Yesterday was Shree Panchami, also known as Basanta Panchami and Saraswati Pooja. Shree means wealth and prosperity. Laxmi is the Goddess of wealth and prosperity; Saraswati, that of knowledge and art. Is something wrong? Absolutely not.
Knowledge is wealth. Art symbolizes prosperity. Laxmi and Saraswati are different. Laxmi loves red, Saraswati is clad in white. Laxmi is the spouse of Vishnu, Saraswati that of Brahma. They are different. Yet both represent the same thing: Shree.
Shree Panchami is one of the most auspicious days in Nepal. It’s the day for Aksharambha (अक्षराम्भ)- commencement of learning words. Bratabandha and wedding can be conducted even without the advice from the jyotish (astrologer).
This is also the day, we believe Spring (Basanta) begins. Priests organize Basanta Shrawan singing hyms in the praise of season of joy. The Royal family used to attend the ceremony, which is now attended by the President.
Yesterday, Lata Mangeskar, one of the most celebrated female Bollywood singers, passed away at the age of 92. In India, Basanta Panchami/Saraswati Pooja was celebrated on Saturday, a day before in Nepal (I don’t understand why). Yesterday was Saraswati bisarjan there. I saw a few tweets which said that Goddess Saraswati took her favourite disciple with her. I don’t know if it is so. The singer lived a long life. Her melodies are going to live longer.
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dancinglightofgrace
I feel Lata is alive. This is a beautiful post with lovely images. Yesterday, Bappi Lahiri passed away. It’s strange that lunar calendar of Nepal was in conflict with that of India on seventh of February. It’s first day of dark half of lunar month in Spring. It’s 1722022. It’s Thursday. It’s Guruwar. It’s Veervar. Magha Purnima was yesterday. May I ask you the name of the president of Nepal? How many of them have been there? Best wishes for this week, fortnight and month as the case maybe. Anand/Co-admin at Blogger’s World.
sandeept252
The lunar calendar is in sync today. The Saraswati Pooja celebration might have been set different here because of the different interpretation in timing in moon rise.
The president is Bidhya Devi Bhandari. She is the second president but it’s her second term in office. There have been four presidential terms in total.
dancinglightofgrace
1. Who was there before her? 2. Usually, Devnagari script transliteration for Bidhya would be Vidya.
sandeept252
Your transliteration is right but because Nepali and Hindi are pronounced differently, there are differences in transliteration.
The previous president was Ram Baran Yadav (रामवरण यादव).
dancinglightofgrace
Ba/va thanks