Saraswathi Pooja falls on the 5th day of bright half of the month of Maagha.

This day is also called Basant panchami or Vasant panchami, a day celebrated in anticipation of the arrival of spring season, called Vasanta Ritu in Indian Panchang or Almanac. This year it falls on Friday, Feb 15th. Goddess Saraswati is the Goddess of all learning and bestows powers of speech, wisdom and learning. She has four hands. One hand holds Vedas, the source of all knowledge and another holds a japamala which signifies continuity of time and the very meaning of Her name, the eternally flowing river, the river of knowledge. (Saras=flowing. Vati=one who is).The japa mala also signifies counting, representing mathematics and logic. In some pictures She is seen to hold a lotus, the symbol of true knowledge. . With Her other two hands she plays the Veena called Vipanchi, representing all forms of art. She is dressed in white the symbol of purity. She is sometimes shown to ride white swan, symbolizing Sattwa Guna or purity and discrimination. The swan of Goddess Saraswati has the ability to drink only milk from a mixture of water and milk. It can distinguish the good from the bad. In some pictures there is a peacock representing beauty, dance and celebration of life. There are many mantras for worshipping Goddess Saraswati. One such easy mantra is :

Om PraNo Devii Saraswati, Vaajebhir vaajanee vati- Dheenam avitriya vatu, Om Namo Shree Vaagdevyai Namaha
We bow to powerful Goddess sarasvati, who protects those who seek her. May She protect and awaken our intelligence. Sudhakar V.Rao