Cover Art: of Goddess Saraswati by Riya Mukherjee
Asato ma sadgamaya, tamaso ma jyotirgamaya, mrityorma amritam gamaya. Om shanti. – A prayer to Goddess Saraswati, the goddess of knowledge and music. It means O mother, lead us from lies towads truth, from darkness towards light, from death towards eternity.
Hello friends I greet you all on the occasion of Basant Panchami a very auspicious day for the Hindus as it marks the beginning of spring, after a long, dry and dreary winter. The barren trees starts rejuvenating itself with new leaves, buds and flowers. In India, specially in Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand and Orissa (eastern states of India) the festival is celebrated by worshipping Goddess Saraswati, the goddess of knowledge. As the annual and board examinations are usually round the corner, the students enthusiastically take part in festivities. Pleasing the Goddess for good grades always gets the top position in their priority list of blessings.
In India the arrival of spring is marked by all the fruit bearing trees laden with freshly bloomed blossoms specially the mango trees. The mango and palash flowers (a spring flower) are offered to Goddess along with other flowers. An assortment of fruits ( Indian berry or bair, a compulsory) and sweets are also offered to the Goddess. Mother is worshipped in almost every home, schools and colleges. People offer color (abir) of various hues at the feet of the Goddess as a precursor to Holi, the festival of colour (another celebration of spring which falls exactly forty days from today).

Friends, if I don’t mention that this day is also celebrated as Indianized Valentines Day, specially in Bengal, than this column remains utterly incomplete. Only the witness could vouche what a veritable feast it is, to the eyes, seeing all those teens, pre teens and young adults, adorning the special attire specially meant for the occasion. The dress code is every thing yellow, the girls turn out almost compulsorily in various shades of yellow ‘sarees’. There are even smaller version of it available for the little ones who can’t handle the longer and complicated ones. The boys turn out in traditional, crisp kurta – pajamas. Just to see them enjoying themselves moving around in droves feels like radiant flowers meandering all round.

After two long years of containment, let’s pray to the Goddess to free the children from the bondage of pandemic and they may get their natural, carefree childhood back and enjoy the festivities with full gusto it so deserve .
I wish you all a happy ‘Basant Panchami’. May this spring fill your lives with cheerful colours of happiness, peace and prosperity. Stay safe and healthy.
Adieu for now.
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I was unaware of the celebration, Thank you for sharing..
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It’s my pleasure sharing it with you.β€οΈ
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Beautifully described! Three years back, on this day, I was in Guwahati. I saw a lot of little girls wearing yellow sarees, as if little Saraswatis had descended on the earth. Happy Basant Panchmi and Saraswati Puja!!!
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Absolutely agree, it’s indeed a treat to the eyes, seeing those tiny tots in a saree. A very happy Basant Panchami to you too!
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You are welcome!
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Wish you a very happy Vasant Panchami…
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Thanks a lot.π
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Greetings on the occasion of Basant Panchami!
Fabulous art by your daughter!
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A lot of greetings to you too! May this spring let us bid goodbye to the obnoxious virus once for all! Thanks a lot for your appreciation, l will pass it onto her.β€οΈ
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Beautiful sketch! Great post. Talented mother daughter duo. π
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Thanks Rekha for your kind words! A real moral booster!!πΉ
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Great post! I also loved the cover art by your daughter. Cute photographs too β€ π
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Thankyou very much, Jay. I will convey your appreciation of my daughter’s art to her! It will boost her morals as she is having her final year MBBS examinations!! π
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Most welcome π Yes and please also convey my best wishes! β€
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Sure!
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Your daughter is ridiculously talented!!! Fantastic work!!
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I’m thrilled by the appreciation! Thanks a lot from me and my daughter π
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You and she are very welcome! π
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Goddess of knowledge, the proof is here’s what we all are writing. Her blessings upon us.
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Right, may the Goddess bless us all with true knowledge which could enlighten our souls.π
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Greetings to you too on this auspicious occasion of Saraswati Puja.
Vasant Panchami.
Your post on this occasion brings not only message for gaining higher knowledge, but it brings togetherness in the society for all ages.
Wonderful post βΊοΈ
Have a great celebration.
Regards π
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Thanks a lot for your greetings π
My regards and greetings for you too!ππ
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Beautiful π
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Thank you β€
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Wonderful art by your daughter Mousumi. Nice write up on the festive occasion.
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Thank you Sowmya.πβ€
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Beautiful art, Mousumi!! Great read, thank you!
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Happy basant panchami! β€
Beautiful post.
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Happy Basant Panchami to you too. Thanks for reading the post.πβ€
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The art is as beautiful as always…
And your descriptions about every festivals are so heartfelt β€ π i love reading them
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Thank you Shivani. Your words are a real inspiration!β€π
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Beautiful sketch by daughter. Happy basant panchami…start of lovely season now. Great write up!
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Happy Basant Panchami to you too.
Thanks a lot from me and my daughter. My regards.β€π
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Awesome, fabulous, and very interesting post. The pics are gorgeous. You have done an exceptional amazing presentation. Keep up the good work.
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I like how these kids are explained about our beautiful culture!!
Sadly, many festivals are not limited to messages and verbal wishes!!
Great share!!
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are limited to messages
sorry for the typo
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No problem.
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Saraswati Puja is celebrated in Eastern India with great fervour.
You are right, festivals must be celebrated with great gusto and physical participation. It keeps us rooted to our traditions. Doing just the lip service of a formal wish should not be the way.
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Beautiful expression and well explained Indian culture
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Thanks for your appreciation Tanvir.π
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