Saraswati Puja date 2019: Saraswati Puja is one of the most significant festivals and is celebrated throughout the country with great enthusiasm. It’s a special day in West Bengal and some other states where the Puja is celebrated in schools and colleges. Saraswati Puja is celebrated on Vasant Panchami, also spelt as Basant Panchami, which occurs in the Hindu month of Magh (between late January and early March). This year, Vasant Panchami is on 10 February. However, there is a little confusion on the Saraswati Puja date. A lot of people are celebrating the day on 9 February. Here is why.
According to panchang, the Panchami Tithi begins at 12:20 pm on Saturday, 9 February 2019 and ends at 2:10 pm on Sunday, 10 February. Hence, since 9 February is getting a longer day time of Panchami tithi, some people are celebrating Saraswati Puja on Saturday to avoid any hurry to complete all the puja ceremonies by 2:10 pm on Sunday.
READ | Vasant Panchami 2019: Know date, timing and significance
Saraswati Puja significance
Vasant Panchami is considered an auspicious day to start all good work. On Vasant Panchami, also known as Saraswati Panchami, many families prefer to perform the Vidyarambh for children. Vidyarambh, or Vidya-arambham, means initiation of education. In Bengal, the ceremony is known as haate-khori. It’s common for schools, colleges and other educational institutions, as also households with children, in West Bengal and adjoining states to install Saraswati idols and perform a puja, which is most of the time also followed by cultural programmes as Goddess Saraswati signifies education, knowledge, arts and culture.
In Bengal, students put their books, pen-inkpot or slate-pencil at the altar and worship them on this day. These are given ‘rest’ on Saraswati Puja and children get a day off studies. In Kolkata, the 12-day annual Kolkata Book Fair usually happens around this time and there is always less footfall on the Saraswati Puja day if it coincides with the fair duration.
Saraswati is also called ‘Veenapani’ as she holds a musical instrument, veena, in her hands. Always portrayed in pure white garments and sitting on a white lotus, Saraswati is seen holding a rosary and a book in her two other hands. In most of her images, the Goddess is seen with a swan.
Another highlight of the day is the use of colour yellow, signifying Basant (spring season) when yellow mustard is in full bloom.