Bengalis in Jaipur celebrate Vasant Panchami with great enthusiasm

17 February, 2013

On Vasant Panchami, most schools of Jaipur and local Bengali community performed Saraswati Puja followed by immersion of the clay idols of the deity in various water bodies. Saraswati idols were dressed in yellow or white silken clothes, and yellow sweets were distributed within the Bengali families.

The festival, dedicated to Mother Saraswati, deemed as the goddess of knowledge, music, art and culture, was observed with by schools and fine arts lovers despite inclement weather. On Saturday, February 16, immersion of idols was carried out with great fanfare.

The festival is celebrated every year on the fifth day of the Hindi month of Magh. Children were seen carrying yellow colour hankies and yellow flowers to the school. As a family function, some households taught their children writing of alphabets for the first time but however, this culture has declined.

Hindus believe that that goddess Saraswati endows us with the powers of speech, wisdom and learning. It is also believed that the four hands of the goddess represent four aspects of human learning, that is, the development of mind, intellect, striving and humility.

"We need to worship Goddess Saraswati to get enlighten with knowledge and to get rid of ignorance and revive the tradition of teaching children to write their first words on this day with reverence to Maa Sarawati on Vasant Panchami," urged a Bengali resident of Jaipur.