Saraswati Puja 2024: Vasant Panchami Date, Puja Vidhi, How to Celebrate?

Saraswati Puja is dedicated to Goddess Saraswati and is celebrated annually. Saraswati is the goddess of knowledge and wisdom as well as music and performing arts.

As per the Hindu calendar, Vasant Panchami is observed on the fifth day of the bright half of Magha month. According to Gregorian calendar, this day usually falls in late January or February. This day is also known as Sri Panchami and Saraswati Puja.

“मां सरस्वती जो कि ज्ञान और वाणी की देवी हैं उनकी पूजा करने के लिए बसंत पंचमी का दिन निर्धारित किया गया है। इस दिन भक्त लोग पूरी श्रद्धा एवं विधि विधान से  देवी मां सरस्वती की पूजा करते हैं। मां सरस्वती की कृपा से ही व्यक्ति को ज्ञान बुद्धि, विवेक के साथ विज्ञान, कला और संगीत में कौशल हासिल करने के लिए आशीर्वाद प्राप्त होता है; यदि मां सरस्वती की कृपा प्राप्त करनी है तो उन्हें खुश करना अनिवार्य है तथा उन्हें खुश करने के लिए उनकी पूजा की जानी चाहिए।”

Saraswati Puja 2024 Date & Time

Saraswati Puja 2024 will be celebrated on Wednesday, 14^th of February. On February 13, the Panchami Tithi will start at 2:41 PM and will end at 12:09 PM on February 14.

The best timings for performing pooja on Vasant Panchami is from 7:01 AM to 12:35 PM on February 14.

Although, pooja can be done all day long but it is considered more beneficial if the pooja starts at the time when the Panchami Tithi is prevailing.

“बसंत पंचमी के दिन माता की पूजा करने के लिए व्यक्ति को कुछ नियमों का पालन करना होता है जैसे कि व्यक्ति को स्नान आदि से निवृत होने के बाद पीले या श्वेत वस्त्र धारण करने चाहिए क्योंकि यह दोनों ही रंग माता को अति प्रिय हैं। मां सरस्वती की पूजा करने के दौरान उनको पीले फूल, पीले रंग की मिठाई या खीर अवश्य अर्पण करनी चाहिए। इसके अतिरिक्त उनको केसर या पीले चंदन का टीका लगाना चाहिए एवं साथ में पीले वस्त्र भेंट करने चाहिए।”

Saraswati Puja Overview

Puja Name	Vasant Panchami , Basant Panchami, Saraswati Puja, also known as Sri Panchami in the South part of India
Dedicated to	Goddess Saraswati
Date	February 14
Punchami Tithi Starts	February 13, 2:41 PM
Punchami Tithi Ends	February 14, 12:09 PM
What to wear?	Yellow coloured clothes
Foods offered to Maa Saraswati on Basant Panchami	Food whose colour is yellow such as khichdi, Pulao sweet dishes and also sev, boondi, ber and seasonal fruits in Bihar

Significance of Saraswati Puja

“वसंत पंचमी का दिन इसलिए महत्वपूर्ण है क्योंकि यह दिन शिक्षा की शुरुआत करने, नई कला सीखने एवं संगीत आदि सीखने के लिए सर्वश्रेष्ठ होता है अर्थात इस दिन जो भी नया कार्य आरंभ किया जाता है उसके सफल होने की संभावना बढ़ जाती है यदि उसे वसंत पंचमी के दिन शुरू किया जाए। इस विशेष दिवस पर छोटे बच्चों को अक्षर ज्ञान कराया जाता है और आज के ही दिन लोग गृह प्रवेश का कार्य भी करते हैं क्योंकि मान्यताओं के अनुसार यह काफी शुभ दिन है।”

Saraswati Puja is considered as a very auspicious day for starting any new work. Celebrations like Griha Pravesh and wedding ceremonies are carried out on this day. On this day, Goddess of knowledge, Maa Saraswati is also worshiped and devotees seek Her blessings in the form of wisdom. It is believed that Goddess Saraswati was born on the day of Vasant Panchami itself.

This festival also marks the starting of preparation for Holika and Holi, which occur forty days later. On the day of Vasant Panchami, Goddess Lakshmi (also known as Shri) and Lord Vishnu are also worshiped. Businessmen usually perform this pooja as it is considered highly beneficial for their business.

