Marking the preparation for the arrival of spring, Basant Panchami or Vasant Panchami is an auspicious festival of the Hindus which is widely known with great pomp and show across India on the fifth day (Panchami Tithi) of the Hindu month of Magha, Shukla Paksha. it’s also called Sri Panchami within the South and is devoted to Saraswati, is that the wife of Brahma and thought of by Hindus because the Goddess of data , music, learning and humanities .
Worshippers believe that without Saraswati the planet would be shrouded in ignorance, as she is that the one who represents enlightenment. Hence, Saraswati is worshipped on today along side celebrating the agricultural fields’ ripening with yellow flowers of the mustard crop.
Yellow or basant is believed to be Saraswati’s favourite colour and every one celebrations include a shade of yellow be it in decorations or attires. Vasant Panchami is additionally believed to be the foremost auspicious day to urge married.
Date and Puja Time:
This year Vasant Panchami shall be observed on February 16, 2021. The Panchami Tithi shall start at 3.36 am on February 16 and can continue till 5.46 am on February 17. Although the whole day is taken into account as being auspicious, the proper time for doing the puja is within the afternoon.
This year, the subsequent timings are to be observed:
Vasant Panchami Muhurat: February 16 at 06:59 am to 12:35 pm
Vasant Panchami Madhyahna: 12:35 pm
Start of Panchami Tithi: February 16 at 03:36 am
End of Panchami Tithi: February 17 at 05:46 am
History:
As per the Hindu mythology, Brahma created the universe and impressed with the creation and wanted to ascertain it together with his own eyes. Hence, he began on a journey but was disappointed with the entire silence and lonliness of everyone on planet Earth.
After giving it tons of thought, he had a thought and had a thought consistent with which he took some water in his Kamandal and sprinkled it in air. An angel with a harp in her hand appeared from a tree and was requested to play something.
Brahma asked her to try to to this in order that the world wasn’t silent and therefore the angel obliged to bless the people of the world together with her voice, filling the earth with music. That angel came to be referred to as Saraswati or Veena Vadini (harp player), the Goddess of speech, knowledge, music and art who provides voice, intelligence, force and glory.
Significance:
Spring is taken into account to be the ‘King of all seasons’ and springtime isn’t only a logo of prosperity but also considered extremely auspicious to start out new work, marry or perform house warming ceremony (griha pravesh). it’s also believed to be the day when Saraswati was born then the day is usually mentioned as Saraswati Jayanti where people worship her to hunt her blessings for giving them wisdom.
Saraswati is depicted as a white saree-clad woman, seated on a lotus symbolising truth and purity and and holding a ‘veena’ (musical instrument). She rides a white swan or ‘hamsa’.
This festival marks the start of Spring season in India and therefore the blooming of the mustard flowers. it’s the color yellow which is related to the festival and full fields of mustard flowers resemble beds of yellow flowers when fully bloom.
Celebrations:
People wear yellow coloured clothes and also eat food that has the color yellow in it (like khichdi). Saraswati’s idols are covered in yellow sarees because it is believed that it’s one among her favourite colours and other people dress up in yellow attires too because the colour symbolizes prosperity, optimism, energy and everything positive.
Vasant Panchami is that the time when people start giving the primary lessons on education to their children. this tradition is mentioned as Vidyarambam and also referred to as Aksharabhyasam.