VAAKVANI BEYOND INDIA

TODAY is Maha Saptami, an important day of the Durga Puja festival, which celebrates goddess Durga. School holidays are declared for this day in West Bengal, Tripura, and Assam.

- RENUKA NARAYANAN

And tomorrow is the beloved Ashtami Puja, and also the Sarasvati Puja. On this day, devotees worship Goddess Sarasvati, the deity of arts, learning, and wisdom. This is part of the Durga Puja in which prayers are offered to various forms of the goddess. On September 30, it aligns with Durga Ashtami.

Aptly, tomorrow is also International Translation Day, which celebrates the work of language professionals, such as translators, interpreters, and terminologists. A possibly unintentional but appropriate tribute to Vaakvani, another name for Sarasvati as the presiding deity of speech and language in Indian tradition.

There are seven aspects of Sarasvati, known as the Sapta Sarasvati: Chintamani Sarasvati, Gnyana Sarasvati, Neela Sarasvati, Ghata Sarasvati, Kini Sarasvati, Antariksha Sarasvati, and Maha Sarasvati, each representing different aspects of knowledge and wisdom. Here, I remember the last classical hero of Indian history, Guru Gobind Singh, who was eloquent in both Sanskrit and Persian, a true son of Sarasvati. Besides being a mighty warrior, he composed exquisite poetry, some of which I was privileged to see danced to, from the Dasam Granth.

Sarasvati means 'possessor of flow' from the Sanskrit word 'saras', meaning flow or water. She was also the patron goddess of the hidden river Sarasvati, which is believed to merge with the Ganga and Yamuna at their confluence at Prayagraj.

I have visited the Prayagraj Sangam twice and immersed myself in its holy waters. The last time was in February during the Mahakumbh, and I feel blessed that it was a smooth, beautiful experience.