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Wednesday, 1 February 2017

India Celebrates Basant Panchmi on 01 Feb 2017

 Even schools and educational institutions seek blessings from the Goddess and the Saraswati Ya Kundendu is performed as a part of the famous Saraswati Stotram.

Vasant Panchami marks the onset of spring. Considered as an auspicious day, the festival follows the Hindu calendar and falls on the fifth day (panchami) of the lunar month of Magha. This year in 2017, Vasant Panchami is being celebrated on February 1. As per Panchang, the Panchami tithi begins at 3.41am and ends at 2.20pm and the puja mahurat is said to be between 7.13am and 12.34pm.

Basant Panchmi is celebrated on the fifth day (Panchami Tithi) of the bright fortnight (Shukla Paksha) of the Hindu month Magh. From this day, Vasant Ritu (the spring season) begins in India. Saraswati Puja is also performed on this day. The celebration takes place when the Panchami Tithi prevails during the first half of the day i.e. the time between sunrise and midday.

Celebrated by Hindus, the festivals observed on this day include Saraswati Puja also known as Shree Panchami, Basant Festival of Kites in Punjab and Haryana, Sufi Basant and more. People visit the temple and pray to goddess Saraswati – the deity of knowledge, music, arts, science and technology. Along with student, schools and educational institutions seek blessings from the goddess as well, and the famous Saraswati shloka, Ya Kundendu, is recited by most.


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This day is also considered as an auspicious day to begin work. It is also considered very auspicious to get married or perform house warming ceremony (griha pravesh) on the day of Vasant Panchami.
If Panchmi Tithi begins after the midday and prevails in the first half of the next day then Vasant Panchami is celebrated on the second day. The celebration can only shift to the next day in one condition i.e. if Panchami TIthi is not prevailing in the first half of the first day at any point of time. Otherwise, in all other cases, the celebration will take place on the first day. That is why, sometimes, Basant Panchami also falls on the Chaturthi Tithi as per Panchang.

Vasant Panchami day is dedicated to Saraswati, the Goddess of knowledge, music, arts, science and technology. Goddess Saraswati is worshipped on Vasant Panchami day. Vasant Panchami is also known as Shri Panchami and Saraswati Panchami.

People worship Goddess Saraswati to get enlighten with knowledge and to get rid of lethargy, sluggishness and ignorance. This ritual of initiating education to children is known as Akshar-Abhyasam or Vidya-Arambham/Praasana which is one of the famous rituals of Vasant Panchami. Schools and colleges arrange pujas in the morning to seek blessing of the Goddess.

Purvahna Kala, which is the time between the sunrise and the midday, is considered to decide Vasant Panchami day. Vasant Panchami is celebrated on the day when Panchami Tithi prevails during Purvahna Kala. Due to which Vasant Panchami might also fall on Chaturthi Tithi.

Many astrologers consider Vasant Panchami as Abujha (अबूझ) day which is auspicious to start all good work. According to this belief whole Vasant Panchami day is auspicious to perform Saraswati Puja.

Although there is no special time to perform Saraswati Puja on Vasant Panchami day one should make sure that Puja is done when Panchami Tithi is prevailing. Many times Panchami Tithi doesn't prevail whole of the day on Vasant Panchami day hence we believe that it is important to do Saraswati puja within Panchami Tithi.

On this day, Goddess Rati and Lord Kamdev are worshiped in 16 ways (Shodhashopchar Puja) during the first half of this day i.e. the time between sunrise till midday.
Shodshopchar Puja Sankalp
विष्णुः विष्णुः विष्णुः, अद्य ब्रह्मणो वयसः परार्धे श्रीश्वेतवाराहकल्पे जम्बूद्वीपे भारतवर्षे,
अमुकनामसंवत्सरे माघशुक्लपञ्चम्याम् अमुकवासरे अमुकगोत्रः अमुकनामाहं सकलपाप - क्षयपूर्वक - श्रुति -
स्मृत्युक्ताखिल - पुण्यफलोपलब्धये सौभाग्य - सुस्वास्थ्यलाभाय अविहित - काम - रति - प्रवृत्तिरोधाय मम
पत्यौ/पत्न्यां आजीवन - नवनवानुरागाय रति - कामदम्पती षोडशोपचारैः पूजयिष्ये।
If husband-wife worship Rati-Kamdev after this Sankalp in 16 ways (Shodashopchar), their married life turns into a blessing from all the possible ways.
Rati-Kamdev Dhyan
वारणे मदनं बाण - पाशांकुशशरासनान्।
धारयन्तं जपारक्तं ध्यायेद्रक्त - विभूषणम्।।
सव्येन पतिमाश्लिष्य वामेनोत्पल - धारिणीम्।
पाणिना रमणांकस्थां रतिं सम्यग् विचिन्तयेत्।।

Saraswati Puja

On this day, at the above given worship duration, intellectuals (or people related to education, art, etc.) worship Saraswati. The Puja becomes even more powerful when worshipers recite Saraswati Stotra along with the other rituals.

Sri Panchami

Goddess Lakshmi (the Goddess of wealth; also known as “Shri”) and Lord Vishnu are also worshiped together on this day. Some people worship Goddess Laxmi and Saraswati together as well. Usually, businessmen worship Lakshmi. It is considered highly auspicious if businessmen recite Shri Sukta on this day.
Above given Pujas (worships) should be performed in either 5 ways (Panchopchar) or 16 ways (Shodashopchar).

Saraswati Puja on Vasant Panchami /Saraswati Vandana

Saraswati Ya Kundendu is the most famous Stuti dedicated to Goddess Saraswati and part of the famous Saraswati Stotram. It is recited during Saraswati Puja on the eve of Vasant Panchami.

या कुन्देन्दुतुषारहारधवला या शुभ्रवस्त्रावृता
या वीणावरदण्डमण्डितकरा या श्वेतपद्मासना।
या ब्रह्माच्युत शंकरप्रभृतिभिर्देवैः सदा वन्दिता
सा मां पातु सरस्वती भगवती निःशेषजाड्यापहा॥

शुक्लां ब्रह्मविचार सार परमामाद्यां जगद्व्यापिनीं
वीणा-पुस्तक-धारिणीमभयदां जाड्यान्धकारापहाम्
हस्ते स्फटिकमालिकां विदधतीं पद्मासने संस्थिताम्
वन्दे तां परमेश्वरीं भगवतीं बुद्धिप्रदां शारदाम्॥२॥

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