with kite flying events and started waiting for one more festival. On Makar Sankranti, we said goodbye to winter and welcome the spring season but now the time came to get the fruits of this season. This is the most beautiful season in the whole world as it brings happiness and joy to it. Plants grow with their new leaves whereas beautiful flowers blossoms in every part of the world, butterflies fly high and high and birds sing their sweet songs aloud. This festival is known as Vasanta Panchami.

Vasanta Panchami is also known as Saraswati Puja, Shree Panchami, or the Basant Festival of Kites. On this day we offer our prayers to Goddess Saraswati. The name “Saraswati” itself signifies her divinity and characteristic, where ‘saras’ means “flow”, ‘swa’ means “self” and ‘wati” means “she has” which means that Goddess Saraswati has a flow like a river. She is always seen with four hands which represent the four human personalities as Mind, Alertness, Intellect and Ego and all these are associated with the Hindu holy books “Rigveda”, “Samveda” and “Yajurveda”. Goddess Saraswati was also named as “VAGDEVI” by Lord Brahma after listening to her knowledgeable words. She is the goddess of Knowledge and wisdom. Small children, as well as elders, offer her prayers for blessing them with wisdom.

Goddess Saraswati’ s mount, the Swan personifies knowledge whereas her prophet the Peacock personifies art and music. She is the true incarnation of knowledge and she always adore white colour which is a symbol of purity and displays Goddess Saraswati’s simplicity. She is assumed to be a part of the trinity i.e. Goddesses Saraswati, Lakshmi and Parvathi.

History

Saraswati puja or Vasanta Panchami I has its roots dated back in the Aryan period. It is assumed that Aryans came to India through the Khyber Pass and crossed the Saraswati river which was recognized by them as a symbol of wisdom and fertility. From that time Saraswati puja is being done. Mythologically it is said that when Kalidasa was married to a beautiful woman and after knowing that Kalidasa is a foolish she left him, then Kalidasa went to the Saraswati river to die but then the goddess came and asked him to have a bath in that river. This incident changed his life and he became a renowned poet later.

Saraswati Puja Customs

Saraswati puja is a spring festival that showers greenery and purity everywhere. In this festival, the farms are glowing with the crops of mustard seeds all over. Sunflowers stand high in the horticulture farms, because of this its customary to wear yellow color dresses. Especially girls and kids and students are advised to wear yellow colored dresses and pray the goddess to obtain her boons. Some people even perform the custom of “pitr-arpan” to pay respect to their departed souls.

Many types of sweet dishes are prepared depending upon the regional beliefs in which specially made yellow sweets like Kesar halwa and gazar halwa are being offered to the goddess in North India whereas “meethe chawal” is being offered to the deity in Punjab.

In many parts of India, swings are hung around trees and high rise places and girls are supposed to sit and swing on them. They also apply mehndi on their hands to express their happiness.

Traditions:

Its a famous quote that today’s custom becomes the tradition for future generations. What we preach and practice in our present becomes a tradition for the future generation. Like Makar Sankranti, Vasanta Panchami i is also famous for the events of Kite flying everywhere. This festival is being celebrated in each and every coaching institutes, schools and colleges. Students are advised to visit in color full dresses and sweets and lunch is being given to everyone.

One more tradition attached to this festival has a special belief as per the Hindu mythology. It’s said that a toddler who attains the age of two should touch the pen or pencil and slate only on this day of the year to get the boon from the goddess.

Saraswati Puja Procedure

The Vasanta Panchami puja or Saraswati puja starts with the worshiping of goddess Saraswati. From the morning itself people start cleaning their houses and puja rooms and new clothes are worn. The idol of the deity is placed on a new piece of cloth. Homemade special prasad is offered to the deity. Students are supposed to keep their books and pen pencils at the foot of the idol and then puja is performed. This puja ends with Saraswati Aarti and prasad is being distributed to everyone. The books and other things are supposed to be removed the very next day after having a bath. This custom is necessary for students to take blessings from the deity. Its a belief that students don’t have to study on the Saraswati puja since they submit their books in the feet of the deity and due to this their schools and institutes are also closed. This adds to the joy of children. In the day time, a special prasad called “bhog” is prepared which is a khichdi made up of all mixed vegetables and spices. This is distributed to everyone.

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