Saraswati Puja comes as the beginning of the festival calendar

Kolkata, Feb 7 (IBNS): As the last phase of winter is set to fade away from Kolkata, it is time to celebrate the first religious festival of the year- Saraswati Puja.

On Tuesday, the Goddess of art, wisdom and culture will be worshipped by students across West Bengal.

From schools to households, every one will be busy appeasing the Goddess of knowledge, who is considered by the Hindus as the daughter of Goddess Durga.

Goddess Saraswati is also worshipped in various parts of the country in multiple ways and in different times.

In Maharashtra and Gujarat, Saraswati Puja starts with ‘Saraswati Avahan’ on ‘Maha Saptami’ and ends on ‘Vijayadashami‘ with ‘Saraswati Udwasan’ or ‘Visarjan’ (idol immersion).

While in Eastern India, which includes West Bengal, the occasion s celebrated in the ‘Magha’ month (January–February).

It coincides with ‘Vasant Panchami’ or ‘Shree Panchami’ which is the 5th day of the bright fortnight of the lunar month of ‘Magha’.

Following the traditions, people place books near the Goddess’ statue or picture and worship Her. Book-reading is not allowed on this day.

In the southern states of India, Saraswati Puja is conducted during the ‘Navaratri’ which literally means “Nine Nights”.

But the actual celebrations continue during the 10th day, which is considered as ‘Vijaya Dashami’ or the Victorious Tenth Day.

In West Bengal, Saraswati Puja holds a special place in the hearts of the young students.

Boys clad in punjabi and dhoti (traditional dresses) and girls wearing yellow sarees, in most cases for the first time, make the festival all the more special.

The emotions of first love is also associated with Saraswati Puja, as young boys and girls get charmed by traditionally-dressed classmates whom they otherwise see in uniforms or western clothes on regular days.

In fact, according to Bengalis, Saraswati Puja is their traditional and Bong avatar of ‘Valentine’s Day’.

“Truly it can be said that Saraswati Puja is Bengalis’ very own Valentine’s Day. Rather, the entire concept of Valentines Day is new but Saraswati Puja was always there. Earlier, as I have heard the young boys and girls, specially who were in school, they were unable to mix freely like we do now. So this occasion was one such opportunity of mixing with each other,” said a college student, Tania Roy.

While Priyam Mullick, who is a student of Journalism and Mass communication, feels: “It is actually the charm and beauty of traditional yellow sarees and Punjabi (traditional Bengali dresses) that makes the festival so much important to the youths, who very often rediscover the beauty of their friends on this day.”

“Saraswati Puja is not only a festival of love; it is a perfect platform for us to meet old school friends, whom we hardly get to see throughout the year,” said another college student Maitree.

The traditional worshipping of the goddess of knowledge is not only about love and romance, it is also a day when friends meet and have a nice round of what is called Bengali ‘adda’ (chatting).

“I miss my school days and Saraswati Puja. But on this day me and my friends from school choose a spot and meet there and then for hours we go on with pure adda sessions,” said a young professional, Saptarshi Mukherjee.

Food and special dishes are part of any Indian festival and Saraswati Puja is no exception where khichuri bhog (a preparation made out of rice) is offered to the Goddess.

“ I love the khichudi bhog my mother prepares on this day. I just wait for the entire year for this one day when our entire family gathers after the puja is over to have a plate full of khichudi,” said Arijit Dutta, a final year MA student.

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