July 28, 2025

Saraswati Puja, also known as Shree Panchami or Vasant Panchami, is a festival that celebrates Saraswati, the Hindu goddess of wisdom, knowledge, music, art, and learning. Celebrated on the fifth day of the bright lunar fortnight in the month of Magh (January–February), this festival marks the end of winter and the arrival of spring. In Nepal, Saraswati Puja holds special significance for students, teachers, artists, musicians, and anyone connected to education or creative fields.

Goddess Saraswati is depicted as a graceful deity dressed in white, seated on a swan or lotus, holding the veena (a stringed instrument), scriptures, and a rosary, symbolizing music, wisdom, and spiritual knowledge. On this auspicious day, devotees wake early to bathe, dress in yellow or white (colors symbolizing purity and intellect), and offer puja at temples, schools, and homes. Temples dedicated to Saraswati—such as Saraswati Mandir in Swayambhu, Lele, and Nil Saraswati in Gairidhara—see large gatherings of devotees and students.

One of the most popular rituals involves children beginning their formal education on this day, in a tradition known as “Haate Khori”—where they write their first letters in front of the goddess’s image. Schools and colleges organize special programs, and students offer pens, notebooks, and textbooks to the goddess as symbols of devotion.

While Saraswati Puja is a religious celebration, it is also widely embraced as a festival of learning, intellect, and the arts. Musicians pray for inspiration, writers seek blessings for eloquence, and artists for creativity. In many public spaces, temporary altars or mandaps are decorated with flowers, lights, and statues of the goddess, drawing crowds of students and devotees throughout the day.

For travelers, Saraswati Puja offers a chance to see the intersection of education and faith in Nepali society. Visiting schools, temples, or even neighborhoods hosting vibrant puja events provides insight into how knowledge and spirituality are deeply intertwined in Nepali life.

Time of Year: January–February (Magh Shukla Panchami; 5th day of waxing moon)

Who Celebrates: Hindus and Buddhists across Nepal; especially students, educators, artists

Location: Nationwide, particularly in schools, libraries, temples (Swayambhu Saraswati Mandir, Lele, Nil Saraswati Mandir)

What to Expect: Offerings of books and pens, yellow and white clothes, mandap decorations, formal education initiation (Haate Khori)

Interesting Facts:

  • Children write their first letters in front of the goddess as a ritual of starting education
  • Yellow is the color of the day, symbolizing wisdom, spring, and purity
  • The day also marks the arrival of spring, celebrated with kites and light-hearted gatherings