Significance of celebrating Vasant Panchami!

Significance of Vasant Panchami.

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New Delhi: The month of February has arrived and the season of fresh breeze and blooming flowers can be felt too. The festival of Vasant Panchami is celebrated on the fifth day of Magha. This year the festival falls on February 1 according to the Gregorian calendar. It also marks the birth of goddess 'Saraswati' who embodies knowledge, art and music.

It is believed that Saraswati Maa's vaahan (vehicle) - swan  - is blessed with a distinct ability to separate water from milk. Thus it teaches humans to differentiate between the good and the bad.

People opt for yellow coloured dresses on this day and ditrsibute sweets usually made of saffron. 

It is considered auspicious if children worship Saraswati Maa, the goddess of knowledge, music, arts, wisdom and learning. Kids are taught their first words on this very day at some places. This is also known as Akshar Abhyasam or Vidyaarambham (meaning initiation of education).  

Interestingly, renowned politician-cum-educationalist Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya laid the foundation of 'Banaras Hindu University' way back in 1916, on this very day. Since then the festival is considered fortunate to inaugurate such educational institutes.