Basant Panchami: History, Celebrations, Quotes, and Messages

Laelia Yang January 17, 2021 | 23:15

Basant Panchami is a significant festival in India which marks springtime harvest when flowers are in full bloom and every home can boast of color in their garden.

Basant Panchami: History, Celebrations, Quotes, and Messages

Happy Basant Panchami. Photo: timesofindia.indiatimes.com

What is Basant Panchami?

Basant Festival of Kites, also known as Basant Panchami, Vasant Panchami, Saraswati Puja, or Shree Panchami, is a festival to celebrate the first day of spring. It is observed on the fifth day of the Indian month of Magha (late January to early February) by Hindus and Sikhs (Panchami means "fifth").

Date and time

According to India Today, this year Basant Panchami shall be observed on February 16, 2021. The Panchami Tithi shall start from 06:45 to 12:35. Although the entire day is considered as being auspicious, the right time for doing the puja is in the afternoon.

This year, the following timings are to be observed:

Vasant Panchami Muhurat - 10:45 am to 12:34 pm

Vasant Panchami Madhyahna - 12:34 pm

History of Basant Panchami

There is an interesting history behind the reason why we celebrate Basant Panchami. As per popular belief, goddess Saraswati, who is said to be the deity of learning, music, and art was born on this day and people worship her to achieve wisdom. Hence people are often seen celebrating Saraswati Puja on Basant Panchami.

Saraswati Vandana. Photo: patrika.com

Saraswati Vandana

The goddess Saraswati is remembered with great reverence and affection on this day. Saras plus wati which conjoined together makes Saraswati, Saras meaning flowing in watery pools, and wati meaning possessor, which in turn makes Saraswati the embodiment of a continuing flow of knowledge. The Vedic river of the same name is the quintessence of the road to immortality and a heavenly afterlife. The Devi Mahatmya which is part of the Markandeya Purana ascribed to the 5th or 6th CE is a text which centers around the persona of the Devi as the primary deity, where the many manifestations of the Devi are eulogized, from the malevolent Chandi to the gentle Sri. In this text, the Goddess Saraswati is one of the three ‘tridevis’, i.e. Mahakali, Mahalakshmi, and Mahasaraswati, the consorts of the male holy trinity of Shiva, Vishnu, and Brahma. Mahasaraswati is depicted as an eight-armed Goddesses sitting on a white lotus. She holds aloft in her eight arms, the bell, trident, plow, conch, pestle discus, bow, and arrow, thus taking her beyond being only a goddess of the arts and letters, according to timesnownews.

Significance

Goddess Saraswati is the one who gives us wisdom. Basant Panchami is also when the Spring season begins in India and the mustard flowers bloom. It is the color yellow that is associated with the festival, and entire fields of mustard flowers resemble beds of yellow flowers when in full bloom. People wear yellow colored clothes and also eat food that has the color yellow in it (like khichdi). Goddess Saraswati’s idols are covered in yellow sarees as it is believed that it is one of her favorite colors, reported Times of India.

Basant Panchami is the time when people start giving the first lessons on education to their children. This custom is referred to as Vidyarambam. It is also known as Aksharabhyasam.

Celebrations

Basant Panchami Celebration in School. Photo: sps-indore.com

Celebrated in educational intuitions

This festival is also celebrated in educational institutes like schools and colleges. It is said that Goddess Saraswati can bestow on her devotee's lots of wisdom, learning, and knowledge as the goddess is considered to be the epitome of wisdom. Students and teachers wear new clothes, offer prayers to the goddess of knowledge, and various programs of song and dance are organized to please the goddess, according to Hindustan Times.

How it is celebrated across India

Punjab and Haryana

Basant Panchami is celebrated with enthusiasm and fervour in Punjab and Haryana. People engage in flying kites. Like all Indian festivals, Basant Panchami is incomplete without seasonal delicacies.

Meethe chawal is one such mouthwatering dish served in Punjab. Other dishes include Makkei ki roti and Sarso ka saag. The sight of wide patches of fields filled with mustard crops is another characteristic of this season.

