The Importance of Vasanat Panchami in Sanatan Dharma.
Today is the day of Vasant Panchami, but the bigger thing is that today, it's the Puja of Goddess #Saraswati. Vasant Panchami is celebrated every year on the 5th day of the bright half of Hindu lunisolar calendar month of Magha, which falls in late January or February.
For Hindus, Vasant Panchami is the festival dedicated to goddess Saraswati who is our goddess of knowledge. She symbolises creative energy and power in all its form, including longing and love.
People tend to wear Sarees, Panjabis in the colour yellow to mark this month.
Did you know that even in Bangladesh A public holiday is Declared on the auspicious occasion of #SaraswatiPuja?. All major educational institutes and universities observe it with a holiday and a special Puja. Albeit this year, it's an optional holiday due to the Pandemic.
Pura Taman Ubud, Bali, #Indonesia. This temple is especially sacred to Goddess Saraswati, the beacon of knowledge. People there highly value her irrespective of their religion, as it's also a national holiday there.
Thurathadi, the Burmese depiction of Saraswati. She is considered to be sacred among the Therevada Buddhists there, as she is often considered as a guardian like figure.
1. Tibetan depiction of Goddess Saraswati. 2. Newari (from Nepal) depiction of Goddess Saraswati. Look how beautiful they look! (I am also attaching 2 pictures of Newari, Tibetans celebrating #SaraswatiPuja)
Japanese depiction of Goddess Saraswati...
It is widely thought that Goddess Benzaiten is the Japanese appropriation of Goddess Saraswati, worshiped among Shintoism and Buddhism. Benzaiten was worshiped as the personification of wisdom in the Tokugawa period.
Some more paintings and beautiful artwork of Goddess Saraswati from Bali,
Did you know that the Indonesian embassy in Washington DC had a statue of Goddess Saraswati built, with tax payers money?!? Imagine the outrage if such things happened in a South Asian country!
Goddess Saraswati in Polytheist countries around the world...
Bhutan
Thiiland
Japan
Lastly, to conclude this story, below is a quote from Rigveda:-
अम्बितमे नदीतमे देवितमे सरस्वति — Rigveda 2.41.16.
Rough Translation:- "Best of mothers (Mata), best of rivers, best of goddesses, Sarasvatī."