When it falls
Vasant Panchami — also written Basant Panchami — falls on the fifth day (Panchami) of the bright fortnight of Magh, usually in late January or February. It is also called Shri Panchami and, in eastern India, simply Saraswati Puja. The puja is done in the morning, in the part of the day when Panchami prevails; check the Panchang for the timings.
Vasant Panchami dates in 2026 and 2027
Dates below are for New Delhi, from Drik Panchang.
| Year | Vasant Panchami |
|---|---|
| 2026 | Friday, 23 January |
| 2027 | Thursday, 11 February |
Who Saraswati is
Saraswati begins in the Rigveda as a great river, praised as the best of mothers, rivers and goddesses, and grows into the goddess of vak (speech), learning and the arts. She is shown dressed in white, seated on a white lotus, with a veena in two hands, a book and a rosary in the others, and a swan beside her; the swan, said to be able to separate milk from water, stands for the power to tell the true from the false. In the Puranas she is the consort of Brahma, the creator, because creation needs knowledge. Unlike Lakshmi, she is worshipped not for wealth but for clarity of mind, good speech and skill.
The day of Saraswati
Vasant Panchami is above all the day of Saraswati, the goddess of knowledge, speech, music and the arts. A widely told tradition holds that she appeared on this day. Students place their books, pens and instruments before her and do not study or write until the puja is over; musicians and artists worship their instruments and tools. In Bengal, Odisha, Assam and Bihar, images of Saraswati are installed in homes, schools and community pandals and immersed the next day. For the steps, see the Saraswati puja vidhi.
Why yellow?
Yellow is the colour of the day: people wear yellow, offer yellow flowers such as marigold, and cook yellow food — kesari rice, boondi, besan laddoo and khichdi. The colour echoes the mustard fields in full bloom across north India at this time of year, and yellow is associated with knowledge and with Saraswati's purity.
Vidyarambh: a child's first letters
Vasant Panchami is a favourite day for vidyarambh or akshar abhyasam, a young child's first lesson. Guided by a parent or priest, the child writes the first letters — often "Om" or the alphabet — on a slate, on rice spread on a plate, or with a finger dipped in honey, after a prayer to Saraswati and Ganesh. Temples such as Basar in Telangana, dedicated to Saraswati, are crowded with families for this ceremony.
The coming of spring
The festival announces Vasant, spring. It is linked with Kamadeva, the god of love, and his wife Rati, and with Vasant personified as Kama's companion. In Braj, Vasant Panchami opens the season of Holi: the Holika pyre begins to be built and Holi songs start in the temples, forty days before the festival. In Punjab and parts of north India it is a day for kite flying.
An abujh muhurat
Vasant Panchami is one of the few abujh muhurats of the year — days considered so auspicious that weddings, house-warmings, starting a business or other new beginnings can be done without consulting an astrologer for a specific muhurat. Many weddings are held on this day.
How to observe it
- Bathe early and wear yellow or white.
- Place an image of Saraswati on a yellow or white cloth, with books, pens and instruments in front.
- Offer yellow and white flowers, akshat, sandalwood, a lamp, and yellow sweets or kesari rice.
- Chant Ya Kundendu Tushara Haradhavala and Om Aim Saraswatyai Namah, read the Saraswati Chalisa, and sing Jai Saraswati Mata.
- After the puja, students may read or write a little as the first study of the season.
Saraswati Puja in Bengal and the east
In Bengal, Saraswati Puja is one of the most loved festivals of the year, especially for students. Girls wear yellow saris and boys yellow panjabis, schools and colleges set up their own images, and everyone offers pushpanjali together in the morning. Many students keep a small custom: they do not eat kul (Indian jujube or ber) until it has first been offered to the goddess on this day. Small children are given their first letters (hate khori) before the image, and the next day the image is immersed.
Also on this day
- Sufi Basant at Nizamuddin: at the dargah of Hazrat Nizamuddin in Delhi, qawwals in yellow sing of spring on Basant Panchami, a tradition traced to the poet Amir Khusrau.
- Nirala Jayanti: the Hindi poet Suryakant Tripathi "Nirala", whose poem Var de, veenavadini is a prayer to Saraswati, is remembered on this day.
- Prayers for clear speech: besides the vandana, devotees recite the Saraswati Gayatri Mantra and the Saraswati Stotram.
Frequently asked questions
When is Vasant Panchami in 2027?
On Thursday, 11 February 2027 in New Delhi. In 2026 it fell on 23 January.
Why is Saraswati worshipped on Vasant Panchami?
Tradition holds that Saraswati, the goddess of knowledge and the arts, appeared on this day, so students, teachers and artists worship her and their books and instruments.
Why do people wear yellow on Vasant Panchami?
Yellow reflects the blooming mustard fields of early spring and is associated with knowledge and with Saraswati. Yellow flowers and yellow food are offered.
Is Vasant Panchami good for starting a child's education?
Yes. It is one of the most popular days for vidyarambh, a child's first lesson in letters.
Can weddings be held on Vasant Panchami without a muhurat?
Yes. It is an abujh muhurat, so weddings and other auspicious work can be done on this day without a separately calculated muhurat.
Should students study on Vasant Panchami?
Books are kept before Saraswati during the puja and are not used until it is over; afterwards, a little study is considered auspicious.
Is Basant Panchami the same as Vasant Panchami?
Yes. Basant is the Hindi and Punjabi form of the Sanskrit Vasant; it is the same festival.
What is offered to Saraswati on Vasant Panchami?
White and yellow flowers, akshat, sandalwood, a lamp, yellow sweets or kesari rice, and in Bengal ber (kul) and seasonal fruit. Books, pens and instruments are placed before her to be blessed.
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