Bengal

For Bengalis, Saraswati Puja serves as a children’s festival. The children arrange the preparations to pray to the goddess of wisdom and knowledge. Once the puja is done, they go out to enjoy the day.

In Bengal, schools and colleges celebrate Saraswati Puja. Wearing yellow is considered to be auspicious during Basant Panchami. Women wear yellow sarees, while men don ‘panjabis’ and ‘dhuti’ or ‘pajama’. People eat khichuri, a blend of rice and pluses, and pair it up with various fritters. Sweets like rajbhog and payesh are also savored on Saraswati Puja.

Odisha

Odisha is another state that observes Saraswati Puja. Pushpanjali is offered to the deity; bright, yellow flowers are used. As Saraswati is also the goddess of music, culture, and learning, singers and musicians also observe the day with great devotion.

Assam

Basant Panchami or Saraswati Puja is celebrated in Assam as well. The birth of Saraswati is associated with getting up early in the morning, cleaning the surroundings of the house and puja area.

Once the cleaning is done, people wear new clothes and sit together to pray to the goddess.

Importance of yellow color

The color yellow has a great significance in the celebration of Vasant Panchami as it marks the harvest time of the mustard crop that has yellow blooms, which is Goddess Saraswati’s favorite color. Yellow attire is therefore worn by the followers of Saraswati. Moreover, a traditional feast is prepared for the festival wherein the dishes are usually yellow and saffron in color.

The color yellow which is the reigning color of Basant is abundant everywhere. The color yellow symbolizes hope and freshness, happiness and positivity, optimism and enlightenment, and intellect., and therefore yellow marigold garlands are offered to the presiding deities of the season namely Saraswati, Ganesh, navagharas. The image of the Goddess Saraswati was dressed in a red and white saree, and Kalash puja is done Yellow marigold garlands placed around Ganesha, and as children, we had to sing the Ganesha Vandana, put our books and pencils/pens at the feet of the Goddess Saraswati.

Food offered

Recipes For Basant Panchami. Photo: aahaaramonline.com

The color of Basant is yellow which symbolizes peace, prosperity, light, energy, and optimism. This is why people wear yellow clothes and make traditional delicacies in yellow hues. In Bengal and Bihar, Goddess Saraswati is offered boondi and ladoo. Sweet rice with saffron and dry fruits is made in almost every house on this occasion. Mango wood, shriphal (coconut), Ganga water, and baer are also offered, particularly by Bengalis. Traditionally, in Punjab, Maake ki Roti and Sarso Ka Saag are savoured. In Bihar, people celebrate Saraswati Puja by offering delicacies like Kheer, Malpua and Bundi to the Goddess. Like all festivals, it is marked by many traditional delicacies, like khichuri, mixed vegetables, kesar halwa, kesari bhaat, payesh, begun bhaja, sondesh and rajbhog are served as a bhog on this special day. On Murti Visthapan day, big processions are held. The idols of Maa Saraswati are immersed in the holy water of river Ganga with serenity. This the day is celebrated by savouring Dahi Chura along with gur and banana.

Basant Panchami Wishes

"May the occasion of Basant Panchami, Bring the wealth of knowledge to You, May You be blessed by Goddess Saraswati & All Your Wishes Come True."

"When you find a DREAM inside your HEART…don’t ever let it go… Coz's dreams are the tiny seeds from which beautiful Tomorrow grows. Happy Basant Panchami!"

"On this day Goddess Saraswati is worshiped in various names and fame – Badal, arts and science, and deep, Supreme knowledge. Happy Basant Panchami."

"May the revered occasion of Basant Panchami, Bring the wealth of knowledge to you, May you be blessed by Goddess Saraswati… and all your wishes come true. Happy Basant Panchami."

"Spring is in air, Fresh blossoms everywhere. Sending you my warm greetings on the auspicious occasion of Basant Panchami!"

"Days are too busy, hours are too few, seconds are too fast, but there is always time for me to say hello to someone like you. Smile and enjoy Basant Panchami."

