Photo Gallery: On Basant Panchami, Saraswati Puja celebrations grip the nation in festive fervour

The auspicious occasion of Basant Panchami was celebrated in the country of January 29 this year. However, in many states, the festivities continued till January 30 as per Puja Muhurat timings and tithi. As our country is a diverse land, there are various ways in which a festival is celebrated. On Basant Panchami, Goddess Saraswati is prayed to and devotees throng her temples early morning, dressed in new clothes. At many places, cultural programs are also organised, where children take part in full gusto. Maa Saraswati is the goddess of knowledge, wisdom and performing arts. (In the picture above: Saraswati Puja celebrations underway at a school in Kolkata on January 29, 2020.) Here's how the nation celebrates Saraswati Puja and Basant Panchami: 

(Photo: Kuntal Chakrabarty/IANS)

Saraswati Puja celebrations underway at a school in Kolkata on January 29, 2020.

(Photo: Kuntal Chakrabarty/IANS)

Saraswati Puja celebrations underway at a school in Kolkata on January 29, 2020.

(Photo: Kuntal Chakrabarty/IANS)

Bollywood singer, composer Bappi Lahiri during Saraswati Puja celebrations at his house in Mumbai on Wednesday. (Pic Courtesy: ANI)

Bollywood singer, composer Bappi Lahiri along with his grandson during Saraswati Puja festivity at his house in Mumbai on Wednesday. (Pic Courtesy: ANI)

Students of Magadh Mahila College apply gulal on each other during Basant Utsav on the occasion of Saraswati Puja celebrations in Patna, Thursday, January 30, 2020. (Pic Courtesy: PTI) 

Students of Magadh Mahila College apply gulal (red colour vermillion) on each other during Saraswati Puja celebrations on the occasion of Basant Panchami, in Patna on Thursday. (Pic Courtesy: ANI Photo)

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath performs puja on the banks of Sangam -- the confluence of Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati -- in Prayagraj on the occasion of Basant Panchami on Jan 30, 2020.

(Pic Courtesy: IANS)

A priest performs puja in front of Maa Saraswati's idol on the occasion of the Basant Panchami festival in Ajmer on Wednesday. (Pic Courtesy: ANI)

Sand artist Manas Sahoo created a sand sculpture to aware massage on coronavirus on eve of Basant Panchami festival in Puri on Wednesday. (Pic Courtesy: ANI)