Saraswati Puja
Saraswati Puja, which is Basant Panchami, falls on Sunday, 2 February 2025. It is celebrated on the fifth day of the bright half of the Hindu month of Magha, which usually falls in late January or February.
The festival honors Saraswati, the goddess of knowledge and arts. Devotees usually fast on this day and wear yellow.
Saraswati Puja is a significant festival celebrated in ISKCON Navi Mumbai because it houses the Bhakhivedanta College of Vedic Education, and Maa Saraswati is the Godess of Knowlwdge.
Basant Panchami marks the arrival of the spring season and is dedicated to the worship of Goddess Saraswati, the deity of knowledge, wisdom, and arts.
During Vasant Panchami, devotees in ISKCON Navi Mumbai, engage in various seva (service) activities to please Goddess Saraswati. Some common seva activities include offering prayers, performing special rituals, and conducting educational programs. Devotees often decorate the temple with beautiful flowers and adorn the deities with yellow attire, as it symbolizes the vibrancy and freshness of spring.
The celebration also involves chanting of mantras, singing devotional songs, and reciting prayers dedicated to Goddess Saraswati. Devotees seek her blessings to attain spiritual and material knowledge, and to enhance their artistic and intellectual abilities.
Devotees, especially students, offer their books and musical instruments at the lotus feet of Goddess Saraswati, seeking her blessings for success in their studies and creative pursuits.
Basant Panchami is a joyful occasion for devotees to express their gratitude to Goddess Saraswati and seek her blessings for personal and spiritual development. By engaging in seva on this auspicious day, devotees cultivate a deeper connection with the divine and embrace the values of knowledge, wisdom, and creativity in their lives.
Make an offering to perform flower seva and invite the blessings of the Lord on this auspicious day. Donate via https://iskcon-navimumbai.org/donation