If you grew up in a small town in Bihar or Jharkhand during the 90s, Saraswati Puja wasn't just a festival—it was the highlight of the year. We didn't have big budgets or fancy decorators. We had our friends, some pocket money, and a lot of excitement.
Building the Pandal with Sarees- We didn't hire professionals to build a stage. Instead, we gathered bamboo poles and borrowed sarees from our mothers. We pinned them together to make a colorful, makeshift tent. It wasn’t perfect, but to us, it was the most beautiful temple in the world.
The "Chanda" Mission- Weeks before the puja, we went door-to-door in our locality to collect Chanda. We were happy even with 2 or 5 rupees. This money was precious because it bought the essentials like Ber, green peas, boondiya for prasad.
The All-Nighter- The night before the puja was the best part. It was our one chance to stay up all night with friends. While music played on a loud tape recorder, we worked hard to decorate the pandal. We laughed, talked, and stayed awake in the chilly air, making sure everything was ready for the Goddess.
There was a special tradition every student followed: placing our books at the feet of the Goddess. We believed that if our books stayed with the idol, Goddess Saraswati would bless us with Vidya (wisdom). It was also the best excuse to not study for a whole day! We prayed hard, hoping the Goddess would help us pass our exams.
Looking back, those days were simple. We didn't need much to be happy. The joy came from working together as a team and the pure devotion we felt in our hearts. It was a time of friendship and sweet memories that stay with us forever.
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