Saraswati Puja marks the arrival of Spring and the blooming of yellow mustard flowers. The day is also referred to as Basant Panchami. The auspicious day is celebrated annually on the Panchami Tithi or the fifth day on the bright half of the Hindu lunisolar calendar month of Magha which falls in late January or early February.
Devotees across the nation, on this day, worship the goddess Saraswati, the goddess of Knowledge, learning, wisdom, art, and music. The day highlights the ‘Vidhaya Aarambha’, a ritual of introducing young children to the world of education and formal learning.
Art and artisans are also celebrated on Basant Panchmi. The artisans and sculptors work hard to make the idols of the goddess Saraswati. They work diligently on the idols and pray to the goddess to bless them with the finest of artistic abilities. After two years of dull celebrations amid the COVID-19 pandemic, this year the artisans might be praying for better business opportunities.
How the Concept Of Saraswati Pooja Fits In Japan
However, Saraswati Puja is not limited to Hinduism or the geography of India. Saraswati is the most revered deity after the Buddha in Japan, an Island Country in East Asia. As per Japanese mythology, the goddess is worshipped as ‘Benzaiten’, the divinity of the reasoning faculty. She is considered one of the Shichi-Fuku-Jin (Seven Gods of luck); the Buddhist patron goddess of literature, music, wealth, and femininity.
The Japanese Buddhist Goddess Benzaiten originates from the Hindu goddess Saraswati. It is believed that between the sixth and eighth centuries, the Japanese began worshipping Benzaiten, primarily through Chinese translations of the Sutra of Golden Light, which also contains a section devoted to her.
The devi is also mentioned in the Lotus Sutra and is frequently shown holding a biwa, a traditional Japanese flute somewhat similar to devi Saraswati’s Veena. Benzaiten is a highly syncretic entity with Buddhist and Shinto influences.
The goddess of ‘eloquence’ is believed to be a protector deity of the state first rather than of the people. She became one of the Seven Gods of Fortune, when the Sino-Japanese characters used to write her name changed to (Benzaiten), emphasizing her role in bestowing monetary fortune.
The Goddess is revered as a prominent water deity, often conflated with Kisshoten (Lord Lakshmi), and has many water-front shrines to her name. These deities eventually became part of the Seven Lucky Gods, who are said to travel across the country bringing luck, fortune, and compassion throughout the year.
Another Hindu God whose similarities can be found in Japanese culture is Lord Ganesha, the God of intellect, wisdom, and valour. Kangiten or Kankiten is a benevolent and generous grantor of impossible wishes and also a volatile, punishing force. These deities eventually became part of the Seven Lucky Gods.
Interestingly, the cultural exchange of religious traditions in Japan has resulted not only in a strong sense of reverence for the Buddha and his doctrines but also in the large number of Hindu deities who are actively worshipped in Japanese culture. The Japanese also give importance to Sanskrit in their traditions.
After Saraswati, Lakshmi, and Ganesha, the resemblance of Indra, Brahma, Shiva, Vishnu, Yama, Kamadeva, Varun, Vayu, and more can also be found in Japanese culture.
Resemblance Between India and Japan
India and Japan share an ancient relationship. These civilizations are bound by common practices, many of which originate from India or ancient Bharatvarsha.
“Gotama Buddha” a book authored by Hajime Nakamura, a famous Japanese academician of the Vedas and Buddhism, asserts that without Indian Influence, Japanese culture would not be what it is today.
Bharath Gyan, a dedicated research initiative, is painstakingly piecing the puzzle together, foraging among the ruins to keep the glorious past alive and well. In his book, he wrote down some lesser-known facts about India and Japan’s unique relationship which is somehow interestingly unknown to us.
Buddhism was introduced to Japan in the sixth century, and with that, the exchange between Japan and India is said to have begun. The influence of Indian culture on Japanese culture, as filtered through Buddhism, is the source of the Japanese people’s sense of closeness to India.
