- Coloring Pages
Vasant Panchami Coloring Pages
Vasant Panchami, sometimes referred to as Basant Panchami or Shri Panchami is a Hindu festival celebrating Saraswati, the goddess of knowledge, music and art. It is celebrated every year on the fifth day of the Indian month Magh (January-February), the first day of spring. Traditionally during this festival children are taught to write their first words; brahmins are fed; ancestor worship (Pitra-tarpan) is performed; the god of love Kamadeva is worshipped; and most educational institutions organise special prayer for mother Saraswati. The colour yellow also plays an important role in this festival, people usually wear yellow cloths, Saraswati is worshipped dressed in yellow, and yellow sweets are distributed.
In West Bengal Saraswati Puja is celebrated in the households and also in schools and colleges. With Her grace, the mute, it is believed, have been able to speak and people have been blessed with the ability to write or compose. Musicians instrumentalists have puja performed for their instruments. Apart from art and culture, Goddess Saraswati also showers Her blessings for the education of children.
Notebooks, pencils and pens are kept at the Devi’s feet for blessings and then used by the students. A notice-board asks the students to write their names, address and the roll number on a piece of paper and put it in the hundi after praying for success! It is believed the Goddess blesses them for good and positive results.
Mother Saraswati is seated on a white lotus in Padmasana. Her eyes are full of compassion. Goddess Saraswati is the consort of Lord Brahma (Lord of Creation) and is the Goddess of wisdom and learning. Saraswati is the one who gives the essence of our own self. She is considered as the personification of all knowledges and has sacred scriptures in one hand and a lotus (a symbol of true knowledge) in the second. With her other two hands she plays the music of love and life on the veena.
Like Brahma, she is not worshipped much in temples. However, every year Saraswati Pooja is celebrated by people all over India, be it students, workers, craftsmen, businessmen–all offer their prayers for a successful and fruitful year.