Vasant Panchami/Saraswati Puja 2016: Tithi, Muhurt, Vidhi and Significance!

New Delhi :

On Vasant Panchami, the Goddess of art, science and learning – Saraswati – is worshipped by millions across the globe. Dressed in white, the goddess bestows her devotees with knowledge and wisdom and enlightens ignorant minds. The festival marks the onset of spring season.

When to perform puja?

The Puja should be performed in the Puvahana Kal, however many Pandits believe the Puja can be performed anytime during the tithi which begins on February 12 at 9.16 am and ends on February 13 at 6.39 am.

According to Pandits, the Puja can be performed between 9:16 am to 12:35 pm on February 12.

The ritual also known as Vidya-Arambham or Akshar-Abhyasam should be performed wearing yellow clothes if possible. Prepare Prasad that’s yellow in colour – for instance saffron sweet rice pudding, laddu , pineapple suji halwa etc and buy yellow flowers to offer to the Goddess.

How to worship?

Put the photo of Goddess Saraswati on a wooden platform with a red/yellow cloth spread on it, then keep the books of your children at the Goddess’s feet and light a brass or an earthen lamp. You can also light a few incense stick and mark it with a tika chandan and offer prayers or shloka:

कुन्देन्दुतुषारहारधवला या शुभ्रवस्त्रावृता
वीणावरदण्डमण्डितकरा या श्वेतपद्मासना।
ब्रह्माच्युत शंकरप्रभृतिभिर्देवैः सदा वन्दिता
मां पातु सरस्वती भगवती निःशेषजाड्यापहा॥

After the Puja, perform Saraswati Aarti and ask the Goddess to bless you with knowledge and wisdom.

Significance

• It is considered auspicious if children worship Saraswati Maa, the goddess of knowledge, music, arts, wisdom and learning.
• People feed Brahmans on this occasion and also perform Pitra-Tarpan, the traditional ancestral worship.
• Basant Panchami is the day when children are taught their first words, making it an auspicious occasion which marks the beginning of their learning process. 

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