Saraswati Puja 2023: Date, History, Importance, and Significance of Basant Panchami

History of the festival

There are numerous folk tales associated with Saraswati Puja, yet the most widely known story is that of the legendary poet Kalidasa.

The folklore narrates that Kalidasa was a mere simpleton who got tricked into marrying a princess who did not respect him at all. The poet tries to take his life because of this, but before he is able to do it, Goddess Saraswati appears in front of him. He is asked to take a dip in the river, and when emerges from the water, he becomes an intelligent and knowledgeable person.

Kalidasa eventually becomes a renowned poet. Thus, devotees pray to Saraswati to bestow the gift of knowledge and prosperity on them.

Importance and Significance

Every Hindu God or Goddess has a dedicated day when they are venerated. One of the reasons why the Goddess of Wisdom is worshipped is because it is believed that she was born on this day.

Devotees perform pujas, offer her prasad and wear the colour yellow to mark the flowering of mustard fields. It is believed that yellow is Goddess Saraswati’s favourite colour.

Mostly in the Bengali community, a traditional ceremony is held where children and babies are motivated to pen their first words, thus taking a step into the world of arts, culture and literature. Cultural programmes also take place where people perform songs and dance. Most educational institutions remain closed on this day.

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