Saraswathi Puja Rituals: There are various rituals that are followed in the worshipping of goddess Saraswati.

The ones common to all those worshipping Saraswati are that the idol of the goddess

is clothed in white, the other predominant colour in the celebrations is yellow, to

indicate the onset of spring and the blossoming of mustard flowers.

Saraswathi Puja Performance & Tradition:

Families dressed in bright yellow gather together before the idol of Saraswati and pray

for the blessing of knowledge. 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.

About Saraswathi:

Saraswati, the 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 - symbolizing Sattwa Guna or purity and discrimination.

Puja Timing and Evening Cultural Programme details are appended below for your ease of reference:

Morning Puja : 10:30 A.M Hate Khari : 11:30 A.M Puspangali : 12:30 hours Prasad (Lunch) : 13:00 ~ 14:00 hours Bhajan : 15:00 hours ~ 16:00 hours Evening Arati : 18:30 hours Evening Puja : 19:30 hours

Cultural Programme : 20:00 ~ 21:00 hours

Prasad (Dinner) : 21:00 Hours

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Dear Devotees,

Bengali Community (Singapore) cordially invites you and your family / friends / relatives to join with us and celebrate “Saraswathi Puja 2010”, (Birthday of the Goddess of Wisdom), which will be celebrated on 20th January 2010 (Wednesday) at Lakshminarayan Temple Premises, located at 5 Chander Road, Singapore (Next to Little India MRT Station). All of your generous support and participation would be very much appreciated. UTTOM KUMAR NAG Honorary Secretary Bengali Community (Singapore) Mobile: 90279465

Patron:

Babu Arun Kumar Dhali 94235946

Babu Biman Chowdhury 90606272

Mrs. Indrajit Rowat 97664719

Babu Swapan Kanti Biswas 96687827

Advisors:

Babu Makaraksha Saha

Babu Ranjit Biswas 98521064

Babu Bijoykrishna Pandit 93804513

Babu Nihar Ranjan Bhowmik 97590142

Babu Bijay Nath Ramnawal 96933669

Managing Committee Members:

Babu Swapan Kumar Das 91419981

Babu Animesh Das 93868206

Babu Shaibal Kumar Seal 92310188

Babu Uttom Kumar Nag 90279465

Babu Dulal Chandra Basak 97562740

Babu Haridash Chandra Basak 90613974

Babu Raton Kumar 93805700

Babu Jaharlal Sutradhar 82291480

Babu Pronab Kuar Roy 92384315

Babu Kanu Kumar Nath 91117098

Babu Avijit Roy 90214807

Babu Palash Mallick 97127225

Babu Biplab Kanti Ghosh 90259002

Central Committee Members:

Babu Biplab Mazumder 81228031

Babu Dipon Nath 98584715

Babu Goutan Ghosh 98922874

Babu Kanak Bhowmik 81244936

Babu Nani Gopal 90542762

Babu Onil Tamika Biswas 94833006

Babu Prakash Basak 90681562

Babu Ponkaj Kanti Biswas 96580295

Babu Prodip Kumar Deb 98509147

Babu Pronotosh Roy Chowdhury98584009

Babu Parimol Kanti Nath 81307934

Babu Rajib Kanti Nath 81307934

Babu Rajiv Sarkar 98519241

Babu Ranadhir Kumar Nath 93922006

Babu Ripon Chowdhury 93873247

Babu Rupen Basak 93701635

Babu Rupayan Debnath 90830195

Babu Santosh Chakraborty 91552481

Baby Shyamal Roy Chowdhury 92715974

Babu Shyamol Saha 91434448

Babu Sribas Chandra Basak 90621767

Babu Subhash Majumder 94889307

Babu Sudip Kumar Nath 94176897

Babu Sujan Bhowmik 91996573

Babu Takurdas Sutradhar 93914972

Babu Tapan Sutradhar 98187653

WHAT IS SARASWATHI PUJA AND ALL ABOUT?

“Goddess Saraswathi” is the consort of Lord Brahma (Lord of Creation) and is the

Goddess of wisdom and learning. She is considered as the personification of all

knowledge - arts, sciences, crafts and all skills. She is seen as a beautiful and elegant

presence, pure white in colour, clad in a white sari, seated on a white lotus, representing

purity and brilliance. She is depicted with four hands. In one hand she holds a book and

in the other a rosary. With her other two hands, she is seen playing the veena. Her

vahana is the swan and sometimes a peacock is shown accompanying her. The 5th day of

the bright fortnight of the lunar month of Maasi (Magh) is the day of “Vasant Panchami”.

Hindus all over the world celebrate this festival with great enthusiasm. Children are

taught their first words on this day (as an auspicious beginning to learning). Schools,

colleges etc. (places of learning) organize special worship of Saraswathi.