The ritual of Saraswati puja (January-February)
Puja to Saraswati follows the outline mentioned for other deities. Where there is no clay image, paintings (pats) may be used instead for worship. In schools as well as in homes, things associated with learning and the arts are used for her worship. an ink pot, books and the musical instrument called the vina (lute) are used in worship to emphasise Saraswati's role in promoting learning. Saraswati, like Lakshmi, is usually worshipped using mould images although larger, hand modelled images may be used. The place of worship is decorated with rice paste designs or alipanas by the womenfolk and children have a holiday from school so that they can join in with the celebrations.
As the Shakti or female energy of the god Brahma she is called Brahmi. Saraswati images are very similar to those of Lakshmi although she is usually shown standing with her vahana or mount the swan at her feet. Most images have a sloping simhashana or base and she is shown as two armed holding vina in her left hand and a rosary or book in her right. It is common to find Saraswati images painted completely white with only the facial details painted in with black paint. Otherwise she may be shown wearing a blue or yellow sari.
At the end of ceremonies the priest takes the hand of a young child and guides it through the first letters of the Bengali alphabet, writing them on a piece of paper or a slate. Clay images are immersed or left out in the open when the puja ceremonies are over.