Basant Panchami, also known as Vasant Panchami is the festival that marks the onset of spring in India. The festival is observed on the fifth day of the Indian traditional calendar month of Magha and is considered to be an auspicious one. The festival has a specific meaning where Vasant stands for ‘spring while Panchami stands for ‘the fifth day’ of the Magha month. The festival, which also marks the beginning of Saraswati Puja,  typically falls in the Gregorian months of January or sometimes in February.

PM Modi and President Ram nath Kovind extended the Basant Panchami greetings to the nation on Monday.

Basant Panchami is celebrated with great pomp and zeal in India and in countries abroad. In India, the festival also marks the start of preparation for Holika bonfire and Holi, which occurs forty days later. In India, the festival is particularly observed in the north, central and western parts of India and Nepal while it has been a historical tradition of Sikhs as well.

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Apart from celebrations in India, Vasant Panchami marks its significance even in countries abroad.  On the island of Bali and the Hindus of Indonesia, it is known as "Hari Raya Saraswati" (great day of Saraswati). The festival also marks the beginning of the 210-day long Balinese Pawukon calendar.

The patron goddess of arts and learning, Goddess Saraswati, is worshipped in northern parts of India.  During the auspicious festival, people offer yellow flowers to Goddess Saraswati while festive yellow dishes like sweet saffron rice, kesari sheera, boondi ke ladoo, rajbhog and khichdi are being prepared in homes.  Depending on the region, Basant Panchami is celebrated in various ways across India. While many revere goddess Saraswati, the Hindu deity of learning, arts and music, others mark it as the festival of god Kama, the Hindu deity of love by remembering the loved celebrating it with spring flowers. Few others celebrate the festival by wearing yellow clothes and by eating yellow rice to emulate the yellow mustard (sarson) flower fields. In many regions, people celebrate the festival by flying kites.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 21, 2018 10:34 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).