Spring and Saraswati

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Like clockwork, with the first day of Spring, our temp has come back up to min of 10 and max of 32 degrees. Yesterday we celebrated Vasant Panchami, a Hindu festival celebrating Saraswati, the goddess of knowledge, music and art. It is celebrated every year on the fifth day (Panchami) of the Indian month Magh (January). Saraswati is the symbol of balanced learning and of the Sushumna Nadi. In Indian art she is depicted with four arms, representing the four aspects of human personality or psychic functions. Antarkaranas of mana (mind), buddhi (intellect), chitta (consciousness) and ahamkara (ego). Saraswati holds a book (representing the Vedic texts and truth) and the four arms also represent the four Vedas; the three forms of literature. Poetry (crystal Mala for the power of meditation/spirituality), prose (the sacred Vedic book) and music (the perfection of art and sciences). The instrument is a vina. Saraswati is also depicted to be carrying a pot of sacred water, representing creative and purificatory powers.

The women teaching staff all wore a gorgeous golden/yellow colour. It is very similar to the colour of the rubbery that is drying out in our kitchen area. We are stockpiling this and sharing a bit of it with the hungry crows and cats! This colour is a sign of auspiciousness and spirituality. It represents the ripening of the spring crops. Even the food is coloured yellow (with saffron).

Our college girls have been flaunting their talents once again. Indian dance is really something as you observe them getting lost in the focus on rhythm, movement and the depth of the melodies. There were many groups of girls dancing their own choreographed pieces, as well as some classic stories played out, such as the one of Krishna and Radha. Krishna is a deity worshipped across many traditions in Hinduism in a variety of perspectives, recognised easily with his flute. Radha is a young woman, a gopi, who is Krishna's supreme beloved. Krishna regarded Radha as the Supreme Goddess, for it is said that she controls Krishna with Her love. It is believed that Krishna enchants the world, but Radha ‘enchants even Him’.

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