Saraswati shrines for Saraswati puja

I had thought that Saraswati puja would last for only one day (this past Saturday) and be over. But actually, many temporary shrines have been set up everywhere for Saraswati; it reminds me a lot of Durga puja! People play loud music day and night. Last night, some of our neighbors performed an evening arti (type of prayer) while banging on pots and pans in our alleyway. They had even set up a stage light by tying it to the telephone wire. The reason some people keep up their Saraswati shrines after the day of Saraswati puja is that they are waiting for an astrologically auspicious hour to submerge their image of Saraswati in the Ganges River.

Here are a bunch of pictures of various Saraswati shrines and parades in the streets of Banaras (complete with lots of rowdy young men dancing and trying to touch girls):