Staff Reporter:
Saraswati Puja, worshiping the Goddess of knowledge, music, art and culture, is being celebrated across the country yesterday amid much enthusiasm, festivity and religious fervor.
Saraswati Puja or Basant Panchami falls on the fifth ‘Tithi’ of the Bengali month of Maagh each year when Hindus worship goddess Saraswati.
Traditionally children are introduced to education and learning on the day of Saraswati Puja and this ritual is called “Hatekhori”.
Toddlers are usually given a slate and chalk to scribble with on the auspicious day.
Major Hindu temples, schools, colleges, universities and other educational institutions are celebrat-ing the festival with traditional gaiety and religious fervor.
In most temples, houses and educational institutions, the rituals began in the morning with offer-ing of puja to goddess Saraswati and followed by offering of “anjali”. Then the children were im-parted “hatekhori” (introduction to learning of children) and later prashad (foodstuff devoted to the goddess) was distributed among devotees.
According to Hindu faith, goddess Saraswati represents power, creativity and inspiration and pre-sents herself when the weather is pleasant and nature is in its full grandeur.
Depicted as a graceful woman with a crescent moon adorning her brow, she is shown riding a swan or a peacock, or is seated on a lotus flower.
The most gorgeous Saraswati Puja is being celebrated on the premises of Jagannath Hall of Dhaka University where a huge number of devotees and crowd started thronging since the dawn.
Puja at different pandals under the arrangement of various departments of the university began around 9am and then anjali was offered. Other rituals were also performed there.
