Hi all, 
Tomorrow, 10 February. Daytime.
An important Puja in the Hindu year.
Vasant Panchmi (Sarasvati Puja) or beginning of Spring is actually on Monday 11th February and Hindu festivals are celebrated on the actual 'tithi' or lunar day (i.e. the fifth day of the light fortnight-panchmi) in Bharat.
For those who are interested [DLMURL="http://www.recipedelights.com/indianfestivals.htm"]this page[/DLMURL] may help.
I imagine that 10 Feb was chosen in some venues in the West purely for pragmatic reasons.
Ma Sarasvati is traditionally visualised as a Devi (deity) with the Veena and sacred scroll in her hands. She represents purity, learning and the arts. Her bAhana (mount) is the white Swan. Hence she is also called Hamsa-bAhini. Some details here:
Saraswati Mantra here:
A good poster or wallpaper (quite dramatic, this one)
Although to non-Hindus, Ma Sarasvati might seem to be yet another Hindu deity, in fact this is not so. This is confirmed even with a cursory study of Sri Sri Chandi, or Devi Matmyam (English translation ISBN 81-7120 –139-3). Sloka 11:23 reads thus:
My own English translation would be:
You are the highest as medhaa(*1) and Sarasvati
___You are the synthesis of Satva, Rajah and Tamah (*2)
Niyati (*3) and Ishvari (*4), pray be propitious
___Narayani (*4), Salutations to thee.
*1 : medhaa – Nearest English equivalent, awareness or consciousness
*2 : The three Gunas or qualities.
3, 4 and 5 - Various forms of/names of Maa Sarasvati
We pray to Maa Sarasvatii for her blessings. 
Prashna
this is lovely, I do not see Sataswati as 'just another Hindu Deity'.
I brought 4 items back with me from India...2 pictures of Lakshmi and one of Sarasawati.
Which day is she celebrated during the 9 day festival preceding Diwali?
tigress
this is lovely, I do not see Sataswati as 'just another Hindu Deity'.
I brought 4 items back with me from India...2 pictures of Lakshmi and one of Sarasawati.
Which day is she celebrated during the 9 day festival preceding Diwali?
tigress
Laksmii Puja 2008 dates
this is lovely, I do not see Sataswati as 'just another Hindu Deity'.
I brought 4 items back with me from India...2 pictures of Lakshmi and one of Sarasawati.Which day is she celebrated during the 9 day festival preceding Diwali?
tigress
Hi Tigress,
Thank you for your post.
I presume you are asking about the date for the Lakshmii Puja in 2008.
[url]As this page last paragraph states[/url]:
On the full moon night following Dusshera or [url]Durga Puja[/url], Hindus worship Lakshmi ceremonially at home, pray for her blessings, and invite neighbors to attend the puja. It is believed that on this full moon night the goddess herself visits the homes and replenishes the inhabitants with wealth. A special worship is also offered to Lakshmi on the auspicious <a class="go2wpf-bbcode" rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="Diwali">Diwali night.
That would be on or about 15 Oct, 2008.
However, it may also be performed as a spring festival on 12 Feb, 2008 this year as [url]this page [/url]indicates.
Hope that helps.
Prashna
no I was not asking about the date of the Lakshmi Puja, I thought there was a festival that celebrated 9 different godesses, just before Diwali.
Maybe I misunderstood what Dhanya was telling me when we had a conversation when I was in India last November..but I do remeber her telling me she liked the day that Saraswati was honoured as it meant a day off school
tigress
no I was not asking about the date of the Lakshmi Puja, I thought there was a festival that celebrated 9 different godesses, just before Diwali.
Maybe I misunderstood what Dhanya was telling me when we had a conversation when I was in India last November..but I do remeber her telling me she liked the day that Saraswati was honoured as it meant a day off schooltigress
You mean Navratri, Tigress. The nine nights of the Goddess. In Tamil Nadu where I've spent most time, a different (aspect of the) Goddess is worshipped every night. Thus one night will be Meenakshi, another Lakshmi - and one dedicated to Saraswati as Goddess of Learning, when schoolchildren get their books and pencils blessed. I don't have time to look for any links right now, will try to find some later. But I do believe that the festival is not always on exactly the same days all over India...though I could be wrong. And there is a Spring and Autumn Navratri.....thus two per year.
xxx
9 nights, 3 Deities.
no I was not asking about the date of the Lakshmi Puja, I thought there was a festival that celebrated 9 different godesses, just before Diwali.
Maybe I misunderstood what Dhanya was telling me when we had a conversation when I was in India last November..but I do remeber her telling me she liked the day that Saraswati was honoured as it meant a day off schooltigress
Not nine deities.
I don't use the term Goddess/God as IMO these are not appropriate to Sanaatana Dharma.
