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Basant Panchami 2024: History, timing, importance, rituals and celebration

Basant Panchami is one of the main celebrations in which the Goddess of knowledge, Saraswati, is worshipped. Basant Panchami will be observed on February 14 this year

Basant Panchami 2024
Saraswati Puja/Basant Panchami 2024
Sonika Nitin Nimje New Delhi
3 min read Last Updated : Feb 13 2024 | 3:25 PM IST
Basant Panchami, also called Vasant Panchami or Shri Panchami, is an important Hindu celebration. It is observed on the fifth day of the Magha month, the first day of spring. Basant Panchami also proclaims the beginning of arrangements for Holi, which starts forty days after Basant Panchami.
Mustard flowers bloom in India during Basant Panchami, and the celebration is related with yellow. The celebration praises the goddess Saraswati, who is prayed on this day as the portrayal of learning, innovativeness and music. It is additionally the day when we celebrate with our most treasured by eating and sharing. 

Basant Pachami: History 

As per mythology, Kalidasa was going to end his life in a river after learning of his wife's departure. But as he was about to take the plunge, the goddess Saraswati arose out of the river and requested that Kalidasa bathe in it. A while later, his life was changed as he was endowed with understanding and evolved into a renowned poet. 
Another story concerns the Hindu God of love, Kama, who is said to have interfered with Lord Shiva in a profound meditation after the demise of his wife Sati.
Shiva was able to re-establish his connection with the outside world and acknowledge Maa Parvati's efforts on his behalf when seers approached Kama to rouse him from his meditation. Kama gestured and shot flowers and arrows at Shiva from his sugarcane bow. Kama was burnt up by an angry Lord Shiva, who opened his third eye. Upon the arrival of Basant Panchami, Shiva vowed to resurrect Rati, his wife, after her 40 days of penance. Later, he is said to have been born as Lord Krishna's child, Pradumna.

Saraswati Puja: Importance

The celebration has a profound spiritual importance for various reasons, including the way that it is the point at which the Hindu community meets up to pray to the goddess Saraswati.

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Saraswati was a vital figure in the Hindu story, and she is accepted to have had an impact in the creation of the world and the universe. The celebration is likewise a method for paying respect to the lord of love, Kama, who is said to have interfered with Lord Shiva in a profound meditation after the demise of his wife Sati.

Saraswati Puja 2024: Timings

The auspicious Saraswati Puja is celebrated on 14 February, this year. The timings of Basant Panchami 2024 are as follows:
Vasant Panchami Muhurat – 07:01 AM to 12:35 PM
Vasant Panchami Madhyahna Moment – 12:35 PM
Panchami Tithi starts – 02:41 PM on 13 February 2024
Panchami Tithi conclusion– 12:09 PM on 14 February 2024.

Basant Panchami: Puja rituals and celebration

The celebration praises the goddess Saraswati, who is prayed by intellectuals, artists and students the same as the patroness of learning. On this day, individuals travel to temples to worship the goddess in the expectation of accepting her blessings for imagination, information and wisdom.
As yellow is the colour related to the goddess Saraswati, many individuals dress in yellow and rise early this day to pray for her. Yellow flowers and sweets are offered to the goddess as part of the puja ceremonies. Recitation of hymns and mantras out of appreciation for the goddess is another part of the puja.

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Topics :Traditional festivalsTraditionfestivalsHoli

First Published: Feb 13 2024 | 3:25 PM IST

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