Devotees, especially the students in Dehradun, Haridwar and other parts of the State, thronged temples and Saraswati Puja venues to offer prayers to Saraswati, the goddess, who personifies learning, wisdom and art, on Saturday. Cultural programmes were also organised to mark the day wherein students mostly participated.
People kept thronging the places where the Mother of Wisdom was being worshipped since the morning. locals enthusiastically participated in the Saraswati Puja function staged by the college students and the teachers in Haridwar. At Sai Temple where the puja was held, students sang religious songs and displayed their arts. Sumitra, one of the participants, said they offer prayers to the Goddess every year while praying to her for wisdom.
Students in Haridwar participated in the puja in their schools and colleges in large number. The same was true for Dehradun too with students being present in the educational institutions they study in. Puja was held with special fervor in the institutions devoted to music, arts and crafts. A priest at Sai Mandir who performed the puja there said the day celebrates wisdom that helps one to break free from the gravitational pulls of the mundane life. “Wisdom helps one to transcend the limitation imposed by the sensory organs. Mother Saraswati signifies the essence of the Indian culture that puts soul above body, wisdom over sensuous pleasure,” he added.