2018-01-22 Mon

Vasant Panchami a festival in India that highlights the arrival of spring and end of winter; it is celebrated in the months of January and February. This festival is dedicated to the Goddess of Knowledge, Saraswati.

Goddess Saraswati is the symbol of learning, education and fine art; she also represents creative energy, longing, and love. This festival is also celebrated as an agricultural festival. Yellow Colour is very important in this festival due to its association with Goddess Saraswati. The above-shown copper coin of Madurai Nayaks depicts goddess Saraswati in standing position holding a veena on the obverse side. The reverse of this coin depicts Telugu legend which reads 'Rani Mangammal’ within square frame, Nayak Queen.

On the day of Vasant Panchami, people wear yellow cloths and visit Goddess temple. This festival is also dedicated to Kama dev, God of Love. Vasant Panchami is also celebrated in Nepal, Bali, Indonesia, and Bangladesh. The Bali islands and hindu Indonesia celebrates vasant Panchami as 'Hari Raya Saraswati, this day marks the beginning of the 210 days long Balinese Pawukon clander. It is most prominently celebrated in the northern, eastern and western states of India.

Vasant Panchami festival is not only associated with Hindus, the Namdhari Sikhs in Punjab has historically marked this day as the start of Spring. Other Sikhs celebrated it by flying kites and emulating bright yellow mustard flowers from the field. King Ranjit Singh encouraged the celebration of Basant Panchami in his Kingdom.