Saraswati Pooja

Saraswathi pooja is performed on the Mahanavami of the Navratri time. This festival is also celebrated as Ayudha pooja in South India and Mahanavami Saraswathi pooja in North India. it is celebrated as Astra Puja in Odisha and celebrated as a major celebration as Dussehra in Karnataka. Saraswathi Pooja celebrates the victory of good over evil; also, the spirit of acquiring knowledge and education.

Saraswati Pooja 2023

Significance

Goddess Saraswathi Devi is a goddess of knowledge and arts. She is the consort of Lord Brahma. She can impart creativity, knowledge, wisdom, prowess on divine arts. Saraswathi Devi is referred as the mother of the Vedas. She is depicted as a beautiful Goddess seated on a white lotus denoting an open Sahasrar chakra, four arms, wearing spotless white saree and seated on a white lotus. Her four arms represent four Vedas also the four attributes of human consciousness- mind, intellect, awareness, and subtle mind. Mediating on these Saraswathi mantras can invoke her energy of creation, enhances the creative ability and thirst for learning.

Rituals

In South India, Saraswathi Pooja is celebrated performed on the last day of Navratri of 9 days and Ayudha Pooja is also performed on the same day. Next day on Vijayadashami, Vidyarambham ceremony is performed.

In Northern and Western India, Goddess Saraswathi is worshipped in the last four days during Navratri in the order - Saraswathi Avahan, Saraswathi Puja, Saraswathi Balidan and Saraswathi Visarjan o Vijayadashami.

On Saraswathi Pooja, devotees’ worship Saraswathi, the Goddess of Wisdom; along with Lakshmi, the Goddess of wealth; and Parvati, known as the divine mother. Devotees wake up early before sunrise, take a holy bath, sanctify pooja altar. Gather books, notebooks and educational tools like measuring units, engineering tools, music instruments in front of the Saraswathi goddess invoked in the pooja room on Saraswathi Avahan. During Saraswathi Pooja, people pray for excellence in craftsmanship and musicians pray to enhance their skills. People also place the sacred sloka or books like Bhagavad Gita, Ramayana and Mahabharatha.

Place sandalwood paste and vermilion on the books and instruments. Then perform pooja to the idol, offer white coloured flowers and incense. Recite Saraswathi mantra and seed mantras. Light ghee lamps, perform aarti to the Goddess and book, instruments placed in the altar. White coloured neivedhya like ksheera, kova and katli other desserts are offered as neivedhya. Later distributed as Prasad among family members and friends. 

Special homam for Saraswathi or Maha Chandi homa are performed on this day. Devotees also visit temple for special poojas. Purnahuti of Maha Chandi Homam is performed on this day (Maha Navami).

Saraswathi Mantra

this powerful verse supports a sacred beginning and a new path into the world of knowledge, arts and accessing innate intelligence. 

“Saraswathi Namastubhyam Varade Kaama-Roopini
Vidyaarambham Karishyaami Siddhir-Bhavatu Me Sadaa “

Benefits

Important Timings On Saraswati Pooja

Saraswati Pooja festival dates between 2020 & 2030

Other Related Festivals