Festival companion · Thursday 11 February 2027

Vasant Panchami

Saraswati and the first day of spring. Everything for one festival in one place: the story to tell, the puja, a recipe, a craft for children and a shopping list.

Tell the story

The Story of Vasant Panchami

Brahma had made the world, but it was silent. Nothing sang, nothing spoke. So from his thoughts came a goddess dressed in white, holding a veena, a book and a string of beads.

When she played the veena, the rivers began to murmur, the birds to sing and people to speak. Brahma named her Saraswati, the one who flows, and gave her the gift of speech and learning.

On Vasant Panchami children place their books and instruments at her feet and ask her blessing to learn well. The mustard fields of the north are in yellow flower, so everyone wears yellow too.

How families celebrate

Vasant Panchami welcomes spring and honours Saraswati, the goddess of learning, music and the arts. Families dress in yellow, place books and instruments before the goddess, and many small children write their first letters on this day.

Yellow clothes and yellow sweet rice, books and instruments placed for blessing, first letters (akshara abhyasa) for little ones, and kites in Punjab.

At home

The Puja

A home puja anyone can follow, step by step, with the words to say.

Before you begin

  1. Prepare

    Bathe, wear clean clothes and clean the puja place. Set out a lamp, incense, flowers, kumkum, turmeric, rice, water in a small vessel with a spoon, a bell and the naivedya (food offering).

  2. Light the lamp

    Light the lamp with ghee or oil and fold your hands.

    SayShubham karoti kalyanam arogyam dhana sampadah, shatru buddhi vinashaya deepa jyotir namostute

  3. Pray to Ganesha first

    Every puja begins with Ganesha, so the rest goes without obstacles. Offer a flower or a little rice.

    SayVakratunda mahakaya suryakoti samaprabha, nirvighnam kuru me deva sarva karyeshu sarvada

  4. Achamana and sankalpa

    Sip a spoon of water three times. Then hold a little water, rice and a flower and say, in your own language, who you are, where you are, and why you are doing this puja today. Let it fall in a plate.

    SayOm Keshavaya namah · Om Narayanaya namah · Om Madhavaya namah

Step by step

  1. Dress in yellow

    Wear yellow and place yellow flowers at the altar.

  2. Set up for Saraswati

    Place a picture of Saraswati on a white or yellow cloth. Put books, pens, a slate and instruments in front.

  3. Worship Saraswati

    Offer white and yellow flowers, sandal paste and rice.

    SaySaraswati namastubhyam varade kamarupini, vidyarambham karishyami siddhir bhavatu me sada

  4. Akshara abhyasa

    A child sits on an elder's lap and writes "Om" or the first letter of their alphabet in a plate of rice, guided by the elder's hand.

    SayOm Aim Saraswatyai namah

  5. Offer sweet rice

    Offer yellow kesari bhaat or a yellow sweet, then let the children study or play a little music.

Closing

  1. Naivedya

    Place the food before the deity, sprinkle a little water around it and offer it with your hands open.

    SayOm pranaya svaha · Om apanaya svaha · Om vyanaya svaha · Om udanaya svaha · Om samanaya svaha

  2. Aarti

    Wave the camphor or ghee lamp clockwise in front of the deity, ringing the bell, while the family sings an aarti or bhajan.

  3. Pradakshina and namaskara

    Turn around once clockwise where you stand, then bow or prostrate. Ask forgiveness for anything done wrongly.

    SayYani kani cha papani janmantara kritani cha, tani tani vinashyanti pradakshina pade pade

  4. Share the prasada

    Share the naivedya with everyone at home and with neighbours.

The 16 offerings

Most home pujas follow the sixteen offerings, the shodashopachara. When you have little time, offer flowers, a lamp and food with love; that is enough.

  1. DhyanaThink of the deity
  2. AvahanaInvite the deity
  3. AsanaOffer a seat (a flower or rice)
  4. PadyaWater to wash the feet
  5. ArghyaWater to wash the hands
  6. AchamaniyaWater to sip
  7. SnanaA bath (sprinkle water, or abhisheka)
  8. VastraClothes (a cloth or cotton thread)
  9. Yajnopavita / AbharanaSacred thread or ornaments
  10. GandhaSandal paste, turmeric and kumkum
  11. PushpaFlowers and leaves
  12. DhupaIncense
  13. DeepaA lamp
  14. NaivedyaFood
  15. TambulaBetel leaf and nut, or fruit
  16. Nirajana and namaskaraAarti, flowers and bowing

Print

A printable version of this puja is on its way. Until then, use the Print button.

This is a simple home puja. Every family and region has its own customs, so follow your elders or priest where they differ.

Cook together

Meethe Chawal (Kesari Bhaat)

More recipes →
North India, Karnataka · Vasant Panchami

Meethe Chawal (Kesari Bhaat)

Yellow sweet rice: meethe chawal in Hindi, kesari bhaat in Kannada, zarda in Punjab

  • 35 min
  • Serves 4
Ingredients and method

Ingredients

  • 1 cup basmati rice, soaked 20 minutes
  • A pinch of saffron in 2 tbsp warm milk (or a pinch of turmeric)
  • ¾ cup sugar
  • 3 tbsp ghee
  • 4 cloves, 3 cardamoms
  • Cashews, raisins and almonds

Method

  1. Boil the rice with the cloves until just cooked, then drain.
  2. Melt the ghee, fry the nuts and raisins, add the cardamom.
  3. Add the rice, sugar and saffron milk. Stir gently on low heat until the sugar melts and is absorbed, about 10 minutes.
  4. Cover and rest 5 minutes before serving.

Yellow is the colour of Vasant Panchami, after the mustard fields in flower.

For children

Decorate a book-blessing bookmark

You need

  • Yellow card
  • Felt pens or crayons
  • Ribbon
  • A hole punch

Steps

  1. Cut a long strip of yellow card.
  2. Draw a veena, a lotus or a swan on it.
  3. Write "Saraswati namastubhyam" on the back.
  4. Punch a hole, tie a ribbon and place it in a school book during the puja.

Get ready

Shopping List

Tick things off as you go, or print the list for the Indian store.

Shopping list

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