Vasant Panchami Pooja Vidhi

“पौराणिक मान्यताओं के अनुसार ज्ञान और वाणी की देवी अर्थात मां सरस्वती माघ मास के शुक्ल पक्ष की पंचमी तिथि को ही ब्रह्मा जी के मुख से प्रकट हुई थी; इसी वजह से वसंत पंचमी का दिन सरस्वती पूजा करने के लिए सुनिश्चित किया गया है। पुरातन मान्यताओं के अनुसार ही आराधना करना भी अनिवार्य किया गया है ताकि माता सरस्वती को जल्द ही प्रसन्न किया जा सके तथा ऐसी कोई भी कोताही ना की जाए कि मां सरस्वती नाराज हो जाए।”

On the day of Saraswati Puja, devotees get up early in the morning and take a bath. Since yellow is the color of this day, people wear yellow colored dress after the bath and offer arghya to the Sun. Idol of Maa Saraswati is established and She is also dressed in yellow. Sweets (preferably yellow colored) and fruits are offered to Goddess Saraswati and devotees recite Saraswati stotra. Apart from pooja being conducted in homes and temples, schools and colleges also celebrate Saraswati pooja with great enthusiasm and devotion.

Other than Goddess Saraswati, Goddess Lakshmi and Lord Vishnu are also worshiped on Vasant Panchami or Sri Panchami. Reciting Sri Sukta after offering prayers to Lakshmi and Vishnu is believed to bring success and wealth in one’s business. On this day, some people also worship Kamadev and Rati and in some parts of the country, Shiva and Parvati are worshiped as well.

Shri Saraswati Chalisa Lyrics in Hindi

Shri Saraswati Chalisa Lyrics in Hindi

How to celebrate Saraswati Puja ?

People worship Goddess Saraswati on this day and ask Her to provide them enlightenment and eliminate the darkness caused by ignorance. This day is celebrated with yellow color where people dress in yellow clothes, decorate their homes with yellow flowers and eat yellow colored sweets and dishes.

Kite flying is also a popular practice especially in the Punjab state of North India and one can see numerous kites in the sky on the day of Vasant Panchami. In the state of Bihar, Vasant Panchami is a festival of harvest.

In South India, this festival is celebrated by simply carrying out pooja archana in temples. However, despite the way Vasant Panchami is celebrated, yellow is the color that rules the day.

This festival is celebrated with even greater spirit among students of schools and colleges. Students seek special blessings from Goddess Saraswati to excel academically in their life.

However, normally no study is done and all the study material are only worshiped on the day of Vasant Panchami. Classes also remain suspended in schools and many schools conduct cultural programs in their premises that begins with Saraswati Vandana. Students as well as teachers take part in the cultural events.

Musical events are also conducted on  Vasant Panchami as Saraswati is the Goddess of not just knowledge but performing arts as well. Also, on this day, people teach their little ones to read and write for the first time.

The festival of Vasant Panchami is not just celebrated by the Hindus in India but also in Nepal and Bali. In Bali, it is celebrated as Hari Raya Saraswati (great day of Saraswati) and also marks the beginning of the 210-day long Balinese Pawukon calendar.

Other than this, Vasant panchami is also a primary festival celebrated among Jains, Sikhs and Buddhists.

Frequently Asked Questions

Maa Saraswati Vandana Mantra

या कुन्देन्दुतुषारहारधवला या शुभ्रवस्त्रावृता।
या वीणावरदण्डमण्डितकरा या श्वेतपद्मासना॥
या ब्रह्माच्युत शंकरप्रभृतिभिर्देवैः सदा वन्दिता।
सा मां पातु सरस्वती भगवती निःशेषजाड्यापहा॥1॥

शुक्लां ब्रह्मविचार सार परमाम् आद्यां जगद्व्यापिनीम्।
वीणा-पुस्तक-धारिणीमभयदां जाड्यान्धकारापहाम्‌॥
हस्ते स्फटिकमालिकां विदधतीम् पद्मासने संस्थिताम्‌।
वन्दे तां परमेश्वरीं भगवतीं बुद्धिप्रदां शारदाम्‌॥2॥