KOLKATA: To celebrate Saraswati Puja on Thursday, a grand idol of Goddess Saraswati is kept at Tala Prattoy in Kolkata. The Bengali community will celebrate the Puja with cultural programmes, bhog and get-togethers.
While talking to ANI, Madhushree Mukherjee, a member of the Tala Prattoy Pooja Committee, said, “Saraswati Puja is performed in a grandeur manner like Durga Puja in Tala Prattoy and this time the Puja is special.”
“As you can see in Saraswati Puja and this time, we have a 30 feet pandal with a 15 feet idol of Maa Saraswati, we always want to do something different and unique, and this time our theme is love,” he added.
He stated, “As we all know, Mother Saraswati is the Goddess of learning. I hope people will like it and they will like the effort that we have put in for one month to make the idol.”
“This time, if we talk about the budget, then there was a budget of Rs 14 to 15 lakh for Saraswati Puja. If this year, the Puja is appreciated by the people, it will be done in a bigger way in the coming year and the budget will also increase,” he stated.
“We just want people to like it and get a lot of love from people during Saraswati Puja. Saraswati Puja is not done anywhere in such a grand and pompous manner and the way it is happening here, will attract a lot of people,” he further stated.
He further added that people are coming here for Durga Puja and also for Saraswati Puja and people are appreciating the efforts made by us, due to which we are very happy.
The festival is also known as Basant Panchami, Vasant Panchami, Shri Panchami, and Saraswati Panchami. It is celebrated on the first day of spring and falls on the fifth day of the month of Magha.
It also heralds the start of Holi preparations, which take place 40 days following the feast. Maa Saraswati, the Hindu goddess of learning, music, and the arts is honoured throughout the festival. (ANI)