Why do the people of Northeast India abstain from eating "bogori or jujube berries or ber" before Saraswati Puja?
Picture- Bogori Tree
Why do people call our country an "incredible India"? Yes, all Indians equally feel proud to say that, we as the largest democracy in the world, have unitedly made it possible for people of all religions and castes to make our country incredible with our multifaceted traditions, cultures, heritage, mixed languages, and apparently with many historical monuments.
Being the largest democratic nation with versatile communities and traditions and religions, every one of us never misses an opportunity to celebrate our festive, events and obviously our own regional traditions. However, when we talk about "Puja" the level of excitement especially in the Bengali community and Northeastern peoples of India is typically different than the rest of the Indians.
"Durga Puja and Saraswati Puja" are two of the major festivals for which every northeastern people eagerly waits every year to get the blessings of Maa Durga and Aai Saraswati. All the people of Northeast India, celebrate these two festive in the most splendid way as much as possible to make these events more memorable.
Likewise, the rituals of food among different communities during the festival season are also vary based on our cultures, traditions, and obviously with the religions. So today this article is fundamentally about the customs of not eating "jujube berries or bogori" before the Saraswati Puja and here we will come to know the reason why the individuals of Northeast India actually abstain from eating this delicious fruit until the culmination of Saraswati Aai Puja.
About the Saraswati Puja or Basant Panchami or Vasant Panchami (A small description ):-
What is Saraswati Puja a small introduction:-
"Saraswati Puja" which is likewise called Basant Panchami or Vasant Panchami is one of the most auspicious and significant festivals of India that is celebrated to pay tribute to the Hindu goddess Maa Saraswati. Fundamentally, Saraswati puja is celebrated on the fifth day of Magh (Magh means a calendar month of Hindu religion).
However, in the case of Assam, we have a separate regional calendar or Assamese calendar for which the date of Saraswati Puja does not match the Hindu calendar as mentioned above.
It is the first festive that invites the " King of all seasons i.e spring ". "Basant or Vasant" fundamentally indicates the season "Spring" though "Panchami" basically signified "the fifth day" on which the celebration really falls. Typically, this festive fall is in late January or February, especially on the fifth day of Magh and before the 40 days of spring. Likewise this festive is also marked as the preparation of another extraordinary festive i.e Holi which is celebrated 40 days after the Saraswati Puja.
This festive is especially honored by Hindus in India and numerous subcontinent countries. Hindus, Sikhs, and Jains in India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Java, and Bali (Indonesia) are a couple of nations where Saraswati Puja is celebrated by the people groups of these religions.
PIC showing - Saraswati idol
Why Saraswati Puja or Basant Panchami is Celebrated?
A few mythological stories are additionally well known with regards to the festival of Vasant Panchami. It is believed that on the day of Vasant Panchami, Goddess Saraswati, who is known as the goddess of knowledge and learning, appeared from the mouth of Lord "Brahma", i.e the creator of the universe. Since, Aai Saraswati is considered as the goddess of knowledge, learnings, language, music, and all arts and who represents creative energy and power in the entirety of its structure including longing and love, subsequently all the worshipers of knowledge worship their adorable goddess Maa Saraswati on the day of Vasant Panchami. To this end, we as a whole basically celebrate Saraswati Puja every year.
What are the other rituals that are followed in Saraswati Puja?
During this season people generally find the beautiful agriculture fields maturing with yellow blossoms of the mustard crop which Hindus generally associate with Saraswati Aai's favorite color. Thus many people groups and particularly students dress up in yellow saris or shirts or accessories on this day and furthermore share yellow-colored snacks and desserts. Also, some of us add saffron to the rice and then eat yellow cooked rice as a part of an intricate feast.
On this day, all the educational institutions are overfilled by students and their parents, whereas an exaggerated dress-up among worshipers is seen particularly at the school and colleges of North East India. The statue of Aai Saraswati in educational institutions and in temples is placed and worshiped according to the rituals. In numerous educational institutions, they organize special prayers or pujas in the morning to seek the blessing of the goddess. Wonderful poetic and musical events are also held in many communities in reverence for the goddess Saraswati. In many families, they mark this day by sitting with infants and small kids and encouraging them to write their first words with their fingers and do some study or to make music together.
"Khesari or Khisiri or Khichdi"(a yellow color light food made of rice and other mixed vegetables) is also taken as a "prasad" in most of the schools and colleges post the worship of Aai Saraswati.
The color of "Spring or Basant" is yellow and which represents prosperity, light, energy, and hopefulness among people groups. That is why devotees or the worshipers wear yellow clothes and make traditional delicacies in yellow tints.
Why bogori or jujube berry or ber (Jujube berry in hindi is called as ber) are not eaten before Saraswati Puja? (Saraswati puja in Assam)
In Assam, jujube berry is called"bogori" and in Hindi, it's known as "ber" (Bogori fruit in Hindi- called ber). During spring "bogori or jujube berry" is one of the most cultivated organic fruits that is generally found in all places of Northeast India. It's believed that ber or bogori or jujube berry is the most loved fruit of goddess Saraswati and also other divinities like Lord Shiva. Being as the spring organic fruit the first and fresh harvest of jujube berry comes in around a similar time as Basant Panchami and it is considered as inauspicious to eat ber or bogori or jujube berry before Saraswati Puja without the offerings to the divinity of Basant Panchami.
Since jujube berry is the favorite fruit of goddess Saraswati and the fresh harvest of this is found widely during this season only. Hence without the offerings to the deity, eating bogori or ber is considered to invite the ill humor of the goddess. Hence we generally refrain from eating jujube or bogori or ber before Saraswati Puja.
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