"Saraswati Pujo and Valentine's Day on the same day. A Bong couldn't have asked for more :-D. Tag your Saraswati Pujo partner," says a post on a Kolkata Insta page, Kolktazzz.
The post refers to one of Bengal's favourite festivals that celebrates Saraswati, the goddess of knowledge, wisdom, learning, and arts. It falls on the same day as Basant Panchami, which is celebrated on the fifth day of Shukla Panchami of the Hindu month of Magh. This year, the festival falls on February 14.
On the day of Saraswati Pujo, it is customary to wear yellow dresses as the colour is associated with the goddess of knowledge and symbolises wisdom. Additionally, the yellow colour represents the mustard fields that bloom during the spring season. The streets of the city are a profusion of yellow as youngsters step out after the morning pujo rituals dressed in every shade of the colour yellow to celebrate the goddess and the spring season.
People wake up early and offer flowers and fruits in front of the goddess. Typical sweet dishes made during the festival and offered to the goddess include the naru, made with coconut and jaggery, and moya, made with popped Kanakchur rice and date palm jaggery. Another festive staple is kooler chutney (Indian plum chutney).
And of course, as in all Bengal festivals, the art, crafts, and culture take centre place. The city sees numerous music and dance performances, as well as theatrical plays. Many schools and colleges observe the festival with cultural programmes.
Saraswati Pujo is a highly popular festival among students and young people. In Kolkata, it is referred to as the "Bengali Valentine's Day." One reason for this is that Kolkata has traditionally had single-gender schools, and to this day, boys and girls are allowed to mingle freely. Romance is in the air as young people spend the whole day pandal hopping, eating out at city eateries, and hanging out at the mall or riverside, dressed in traditional attire. This is done without giving strict parents the impression that it has anything to do with courtship. Many ordinarily hesitant adolescents have plucked up the courage to express their feelings on this day under the benevolent gaze of the goddess.
"Our Bengali Valentine's Day holds a special place in our hearts," says Ranjita Barman Nag. "Six years ago, on Saraswati Pujo, I met my partner Swastik at City Centre 1, Salt Lake. Both navigating post-breakup friend zones, our secret rendezvous during the festival marked the start of our love story."
It is customary to offer new pens and notebooks to the goddess Saraswati as a symbol of seeking blessings for wisdom and knowledge, as Bengalis tend to place a lot of importance on these. Among other traditions, children are taught to write their first word on this day. It is believed that touching any book or pen on this day can upset the goddess hence it is advised not to do so.
There are several origin stories associated with the festival. One of the most popular beliefs is that it marks the birth of Goddess Saraswati and, hence, is celebrated to commemorate her birth. Another legend suggests that it was on Basant Panchami when Goddess Saraswati bestowed wisdom upon the great classical poet Kalidas. The festival emphasises how women embody wisdom, education, the arts, and enlightenment.
Saraswati Pujo is another thread in Bengal's progressive and syncretic culture, where a predominance of goddesses find favour in festivals. Bengal has long been associated with the feminine divine, as showcased in the state's many festivals centred around goddesses, such as Durga Pujo, Kali Pujo, and Lakshmi Pujo. Every major festival in the state centres around feminine divine energy. This is unlike in other states where there's a hegemony of primarily male gods.
The biggest festival in Bengal, Durga Pujo, is also celebrated as an all-encompassing festival of joyousness, feasting, and catching up with friends and family. In these festivals, women play a central part—freely and joyously dancing on the streets during bishorjon (immersion) on the day of Dashami, playing the dhaak and dancing the dhonuchi naach uninhibitedly at evening anjalis.