1. 1. WISHING YOU HAPPY BASANT PANCHAMI ( 01 FEB`2017 )
WISHING YOU HAPPY BASANT PANCHAMI :- 1. Basant Panchami, refers to the following festivals: the religious Hindu festival of Saraswati Puja also called Shree Panchami; Sufi Basant observed in Sufi shrines; the seasonal spring festival of Basant Panchami observed in many regions; the Basant Festival of Kites of the Punjab region; observance in Gurdwaras as a Sikh festival; the birthday of the Deo-Sun God in Bihar and a harvest festival. The festivals are celebrated on the fifth day of Magha.
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2. Basant Panchami has a specific meaning: Basant means “spring,”and Panchami means “the fifth day.” Basant Panchami falls on the fifth day of spring. The festival is observed in the northern part of the Subcontinent. Although it is notified in the ritual calendar of South India, it is not celebrated as a household or public event but in temples as a religious festival.The same rings true of the central region of Madhya Pradesh.
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3. Basant Panchami is celebrated every year on the fifth day of the bright half of the Indian month of Magha . In ancient Indian literature, Basant Panchami is associated with Shringara Rasam and the festival was celebrated in this tradition. Celebrations today still honor Kamadeva, his wife Rati, and his friend Basant (the personification of Spring).
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4. People worship Goddess Saraswati to get enlighten with knowledge and to get rid of lethargy, sluggishness and ignorance. This ritual of initiating education to children is known as Akshar-Abhyasam or Vidya-Arambham/Praasana which is one of the famous rituals of Basant Panchami. Schools and colleges arrange pujas in the morning to seek blessing of the Goddess.
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5. Purvahna Kala, which is the time between the sunrise and the midday, is considered to decide Basant Panchami day. Basant Panchami is celebrated on the day when Panchami Tithi prevails during Purvahna Kala. Due to which Basant Panchami might also fall on Chaturthi Tithi. Many astrologers consider Basant Panchami as Abujha (अबूझ) day which is auspicious to start all good work. According to this belief whole Basant Panchami day is auspicious to perform Saraswati Puja.
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6. Although there is no special time to perform Saraswati Puja on Basant Panchami day one should make sure that Puja is done when Panchami Tithi is prevailing. Many times Panchami Tithi doesn’t prevail whole of the day on Basant Panchami day hence we believe that it is important to do Saraswati puja within Panchami Tithi.
7. 7. Saraswati Vandana
या कुन्देन्दुतुषारहारधवला या शुभ्रवस्त्रावृता या वीणावरदण्डमण्डितकरा या श्वेतपद्मासना। या ब्रह्माच्युत शंकरप्रभृतिभिर्देवैः सदा वन्दिता सा मां पातु सरस्वती भगवती निःशेषजाड्यापहा ॥
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8. Basant Panchami is the first and more minor of two spring-themed festivals in Hindu culture. Basant Panchami initiates the spring festive cycle and heralds its summation that occurs with Holi.
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9. The 40-day period between Basant Panchami and Holi corresponds with the 40 days of Rati’s penance after her husband, Kamadeva was reduced to ashes for shooting the eye of Shiva with his love arrows. Between Basant Panchami and Holi, preparations are made for numerous burnings in effigy of the demoness Holika.
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10.Starting on Basant Panchami, a log with a figure of Holika is placed in a public place and during the next 40 days, the faithful add twigs and other combustible material to the log to form a pyre which is lit on Holi. In places such as Balarama temple in Baithain, the singing of Holi songs and the throwing of color begin on Vasant Panchami and continue throughout the Holi season.
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11. Muslims have been celebrating Basant since the 12th century A.D. According to legend Delhi’s Chishti Saint Nizamuddin Aulia’s young nephew Taqiuddin Nooh died. Stricken with grief, he withdrew from society. The court poet, Amir Khusrau, tried to think of ways to brighten the Saint’s mood.
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12. Upon seeing local women carrying flowers on Basant and dressed in yellow, Khusrau too dressed in yellow and took flowers to the Saint. This brought a smile on the Saint’s face. Since then, Basant has been celebrated at the dargah of Nizamuddin Aulia in Delhi and all dargah’s of the Chishti order.
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13. For Sikhs, in the Harmandir Sahib, Amritsar, on the day of Basant Panchmi, musicians start the music by singing Basant Raga. This practice continues up until the first day of Vaisakh when Basant Rag is no longer used.
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14. A fair is normally held at the famous Sikh shrine of Guru-ka-Lahore in Bilaspur district to mark the occasion of the marriage of Guru Gobind Singh Ji on Basant Panchami. Maharaja Ranjit Singh encouraged the celebration of Basant in the Gurdwara. In 1825 A.D. he gave 2,000 rupees to the Harmandir Sahib Gurdwara in Amritsar to distribute food.
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15. The seasonal aspects of the festival are more significant in Northern India due to the sharper contrast between the winter and the spring. People celebrate the day by wearing yellow, eating sweet dishes and display yellow flowers in homes. In Rajasthan, it is customary for people to wear jasmine garlands. WISHING YOU HAPPY BASANT PANCHAMI ……
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