Sooji Phirni

Recipe: Sooji Phirni | Kashmiri Suji Phirni | Kong Phirin

Sooji Phirni is a traditional Kashmiri dessert made using semolina instead of rice. It turns our so aromatic and flavourful because of saffron. Full fat milk lands to the creamy texture of this sweet dish. And the best part is that it is easy to make. Additional advantage is that it can be made a day ahead if you’re going to serve for any festival.

Memories:

What Is Vasant Panchami/Basant Panchami

It is believed that the celebration of this auspicious day which falls on the 5th day of the Magh month (Gregorian calendar month of February) marks the beginning of spring season. For example, Punjab region celebrates this festival by flying kites. The mustard plants begins to flower during this time, creating stretches of fields into bright yellow carpets. The blooming mustard plants symbolise youth, freshness, procreation,love, change and life itself.

For this reason  people wear yellow clothes and celebrate with sweets that are yellow in colour.  Particularly, for Uttarkashi, it is a farmers festival. Doors of homes are decorated with yellow flowers to welcome spring and the sowing season. In brief, Bihar people wears yellow clothes and yellow tilaks of turmeric on their foreheads and perform prayers early in the morning to the Sun, Ganga and  the Earth.

History Behind This Festival

It is believed that this festival originated during the Aryan civilization. Aryans crossed the Saraswati River and settled along the banks of the river.Hence, Saraswati River began to be associated with fertility and knowledge and locals began to celebrate this festival.

According to legend there was a very proud princess who refused to marry any suitor who could not match her knowledge. As a result, the pundits made Kalidasa, who was dumb, participate in a question answer session with the princess. Since he could not talk, he answered what he believed by using sign language which the pundits interpreted as they liked. The princess married him and found out that he was dumb and not intelligent.She kicked him out of the palace. Dejected he was about to commit suicide when Goddess Saraswati appeared before him and asked him to dip in the Saraswati river. When he emerged from the river he was a changed man and began to recite verses.

Poem By Shri Narendra Modi

At this juncture I must share with you a poem which has been written by Shri Narendra Modi about Basant. Its penned in Gujarati but I hear that his book on poems and translations have been published.
Click on the link to listen to artist Parthiv Gohil sing this composition.
http://www.narendramodi.in/basant-panchami-the-advent-of-spring-2-5108

Translation :
All that begins meets an end, Every end onsets a new beginning,

 Also Celebrated As Saraswati Puja Day

Om Hreem Saraswatyai Namah

Many educational institutions worship Goddess Saraswati on this auspicious day. They drape her in a yellow sari and offer her yellow sweets. New schools are opened on this day. A child learns to read and write his/her first word on this day. It is said that Goddess Saraswati invented Sanskrit, the mother of all languages. She is the Goddess of knowledge, wisdom, music and learning. Thus, the encouragement by the Indian Government to worship Saraswati in all Educational Institutes on Vasant Panchami.

For whatever reason or belief we celebrate Vasant Panchami, I know that if it were not for the opportunity given by my parents to attend school, if it were not for the wonderful teachers that helped me to read and write and above all the blessings of Ma Saraswati, I would not be writing this post or for that matter any other posts on my blog.