What Bengali homes and schools do on Saraswati Puja
Yellow clothes, hathe khori and school pujas on the morning of Vasant Panchami. The rituals and the 2027 timings in one place.
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What the day is
Saraswati Puja falls on the fifth day of the bright half of the Hindu lunisolar month of Magha. Wikipedia describes the goddess as the deity of knowledge, language, music and all arts. (Source: Wikipedia, Vasant Panchami)
In West Bengal the festival is widely celebrated by Bengali Hindus. In Bangladesh too, major educational institutes and universities mark it with a holiday and a special puja. (Source: Wikipedia, Saraswati Puja)
At home and at school
People mark the day by wearing yellow, eating sweet dishes and displaying yellow flowers at home. (Source: Wikipedia, Saraswati Puja)
Among Bengali Hindus this is also known as hathe khori. Usually children aged four or five begin their formal education on this day, called Vidya-Arambha. (Source: Wikipedia, Saraswati Puja)
Many educational institutions arrange special prayers or pujas in the morning to seek her blessings. (Source: Wikipedia, Saraswati Puja)
π‘ Many families place books, notebooks and pens at the goddess's feet and keep the day free from study. After anjali in the morning there is often a khichuri bhog, and many families do not eat kul (jujube berries) before the puja. These customs vary by family and neighbourhood, so ask the elders at home.
The 2027 timings
Drik Panchang lists Vasant Panchami on Thursday, 11 February 2027. For Kolkata the puja muhurat is 6:11 am to 11:51 am, a duration of 5 hours 40 minutes. (Source: Drik Panchang, Vasant Panchami 2027 (Kolkata))
The same page gives the Panchami tithi as beginning at 3:04 am on 11 February and ending at 3:18 am on 12 February. All times are Kolkata local time. (Source: Drik Panchang, Vasant Panchami 2027 (Kolkata))
π‘ Neighbourhood and school anjali timings can differ. Check with the committee or school, and if a child's hathe khori is planned, talk to the priest beforehand.
Questions
- When is Saraswati Puja in 2027?
- Thursday, 11 February 2027, per Drik Panchang.
- What is the Saraswati Puja time in Kolkata in 2027?
- The Kolkata puja muhurat is 6:11 am to 11:51 am.
- What is hathe khori?
- It is what Bengali Hindus also call the day, when children aged around four or five usually begin formal education.
- Why do people wear yellow on Saraswati Puja?
- Per Wikipedia, people wear yellow, eat sweets and display yellow flowers; yellow is also described as Saraswati's favourite colour.
- Is Saraswati Puja a holiday in Bangladesh?
- Wikipedia says major educational institutes and universities observe it with a holiday and a special puja.