New Delhi: NCC cadets perform cultural dance during the Annual PM’s National Cadet Corps (NCC) Rally 2020, at Cariappa Parade Ground, Delhi Cantt, in New Delhi, Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2020. Bhopal: Folk artists from Karnataka perform a traditional drum dance ‘Dollu Kunitha’ at Lokrang Festival 2020 during 71st Republic Day celebrations, at Ravindra Bhawan in Bhopal, Monday, Jan. 27, 2020.New Delhi: A pedistrian walks across a zebra crossing in front of the Parliament House during rain, in New Delhi, Tuesday, Jan.28, 2020.
In response to this ongoing public health emergency, we developed an online dashboard (static snapshot shown below) to visualize and track the reported cases on a daily timescale; the complete set of data is downloadable as a google sheet. The case data visualized is collected from various sources, including WHO, U.S. CDC, ECDC China CDC (CCDC), NHCand DXY. DXY is a Chinese website that aggregates NHC and local CCDC situation reports in near real-time, providing more current regional case estimates than the national level reporting organizations are capable of, and is thus used for all the mainland China cases reported in our dashboard (confirmed, suspected, recovered, deaths). U.S. cases (confirmed, suspected, recovered, deaths) are taken from the U.S. CDC, and all other country (suspected and confirmed) case data is taken from the corresponding regional health departments. The dashboard is intended to provide the public with an understanding of the outbreak situation as it unfolds, with transparent data sources.
Advice for the public WHO’s standard recommendations for the general public to reduce exposure to and transmission of a range of illnesses are as follows.
Saraswati Puja is celebrated on Basant Panchami or Vasant Panchami that marks the beginning of the spring season. Basant means spring and Panchami means “the fifth day”, so Vasant Panchami literally means the fifth day of the spring season. The day is also celebrated as Saraswati Puja and the goddess of wisdom and knowledge, Saraswati, is worshipped on this day. Popular in Bengal, Odisha and North Indian states like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Basant Panchami and Saraswati Puja day is an auspicious one. According to drikpanchang.com, Vasant Panchami Muhurat is 10:45 am to 12:34 pm. The Panchami Tithi Begins at 10:45 am on January 29 and Panchami Tithi Ends at 1:19 pm on January 30, 2020.
On Saraswati Puja, women get ready in bright yellow sarees and men wear traditional kurtas and offer flowers and prasad to the goddess. On this day, children worship Goddess Saraswati, who is the deity of music, culture and learning. The Saraswati Puja is also referred as “no study day” for them. Students place their books, pens and musical instruments beside the idol for the entire day om Saraswati Puja to seek Goddess’ blessings.
Significance of the Colour Yellow
Yellow is considered an auspicious color in Hinduism. However, there is another reason for yellow being the preferred color on Vasant Panchami. The yellow mustard flowers are the first to bloom in the spring season. Another important color that dominates the celebrations is white, the color of purity and virtue. It is also believed to be Goddess Saraswati’s favorite color.
Mustard Flower
While flying kites and worshiping Goddess Saraswati is quite common during Vasant Panchami, there is a tale that has been obscured by other celebrations over the years, but is significant nonetheless.