Basant Panchami is a festival to welcome the spring season in Indian sub-continent. Basant means spring and Panchami mean the fifth day. It is also the day when people start preparing for Holi which takes place forty days after Basant Panchami.
In our India, people of all religions celebrate it. Hindus worship goddess Saraswati on this day. Goddess Saraswati is the goddess of knowledge, music and art. Babies also write their first words on this day. In many schools, Goddess Saraswati is worshipped. This festival celebrates the coming of mustard flowers. The fields look beautiful with yellow mustard flowers so people wear matching yellow clothes on this day.
People of Rajasthan wear jasmine garlands on this day. In Punjab, Sikhs wear yellow turban. Everything is coloured yellow. It is a festival of kites too. Everywhere people fly kites of many colours. People of West Bengal and Odisha carry the idols of Goddess Saraswati in colourful ways and later put it into water.
Basant Panchami is also celebrated outside India. In Pakistan, the kite festival on this day is a very old tradition. Hindus in Indonesia also celebrate it. It is celebrated in Nepal also. In Delhi, this festival is also celebrated in the Dargah Nizamuddin.
Like other festivals, it is also a day to bring happiness into our lives. Basant Panchami is a celebration of Nature. It reminds us of our connection to our mother earth.
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Question on Basant Panchami
What is Basant Panchami in English?
Basant Panchami is also known as Vasant Panchami. It marks the beginning of spring and end of the winter season.
What is the meaning of Basant Panchami?
Basant means spring and Panchami mean the fifth day. It is celebrated in Hindu calender in Magh.
Why is Basant Panchami celebrated?
In our India, people of all religions celebrate it. Hindus worship goddess Saraswati on this day. Goddess Saraswati is the goddess of knowledge, music and art. Babies also write their first words on this day
Why do we wear yellow clothes on Basant Panchami?
This festival celebrates the coming of mustard flowers. The fields look beautiful with yellow mustard flowers so people wear matching yellow clothes on this day.
What is the history of Basant?
Maharaja Ranjeet Singh of Punjab introduces Kite festival in 19th century. Many fairs took place in Sufi Dargahs in those areas.
