Vasant Panchmi

  Vasant Panchmi is a festival dedicated to Saraswati, the Goddess of learning. It is celebrated on the fifth day, during the bright fortnight in the lunar month of Magha which usually occurs during the latter half of January and early February. While it is considered by many to be a spring festival, it in no way represents spring in a global way. Reason being is that it is still winter in North America. With the many Hindus living in North America it is not an easy thing to convince them that Vasant Panchmi is a spring festival when they are experiencing sub-zero temperatures.

  So then, let us for the sake of convenience and taking into account the different time zones, say that it is a spring festival in certain places of South East Asia. Anyways, on this day children are taught their first word as an auspicious start of the learning phase in their life. Musicians, singers, composers and poets worship the Goddess on this day to grant them talent and success.  It is also a very good time to felicitate the blessings of the Divine Goddess Saraswati for success in writing exams. Generally speaking, during Vasant Panchmi people who have a keen interest in the arts and those who are academically inclined worship Goddess Saraswati, seeking her blessings so that they can face another year of success.

 These observances are common worldwide and are gaining increased momentum. However, even though the word “Vasant” means spring, the festival cannot be considered as a spring festival in North America because this part of the world is yet to reach peak winter when the festival is observed.

In 2011 Vasant Panchmi will be celebrated on 8th of February.

email: trinihindu@lycos.com