Bengal celebrates Saraswati Puja

Kolkata, Feb 1: Goddess Saraswati, considered the deity of music, culture and learning, was worshipped across West Bengal with traditiol gaitey and religious fervour on Wednesday. Women and girls decked up in traditiol bright yellow saris signifying Basant Panchami — heralding the arrival of spring — and men and boys in kurtas offered flowers to the deity, as families shared “prasad” (offering of sweets) in cities, towns and villages. It was a day of mirth of children, for whom Saraswati Puja is a “no study” day. Too happy to give their textbooks a miss, they participated in cultural functions organised in localities, educatiol institutes and households. Clay idols of the goddess were seen with a crescent moon on the brow, riding a swan or seated on a lotus with flowers, fruits and sweets placed as offerings before it.  (IANS)