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Vasanta Utsav or Sri-Panchami or Saraswati Puja (District Birbhum)
 The end of winter is heralded by the festival of Sri-Panchami, i.e. the
Vasant-Panchami held almost all over India on a date between the last week of January and the middle of February. The day is sacred to
Saraswati, goddess of learning whose worship is celebrated with great splendor by students and artists. Girl worshipers wear cloth, dyed saffron the traditional color of spring.
In the evening, cultural functions where music and recitation of poems, dramatic performances and dances are held. A vegetarian feast with
luchi (thin fried cakes of wheaten flour) is the order of the day.
In Bengal, during Saraswati Puja, students celebrate the Homecoming of the Goddess of Learning. Books are often worshipped in lieu of the clay image of the Goddess. The puja is especially celebrated in schools and other educational institutes.
And gives an chance of free-mixing among school kids. This is the equivalent of Valentine's Day to them.
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