Nine nights.
Three deities to represent the 3 gunas: Satya, Rajas and tamas.
Maa Lakshmii, Saraswatii and Kali. AFAIK.
But that's not how the Pujas are celebrated in Bengal where I come from.
Regards.
Prashna
You mean Navratri, Tigress. The nine nights of the Goddess. In Tamil Nadu where I've spent most time, a different (aspect of the) Goddess is worshipped every night. Thus one night will be Meenakshi, another Lakshmi - and one dedicated to Saraswati as Goddess of Learning, when schoolchildren get their books and pencils blessed. I don't have time to look for any links right now, will try to find some later. But I do believe that the festival is not always on exactly the same days all over India...though I could be wrong. And there is a Spring and Autumn Navratri.....thus two per year.
xxx
ah yes, that sounds right, and Dhanya is from S.India. I will google it now
thanks both
tigress
Main Pujas and Devii's.
no I was not asking about the date of the Lakshmi Puja, I thought there was a festival that celebrated 9 different godesses, just before Diwali.
Maybe I misunderstood what Dhanya was telling me when we had a conversation when I was in India last November..but I do remeber her telling me she liked the day that Saraswati was honoured as it meant a day off schooltigress
Hi Tigress,
I am sorry I was unable to give a fuller reply earlier, due to unavoidable circumstances.
The festival you are thinking of is called Navratri. It is NOT celebrated as such in Bengal, hence my unfamiliarity with it. But I do know what it means and how it is celebrated across India. [url]This site[/url] gives a most useful summary.
As you can see there are 3 possible periods, Spring, Summer and Autumn.
Of these, the Autumn is the most common and is what Sunanda is familiar with. Here is [url]another site which indicates the 3 devi's celebrated in the 9 nights.[/url] They are named as Maa Durgaa, Maa Lakshmii and Maa Sarasvatii.
3 nights each.
In Bengal, 4 main Pujas are celebrated.
[url]Maa Durgaa is most commonly celebrated in Autumn as I indicated here[/url],
[url]Maa Lakshmii also as in here,[/url]
[url]Maa Kaali, also in autumn as in here [/url]
[url]Maa Sarasvatii is celebrated in Bengal only in Spring, as I indicated here.[/url]
The practice differs in other parts as already stated.
Just to confuse you, when Maa Durgaa is celebrated in Spring, she might be called Baasantii, Basant meaning spring in Sanskrit. So the Devii of Spring.
Even more to confuse you, the devii's named are not different at all, but just one as stated most clearly in Devii Mahatmyam.
And they are actually sakar Brahman, ie Brahman with form.
But that's advanced Sanaatana Dharma. Most Hindus even don't bother with that.
Hope that clarifies.
Prashna
thanks..it has expanded my knowledge and interest..more to study!!!!
tigress
A child's prayer
thanks..it has expanded my knowledge and interest..more to study!!!!
tigress
Study? Tigress!
Study is good, but ESP is better, which of course abounds among HP members.
Right now, I can afford to detach myself from the sensor screens of the Enterprise for a few brief moments. I shall put them to good use.
And draw a picture for you...
A cold and bright February morning...
We were 7 or 8 or 9. OK some were 12 or 13 even.
Cold? Perhaps not by UK standards, but in the plains of Bengal 3 degrees celsius is mighty cold. We were shivering in our wool-cotton mix jumpers. Of course, the windows are usually open for ventilation and fresh air and a gentle but sharp breeze was blowing.
Still, we had been up since the crack of dawn, without food or water. We had a bath in water at the ambient temperature and that sent shivers down the spines especially with the stomach being empty. We had been fasting. For this was an important day, the day of Saraswatii Puja.
We had been especially careful with our books and exercise books yesterday, We took care not to drop them on the floor, and if one dropped accidentally, we promptly picked it up and touched it to our head. For Books and exercise books were Maa Saraswatii...
We had tied them up in a neat bundle and left them in the evening or this morning, at the feet of Maa Saraswatii in the pandal! Each of us, individually, pleaded with the purohit to place our bundle closest to Maa’s feet although of course he had to take care of others as well. The purohit listened to us all with the same care and affection.
We stood like toy soldiers rapt in attention the puja of Maa Saraswatii, for we knew full well that the half-yearly exams were not far away. A little inattention could well mean the difference between pass and fail.
When the arati time came, we all chanted the Saraswatii stotra with the purohit, in absolute devotion. Then we had to make a wish and we did.
Boy, oh boy, did we ever?
It was a simple wish, as befits a 9 year old.
Please let me have the total knowledge of that book in one sight.
I do not know how far the prayer worked with others, but with me it worked fine.
And I have been grateful to Maa Saraswatii ever since.
Regards.
Prashna