Basant Panchami: Significance of Devi Saraswati and yellow colour in Hindu traditions

In 2024, the Hindu festival of Basant Panchnami is being celebrated on February 14. The colour of Basant Panchami is yellow.

In Hinduism, the three hues of Saffron - red, orange and yellow - and their combinations are treated as most sacred colours. These colours are also seen in fire as well as in the setting and rising sun. Both, the Sun and fire are treated as Gods by the Hindus. Since fire burns - it is the energy that removes impurities, therefore, symbolizes purity and piousness.

Further, yellow colour stands for 3Ps: Positivity, Participation and Purity and these values are of utmost significance in the Hindu religion. Many Hindus wear yellow turmeric 'tilak' on his forehead on Basant Panchami, wear yellow clothes, scarf or carry a yellow handkerchief on this day.

On the occasions of Basant Panchami, teachers, gurus, musicians and Brahnims worship Goddess Saraswati to get enlightenment through self-knowledge and wisdom. They smearing their foreheads with yellow colour and recite Saraswati mantras.

In many homes, books, pens, and pencils are sanctified by placing them near the image of Goddess Saraswati. Thus sanctified writing equipments is used for a traditional ritual of initiating children to learning writing alphabet legibly which is known as Akshar-Abhyasam.

Unfortunately. these traditions are dying in urban India and are needed to to be revived for reviving the values of Positivity, Participation and Purity.

Reference

https://www.speakingtree.in/blog/basant-panchnami-know-the-significance-of-yellow-colour-in-hindu-traditions