The First Ramayana Series Made By Japanese Director
The first Animated Ramayana Series – Ramayana: The Legend of Prince Rama was directed by the famous Japanese Director ‘Yugo Sako’. The animated series was shown every year on Cartoon Network in India between Dussehra and Diwali. At that time, the craze of animated films among children was worth watching.
The film was released 30 years ago but even today the popularity of the film is seen. About 40 years back in 1983, Yugo Suko came to India for a project, and when he first came to know about Ramayana. The story of Lord Ram and Maa Sita touched his heart.
After this, he started working in depth on this project. For this, he read 10 versions of the Ramayana in the Japanese Language and was so impressed by it that he wanted to convey the story to the world through an animated movie.
According to Yugo Sako, Lord Ram and his emotions can be best depicted through animation and not with the real face of any actor.
The similarity in Dance, Art
Kabuki (Japan), Kathakali (Kerala, India), Koli (Maharashtra, India), and Soren Bushi are examples of folk arts (Japan).
Japanese and Indian cultures aren’t just similar in traditions, the folk art of the country is also similar. Kabuki, Kathakali, Koli, and Soren Bushi are some examples of how interconnected the arts are.
Kabuki and Kathakali are similar in stylized gestures, symbolic yet minimal dance moves, a plethora of eye and facial expressions, dazzling costumes, elegantly designed wigs, and elaborate make-up for male artists.
Similar Festivals
Koshogatsu, a Japanese harvest festival celebrated in the same way as Makar Sankranti in India, by offering the harvest/ produce to the divine power, as well as celebrating with songs and dances.
Like Navratri in India, Japan celebrates the Kolu festival, which is also a nine-day festival. Kolu is a popular tradition in which dolls are arranged thematically in steps and women are invited to each other’s homes and are treated with food and gifts.
Martial Arts
Given how well-known the Samurai culture is around the world, the Japanese connection to martial arts is obvious.
The rich martial history of India is little known in the Western world. While the Japanese have kendo, judo, and karate (among many others), Indians have ‘Kalari’ (often referred to as the “Mother of Martial Arts”), Silambam, and gatka (and many others as well ). The interesting part is that the martial art forms of both cultures share many similarities, owing to cultural exchange facilitated primarily by Buddhist monks.
Some Common food
Indian and Japanese cultures follow similar food palettes to some extent, Indian Pakora is similar to Japanese Tempura. Tea originated in India before travelling to Japan. In Japan, Kare Raisu is the most popular dish in restaurants, which is very similar to curry rice. Several similarities bind the countries across boundaries.
What Filmmaker Benoy Behl Says;
Filmmaker and Historian Benoy K Behl has been studying the transfer and preservation of Indian religious traditions in Japan for the last two decades.
He had written a book named ‘Hindu deities worshipped in Japan’ and also released a film ‘Indian deities worshipped in Japan’, where he mentions how Lord Saraswati is worshipped in Japan. In his book, he revealed several facts related to India and Japan, as per him the earliest-known images of Lakshmi and Saraswati are from Buddhists and Jaina Stupas.
According to Behl, due to the goddess Saraswati’s association with the mystical river Saraswati, she is worshipped in pools of water in Japan.
There are a large number of Saraswati shrines in Japan. At the museum, there is a rare exhibition of his photographs that reveals little-known facts about Hinduism and Hindu deities in that country
He shows a photo of the goddess with a veena at a shrine in Tokyo, claiming that the one in Osaka is the most impressive and tallest Saraswati shrine in the world.
The Historian said that although the Japanese cannot read this alphabet, it is still used to honour the dead. It’s fascinating that the 5th-century Siddham script, which has vanished in India, is still used in Japan. Even today they have a school where Sanskrit is taught with Siddham in Koyasan Japan.
The world may be defined by borders, but such cultural similarities often overlook these borders bringing the countries together as one or as rightly said ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam.’