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The festival of Vasant Panchami is celebrated every year on the fifth day of the bright fortnight of the lunar month of Magha (January – February).
This “Panchami” is also known as Saraswati Day, because it is believed that on this day the Goddess was born. As Diwali is to Shri Lakshmi and Navaratri is to Shri Durga, Vasant Panchami is to Shri Saraswati, the Goddess of art, creativity, knowledge and learning. She represents the free flow of wisdom and consciousness. She is the Mother of the Vedas, and chants to Her often begin and end Vedic lessons.
Saraswati literally means “the flowing one”. In the Rigveda it is said She represents a river and the deity presiding over it. In later mythology, Shri Saraswati was identified with Vach or Speech. The “flowing one” in an allegorical sense may mean speech also – perfect speech which denotes intelligence.
On this Vasant Panchami day, Lord Brahma is said to have created His consort Goddess Saraswati, infused speech into Her and bestowed the Veena in Her hands. She was thus named as Veena Vandini (veena player) and Vani Dayyani (recipient of speech). As the spouse of Brahma and the Goddess of wisdom and eloquence, She is known by various names such as Veenapani (holding the veena), Sharada (giver of essence), Vagisvari (mistress of speech), Brahmi (wife of Brahma) and Mahavidya (knowledge supreme).
The colour yellow is given special importance on Vasant Panchami. On this day, Shri Saraswati is dressed in yellow garments and worshipped. Books, articles, instruments of music and arts are placed before Her. In the evening after the Puja is over, the idol is immersed in the sea with serenity.
In all educational institutions of music, arts and science in India, Saraswati Puja is observed with great reverence. Saraswati Puja is also performed during the Navaratri or Dusshera. In India, Hindus prefer to wear yellow clothes on this holy day. Sweets of yellowish hues are distributed among relatives and friends.
Children are taught their first words on this day, for it is considered an auspicious day to begin to learn how to read and write.
Vasant means “spring”, and Vasant Panchami heralds springtime in India, a time of renewal and creativity of life in nature.
(Photograph: freewebs.com)
Today is the day where we celebrate the change of the axis of the sun, and that he moves towards the Tropic of Cancer. Tropic of Cancer is the one which represents the motherhood, the motherhood of the earth. This Tropic of Cancer has passed through quite a big area of land, while the Tropic of Capricorn has not. And the area through which it has passed it has created different beautiful manifestation of the mother qualities on this earth. We celebrate this change because the sun has now moved into the new dimension, so that all over the world there will be the warmth of the sun.
Warmth of the sun represents the warmth of God’s love. This is the reason why we celebrate this festival by giving you some sort of a sweet made out of sesame seeds. Sesame seeds are given because they are also heat-giving, and now as we are coming from the cold we come to the hot season, in a way hotter season, so to prepare you with that warmth of the sun.
This special things are made out of the seed of sesame to represent the oncoming warmth, and the warmth of the sun. Though in India the heat is too much, still people are waiting for this time to come in and they celebrate it with such a warm heart. At this time it is said that they give you this sesame seed and the sugar to eat, but now you must speak in a sweet manner ….
Speaking in the sweet manner is very important. Some people think it is smart to speak in a rude manner, or is very intelligent to shout on people but no one likes this kind of a personality. You may be intelligent. You may be very sharp or smart. Maybe on a television people may like to see you, but not as companions, as friends. To speak in a very sweet manner is a sign of good breeding, good culture and fear of God. Those who fear God will never speak rudely to another person, because in another person also the same spirit is shining; and why should we be sharp or angry with another person who is created by God Almighty as we are created?
So this loving, beautiful co-relationship that we have with each other after Sahaj Yoga specially, let us express in talking to each other sweetly. There are so many ways by which we could be sweet. There are little, little things if you do, you can create lot of sweetness, but you need not a sharp tongue, but a sharp memory. I try these things many a times.
Shri Mataji, 1987
“Lotus & Phoenix II” will be presented by Nayika Indian Dance which features again in the City of Sydney Chinese New Year Festival 2008.
This is a unique concert with both traditional Chinese music and classical Indian dance inspired by the symbolism of the lotus and phoenix, not to be missed by the Asian arts connoisseur.
Versatile musicians of the Sydney Sizhu Ensemble led by Tony Wheeler, and Indian classical dancer Vimala Sarma, celebrate Chinese New Year in a unique concert featuring Chinese traditional music and classical Indian dances inspired by the symbolism of the lotus and phoenix. The lotus is a symbol of purity and beauty in both Chinese and Indian cultures. This show provides an opportunity for Sydney Chinese traditional music-lovers to hear Chen Hong Yu, an inspirational vocal artist. The Indian classical dances featured include pieces performed by Vimala in the recent dance festival in Chennai.
Date: Saturday 23 February 2008
Time: 7.30 pm
Location: Music Workshop, Sydney Conservatorium of Music, Macquarie Street, Sydney
Cost: $35.00 plus booking fee
Bookings/Information: Tickets from www.moshtix.com.au, 1300 GET TIX (438 849) or on your mobile www.moshtix.mobi and all moshtix outlets.
On the weekend of 8-9 December 2007 about fifty female Sahaja Yogis from across the United Kingdom gathered at the Sahaja Yoga National Centre at Blossom Farm. The aim of the seminar was to consider the role of women in Sahaja Yoga, and their contribution towards spreading peace on Earth.
Many important events have occurred in Sahaja Yoga in the past few years, pointing to its effectiveness in reaching people throughout the world.
• In 1995 the founder of Sahaja Yoga, Shri Mataji, was invited to speak at the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing, China.
• In May 2007, Sahaja Yoga was introduced at the United Nations conference, “Towards Sustainable Global Health” in Bonn, Germany, where several Sahaja Yoga doctors gave presentations.
• The Centre for Evolutionary Learning was invited to participate in a prestigious United Nations conference, “The 7th Global Forum on Re-inventing Government” in Vienna in June 2007.
• Over the last few years research publications have stressed culture as a key factor in the survival of humankind. (A summary by Professor Mahdi Elmandjra, Morocco, and a report by the Neuhardenberg Convention 2002, on relations between the West and the Muslim world make good reading).
The group identified the need to bring about interaction and dialogue – a dialogue of cultures to ease the psychological political situation, help reduce mutual prejudice and increase mutual understanding. Social cultural values have been underestimated in the political arena of stability and peace. Both passion and compassion are needed in forging ahead in international co-operation.
Cultural communication is the pathway for the future. We need a culture of listening, and to find shared values and standards, ensuring social justice, dignity and human rights. We need to address the hurdles of fear, suspicion and prejudice.
The objectives of the new group are to:
• Increase respect for the feminine and womanhood
• Promote inter-cultural dialogue
• Promote cultural activities
• Promote peace, education and human rights
• Promote basic values, self-respect and self-esteem to enable the empowerment of women and family in society
• Promote the betterment of all in societies throughout the world.