Basant Panchami falls on the fifth day of lunar month of Magha (in late January or early February) marking the advent of spring. People dress in yellow to mark flow-ering mustard fields. This is not only a Hindu festival; the advent of Spring is celebrated with gusto at the dargah of Hazrat Nizamuddin also.
Since ancient times, this day is celebrated as the birthday of the Godess of Learning, MAA SARASWATI.
This year Basant Panchmi was celebrated on 14th February at the Mahavirji Temple. It may be worth mentioning here that up until January 2018, this temple did not have an idol of Maa Saraswati. I always wished for my son and other students to be able to pray to Goddess Saraswati. I requested the chief priest, several times, to let me buy an idol of Maa Saraswati, finally he acceded to my request in 2018 and the idol was placed in the Mahalaxmi mandir.
The number of devotees was limited but the puja was conducted by all the priests in the usual manner done every year.
MAA Saraswati, whose idol was brought to the main hall for the puja, looked resplendent in yellow. All the priests and devotees wore yellow too. Kesar Halwa, Sweet kesar rice and Kinoos were brought by the devotees as offerings, which were distributed as prasad after the puja.
The puja commenced at 10 am with all the devotees offering yellow flowers and ended with Aarti.
