Greetings on Basant Panchami Basant Panchami: A Festival of Knowledge and Renewal

Explainer I ghtn.in

Basant Panchami, also known as Vasant Panchami, is an ancient Indian festival marking the arrival of spring (Vasant Ritu). Celebrated on the fifth day of the bright half of the Hindu month of Magha (January–February), it has been observed since Vedic times, when seasonal change was closely linked to agriculture, education, and spiritual life.

The day is dedicated to Goddess Saraswati, the deity of knowledge, wisdom, music, and the arts. According to tradition, Saraswati was created on this day by Lord Brahma to bring order and creativity into the universe. Over centuries, Basant Panchami became the most auspicious occasion to begin learning, marked by Vidyarambha or Hate Khori, when children are introduced to writing.

The festival also reflects harmony with nature. In northern India, mustard fields bloom during this period, symbolising prosperity, growth, and renewal. Yellow, the dominant colour of Basant Panchami, represents spring, energy, intellectual clarity, and optimism. Devotees wear yellow, prepare yellow sweets, and place books and musical instruments near Saraswati’s idol, acknowledging knowledge itself as sacred.

Celebrations vary across regions. In North India, schools and colleges organise Saraswati Puja; in West Bengal and eastern India, the festival features cultural programmes and first-writing ceremonies; in Punjab and Haryana, kite flying accompanies the season; and in southern India, music, dance, and Vidyarambham highlight the artistic dimension of learning.

Through the Indian diaspora, Basant Panchami is celebrated globally, from Nepal and Bangladesh to Indonesia (Bali), Southeast Asia, and countries such as the USA, UK, Canada, and Mauritius, demonstrating the enduring civilisational value placed on knowledge.

Recent attacks on Saraswati idols in Bangladesh have underscored that such festivals are not merely religious observances but repositories of cultural memory. Basant Panchami reminds us that knowledge is sacred, cultural memory is fragile, and learning is a collective responsibility—values that remain relevant across time and geography.

( Curated by Sandhya Jha)