Karmandir 
जय माँ सरस्वती
About
Maa Saraswati is the goddess of knowledge, speech, music and the arts. In the Vedas she is praised as a holy river and as the goddess of speech. Later tradition sees her as the shakti of Brahma ji, the creator. Dressed in white and seated on a white lotus, she is dear to students, teachers, writers, singers and artists, who bow to her before they study or perform. Her great festival is Vasant Panchami. On that day schools and homes worship her, people wear yellow, and many families help small children write their very first letters.
The story
A popular story tells how Maa Saraswati first appeared. Brahma ji had created the world: the earth, the waters, the plants, the animals and the people. Yet he felt something was missing. Everything was silent: no voice, no song, not even the sound of flowing water.
Brahma ji took water from his kamandal, sprinkled it and prayed for this lack to be filled. (The tellings differ on whom he prayed to.) Then, from a bright white light, a gentle goddess appeared. She had four hands: one held a veena, one a book, one a mala, and one was raised in blessing. As soon as she played her veena, sound filled all of creation. Birds began to sing, rivers began to murmur, the wind rustled, and every living being found its voice.
The devas named her Saraswati, the giver of speech and learning, and also called her Vagdevi, goddess of the word. It is believed that this was the fifth day of the bright half of Magh, which is why Vasant Panchami is also celebrated as the day she appeared.
Devotees take a lesson from this story: knowledge, music and kind words are sacred gifts, and every lesson should begin with a bow to Maa Saraswati.
How they are shown
Maa Saraswati wears white and sits on a white lotus; white stands for purity and a calm mind. She has four hands. The veena stands for music and the arts, the book for the Vedas and all learning, and the mala for prayer and focus. Some images also show a water pot (kamandal). Her vahan is the white swan (hamsa). The swan is said to separate milk from water, so it stands for the wisdom to tell right from wrong. Sometimes a peacock is shown near her as well.
How to worship
Yellow or white sweets such as boondi or sweet saffron rice; the seasonal ber fruit on Vasant Panchami; with white and yellow flowers.
Clean the puja place and set up a picture of Maa Saraswati. Place your books, pens or musical instrument before her, as many families do on Vasant Panchami. Light a diya and offer white or yellow flowers and a little sweet. Chant 'Om Aim Saraswatyai Namah' 108 times, or recite the shloka 'Ya Kundendu Tushar Haar Dhavala'. Then sing the aarti 'Jai Saraswati Mata'. Students can bow to her every day before they study. On Vasant Panchami there is a custom of helping a small child write the first letter, often 'Om', on a slate or with a finger on rice spread in a plate.
Their festivals
- Vasant Panchami (Saraswati Puja) Magh Shukla Panchami
- Saraswati Puja in Navratri The last days of Sharad Navratri (Ashwin Shukla Ashtami to Dashami), especially in South India; Vidyarambham on Vijayadashami