"No greeting card to give, No sweet flowers to send, No cute graphics to forward, Just a carrying heart wishing you A Happy Basant Panchami!"

"May you rise each texting day with a fully charged cell phone in your hand, an inspiring message in your mind, me in your heart, and a clear signal all day long. Have a great Basant Panchami day!"

"Wishing you Happiness, Good fortune, Success, Peace, & Progress on the occasion of Basant Panchami."

"I pray to Goddess Saraswati for you that, this great occasion of Basant Panchami, May bring a huge wealth of knowledge for you & May you be blessed by Goddess Saraswati. Wish you a joyful Basant Panchami."

"May Goddess Saraswati Bless You With The Ocean Of Knowledge Which Never Ends"

"May You Be Bestowed With Knowledge And Wisdom. Have A Blessed Vasant Panchami!"

"As the chill in the weather vanishes with the arrival of Spring; I wish all your sorrows also evaporate. Happy Basant Panchami."

"Let’s pray the goddess of knowledge and wisdom on the auspicious occasion of Basant Panchami. May the goddess stop showering her blessings on us!"

"On the auspicious occasion of Saraswati puja, I wish you always stay blessed with prosperity and success in your life."

Basant Panchami Messages- SMS and Greetings

Basant Panchami 2021: History, Significance, Celebrations, Quotes, and Messages

Photo: Allimage Greetings.

May the occasion of Basant Panchami, Bring the wealth of knowledge to You, May You be blessed by Goddess Saraswati & All Your Wishes Come True.

When you find a DREAM inside your HEART…don’t ever let it go…Coz dreams are the tiny seeds from which beautiful Tomorrow grows. Happy Basant Panchami!

On this day Goddess Saraswati is worshiped in various names and fames – Badal, arts and science, and deep, Supreme knowledge. Happy Basant Panchami.

May the revered occasion of Basant Panchami, Bring the wealth of knowledge to you, May you be blessed by Goddess Saraswati… and all your wishes come true. Happy Basant Panchami.

Spring is in air, Fresh blossoms everywhere. Sending you my warm greetings on the auspicious occasion of Basant Panchami!

Days are too busy, hours are too few, seconds are too fast, but there is always time for me to say hello to someone like you. Smile and enjoy Basant Panchami.

No greeting card to give, No sweet flowers to send, No cute graphics to forward, Just a carrying heart wishing you A Happy Basant Panchami

May you rise each texting day with fully charged cell phone in your hand, inspiring message in your mind, me in your heart, and a clear signal all day long. Have a great Basant Panchami day!

Wishing you Happiness, Good fortune, Success, Peace, & Progress on the occasion of Basant Panchami.

I pray to Goddess Saraswati for you that, this great occasion of Basant Panchami, May bring huge wealth of knowledge for you & May you be blessed by Goddess Saraswati. Wish you a joyful Basant Panchami.

Basant Panchami 2020: Quotes, messages, wishes and facebook and whatsapp status

May Goddess Saraswati Bless You With The Ocean Of Knowledge Which Never Ends

May You Be Bestowed With Knowledge And Wisdom. Have A Blessed Vasant Panchami!

As the chill in the weather vanishes with the arrival of Spring; I wish all your sorrows also evaporate. Happy Basant Panchami.

Let’s pray the goddess of knowledge and wisdom on the auspicious occasion of Basant Panchami. May the goddess stop showering her blessings on us!

On the auspicious occasion of saraswati puja, i wish you always stay blessed with prosperity and success in your life.

Basant Panchami 2020: Quotes, messages, wishes and facebook and whatsapp status

With fragrant flowers and fluttering butterflies around, soft breeze whispers in your ear - Happy Basant Panchami!

May Goddess Saraswati Bless You With The Ocean Of Knowledge Which Never Ends. Happy Basant Panchami.

May the vibrance of colour yellow fill your life with love and light this Basant Panchami.

May your mind be always filled with good thoughts and positivity. Happy Basant Panchami.

There is cheerfulness in the air and sweetness in the song of birds as Spring comes near. Happy Basant Panchami.

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