The first day of the puja of
Goddess Saraswati during the Navratra celebrations is known as ‘Saraswati
Avahan’. The word ‘avahan’ signifies invocation and therefore this ritual is
observed to invoke the blessing of Goddess Saraswati. Usually the last three
days of grand Navratri Puja is dedicated for worshipping Goddess Saraswati. The
practice of Saraswati Avahan is observed on the ‘Mahasaptami’ (7th day) during
the Shukla Paksha (the waxing phase of moon) in the Hindu month of ‘Ashwin’. It
corresponds to the month of October-November in the English calendar.
In the sacred Hindu scriptures, the times for
worshipping Goddess Saraswati are explicitly mentioned. It is stated that
Saraswati Avahan should be performed during the ‘Mul Nakshatra’, the actual
puja should be performed during ‘Purva Ashadha Nakshatra’, the Balidan puja is
done during ‘Uttara Ashadha Nakshatra’ and the Visarjan of Goddess Saraswati
should be performed during ‘Shravana Nakshatra’. In the state of Maharashtra
and some regions of South India, Saraswati Puja starts with Saraswati Avahan
and finishes with Saraswati Visarjan on the day of ‘Vijaydashmi’.
Importance of Saraswati Avahan:
In the Hindu religion, Goddess
Saraswati is known to be the deity of music, wisdom, arts and science. She is
known by different names like ‘Sharada’, ‘Mahavidya Nila Saraswati’,
‘Vidyadayini’, ‘Sharadamba’, ‘Veenapani’ or even ‘Pustaka Dharini’. Goddess Saraswati
is also referred as ‘Tridevi’ and resides in her abode, Brahmapura. The Goddess
has four arms and always wears a white sari. Her mount or ‘vahana’ is a swan,
hansa or peacock. Being the consort of Goddess Saraswati, Lord Brahma created
the Universe using Her knowledge. Goddess Saraswati is therefore worshipped by
devotees with full zeal and dedication. They ask for Her divine blessings to
seek knowledge and wisdom and reach the ladder of success by overcoming all the
hurdles of their life. The followers of Jainism worship Goddess Saraswati with
full devotion. Also in Buddhism, She is revered as the guardian deity for Her
help in conserving the teachings of Gautama Buddha.
Rituals during Saraswati Avahan:
- The Saraswati
Avahan is observed during the auspicious muhurat of Mula Nakshatra and the
total duration of this puja lasts for nearly 5 hours. However the exact
time of Saraswati Avahan may vary each year.
- For the Avahan
of Goddess Saraswati special mantra is recited to invoke Her blessings. In
this mantra, the Goddess is praised and the devotees seek Her protection
and guidance.
- As a part of
the puja, there is a ritual of washing the feet of Goddess Saraswati,
which is followed by a ‘sankalpam’. After this the idol of the Goddess is
decorated with kumkum and chandan (sandalwood paste) and this ritual is
known as ‘alankaram’. Incense sticks and flowers are also offered to the
deity.
- On the occasion
of Saraswati Avahan, special food offerings in the form of ‘Naivedyam’ are
prepared for offering to the Goddess. As white is considered to be Her
favourite color, all the savouries and sweets are made keeping this in
mind. After the completion of puja, the naivedyam is distributed as
‘prasad’ amongst all the devotees gathered for the ceremony. Later bhajans
are also sung by devotees in the praise of Goddess Saraswati. Some people
also observe a fast on the day of Saraswati Avahan.
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