日本語One of the most enjoyable festivals took place this week at Niranjana. This was Saraswati Puja, a celebration for the goddess of education. It is tradition to purchase a statue of the goddess made from mud and straw, and decorated with head dress, clothing and paint. As every year, Niranjana had a beautiful statue which hundreds of children gathered to see on the 20th of January in the hostel. On this day, the priest performed a wonderful, smoky yet colourful puja after which everyone indulged in a selection of sweets and fruit (after offering them to Saraswati of course). At the end of the ceremony, all of the children sung prayer's to the goddess and thanked her for the gift of knowledge. This day was also the first chance for some local toddlers to begin their education. They were given blackboards and chalk to represent the beginning of their knowledge to come.
As the final part of the Puja, the statue was taken on a whirlwind tour of the village with dancing children and blasting music accompanying it. The journey ended at the pond near the Sujata temple, where Saraswati was sunk in the pond (with many others like her).
The chicken "cuukoo" song was definitely the highlight of the day!
