The Bengali Association of NSW Inc organised Saraswati puja at Concord High School on Saturday, 1 February 2013. Haatey-Khoriwas performed with prasadto the few hundred attendees. This was followed by a vegetarian lunch to all visitors.
The event also included a Children’s cultural program.
A feature of this year’s puja was the attractivedecorative pandalsurrounding the idol. The organisers say that around 450 people attended puja.
One of the most important rituals for Bengalis is “Haatey-Khori”- an auspicious ceremony where little children are made to touch pens or pencils for the first time to mark the beginning of their “learning phase”.
Goddess Saraswatiis worshipped in most of India at various times of the year; in Bengal Saraswati Puja is observed during VasantPanchami, which falls in the months of January/February. This auspicious day marks the beginning of spring for Bengalis.
Published in The Indian Sun (Indian Newspaper in Sydney)
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