Tag: Saraswati Puja

shuktara home for disabled young adults - 2017 January - Bablu and the swan - setting up for Saraswati Puja

Setting up for Saraswati Puja

Preparations are happening for Saraswati Puja which will be held here on the roof of our boys home on Wednesday 1st February.

Sunil is helping Jogen by placing old saris around the swan that we have made. A flat marble slab on the swan is ready for the goddess to be placed on. Now we are just waiting for Saraswati!

Saraswati (Sanskrit: सरस्वती, Sarasvatī) is the Hindu goddess of knowledge, music, arts, wisdom and learning (Wikipedia).

Saraswati Puja at shuktara 2015

Saraswati is the goddess of wisdom and learning. Every year the celebration at shuktara is anticipated by everyone with great excitement. An elaborate statue of the goddess is chosen and taken to the house. On the roof a home for the goddess is constructed the night before with fresh flowers – this year there were pink egg cartons also to add to the festive atmosphere. On the day of Saraswati Puja everyone puts on their best clothes and participate in the ritual of the goddess by chanting Sanskrit and throwing handfuls of fresh flower petals to accentuate the prayers.

shuktara - Saraswati Puja 2015
Bablu and Moni
shuktara - Saraswati Puja 2015
Lali
shuktara - Saraswati Puja 2015
Muniya – first time in a sari
shuktara - Saraswati Puja 2015
Prity and Tamina
shuktara - Saraswati Puja 2015
Sanjay, Raja Singh and Raja Mohan Das
shuktara - Saraswati Puja 2015
Sunil and the goddess
shuktara - Saraswati Puja 2015
Tamina, Muniya and Lali