Saraswati Puja 2024: Date, Puja Muhurat, Rituals, and Significance of Basant Panchami – News18

Basant Panchami is a vibrant and auspicious Hindu festival celebrated to welcome the arrival of spring. Falling typically in late January or early February, this joyous occasion holds cultural and religious significance across India. The festival is dedicated to Goddess Saraswati, of wisdom, knowledge, and the arts. Devotees, clad in yellow attire, pay homage to Saraswati by offering prayers at temples, schools, and homes.

Basant Panchami 2024: Saraswati Puja Date and Shubh Muhurat

This year, Saraswati Puja falls on February 14.

1. Vasant Panchami Date: Wednesday, February 14, 2024
2. Shubh Muhurat: 07:01 AM to 12:35 PM
3. Duration: 5 Hours 35 Mins
4. Vasant Panchami Madhyahna Moment: 12:35 PM
5. Panchami Tithi Begins: 02:41 PM on Feb 13, 2024
6. Panchami Tithi Ends: 12:09 PM on Feb 14, 2024

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Basant Panchami: Significance

Basant Panchami holds great significance as it marks the arrival of spring, bringing with it a sense of renewal and vitality. The festival is dedicated to the worship of Goddess Saraswati. Yellow is the predominant colour during this festival, symbolising the blossoming flowers of mustard fields and representing the vibrancy of life.

This day is considered auspicious for initiating educational pursuits, and many students begin their learning journeys on this occasion. The festival also emphasises the cultural and spiritual aspects of life, with devotees seeking blessings for wisdom, creativity, and intellectual pursuits.

Saraswati Puja: Puja Vidhi

1. The puja vidhi, or rituals, of Saraswati Puja involves setting up a clean and sacred space adorned with the image or idol of Goddess Saraswati.
2. Devotees gather essential items such as flowers, incense, fruits, and yellow-coloured offerings.
3. The ceremony starts with the chanting of Saraswati Vandana or hymns dedicated to the goddess, accompanied by the lighting of a diya and incense to create a sacred ambience.
4. Devotees express their devotion through offerings of flowers, fruits, and sweets.
5. Books, musical instruments, or tools of learning are placed at the goddess’s feet, symbolising the pursuit of wisdom and creative arts.
6. Saraswati mantras and prayers resonate during the puja.
7. The ritual concludes with the Saraswati Arti, expressing gratitude to the goddess and prasad is distributed, marking the end of the puja.

The celebration extends beyond the rituals, often featuring cultural events as a tribute to Goddess Saraswati’s influence on arts and creativity.