Saraswati, the Hindu goddess of wisdom, art and music is the daughter of lord Shiva and
goddess Durga. It is believed that goddess Saraswati endows human beings with the powers of speech, wisdom and learning. She has four hands representing four aspects of human personality in learning: mind, intellect, alertness and ego. She has sacred scriptures in one hand and a lotus – the symbol of true knowledge – in the second. With her other two hands she plays the music of love and life on a string instrument called the veena . She is dressed in white – the symbol of purity – and rides on a white swan – symbolising Sattwa Guna or purity and discrimination.
Hindus, especially in Bangladesh , celebrate this festival with great enthusiasm and Hindu temples, schools, colleges and households are full of activity on this day. The festival is celebrated every year on the fifth day of the bright fortnight of the Magha month of the Indian calendar, on the day called ‘Vasant Panchami’. It is believed that on this day, goddess Saraswati was born. She is the personification of knowledge – arts, science, crafts. She represents Shakti, creativity and inspiration and presents herself when the weather is pleasant and Nature is in its full grandeur. The most significant aspect of this day is that Hindu children are taught reading and writing their first words on this day – as it is considered an auspicious day to begin a child’s education. Educational institutions organize special prayers for Saraswati on this day. Flowers and wild berries are offered to the goddess and students place their books before the deity and do not do any reading or writing that day. An elaborate puja, with sandalwood, ghee, joss sticks, and incense is done to the sound of shlokas, conch shells, and drums. On this day, people eat vegetarian food and initiate children into the world of the written word.