Vasant Panchamee
Maagh Shukla 5

Vasant Panchamee or Basant Panchamee or Saraswatee Poojaa falls on Magh Shukla Panchamee day but ironically it does not fall in Vasant season, it falls in Shishir (winter).

It is also known as Shree Panchamee, but this name is wrong as Shree is the name of Lakshmee and this day people worship Saraswatee Jee. People call it Saraswatee Panchamee also as they worship Saraswatee Devee on this day. She is worshipped on this day to continuously sharpen one's intellect and increase his wisdom.

This day marks the day to start for Vasant or Basant Ritu (season). New leaves start coming on trees, flowers start blooming, and the best thing is that mustard fields are filled with lemon color flowers. People give these mustard flowers to their friends and relations as a mark of end of Winter season and coming of Spring. They wear yellow clothes and cook yellow dishes, such as yellow rice, yellow Kheer and offer them to Saraswatee Devee. After taking breakfast people go out and give mustard flowers to their relations and friends as a "wish well". In the lunch they eat as many yellow dishes as they can make. In the evening they donate a book and some money to school.

It is believed that Goddess Saraswatee was born on this day, hence Vasant Panchamee is also celebrated as Saraswatee Jayantee.

This festival is observed with lot of gusto in Bengal, Orissa and other Eastern regions of India. Saraswatee Poojaa day falls in Phaalgun month as per Bangaalee calendar. It is also celebrated in Nepal and Bangladesh to worship Saraswatee Maataa. Men and women clean their houses and install the idol of Goddess Saraswatee and start worshipping with Shodashopachaar Poojaa. They keep books, pens and other stationery items in front of the Goddess to worship along with Maataa.