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{{Short description|Spring season in Indian calendar}}
{{other uses|Basant (disambiguation)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}}

{{Use Indian English|date=December 2013}}

[[File:Saraswati f. Strassenpuja.JPG|thumb|An idol of Goddess [[Saraswati]] prepared for [[Vasant Panchami|Vasanta Panchami]] in the streets of [[Kolkata]].]]
'''Vasanta''' ({{langx|sa|वसन्त|lit=Spring|translit=Vasanta}}), also referred to as '''Basant''', refers to the [[Ritu (Indian season)|Indian spring]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=www.wisdomlib.org |date=2014-08-03 |title=Vasanta, Vasantā, Vasamta: 32 definitions |url=https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/vasanta |access-date=2022-10-11 |website=www.wisdomlib.org |language=en}}</ref>

One of the main festivals of the Vasanta season is celebrated on ''[[Vasanta Panchami]]'' ({{langx|sa|वसन्त पञ्चमी}}), which in Indian society is a cultural and religious festival, celebrated annually on the first day of spring, the fifth day (Panchami) of the [[Hindu]] month ''[[Maagha|Magha]]'' (January–February).

== Origin ==
In [[Sanskrit]] ''Vasanta'' means ''spring''. Panchami is the fifth day of ''Shukla Paksha'', the fortnight of the waxing moon in the [[Hindu]] month of Magha, (January – February). [[Vasanta Panchami]], which marks the end of the winter and heralds in spring, is dedicated to goddess [[Saraswati]]. She is a goddess of water and of a river bearing her name. Her water originates in the Himalayas, flows southeast and meets the Ganges at Prayag near its confluence with the [[Yamuna]] (Triveni). Saraswati is also a goddess of speech and learning who blesses the world with ''vach'' (words), hymns, Sanskrit and the wealth of knowledge.<ref>[http://www.hindukids.org/stories/festivals/index.html "Hindu festivals."] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303221825/http://www.hindukids.org/stories/festivals/index.html |date=3 March 2016 }} Hindu kids website</ref><ref>[http://www.indiasite.com/festivals/basantpanchami.html "Basant Pachami."] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304191300/http://www.indiasite.com/festivals/basantpanchami.html |date=4 March 2016 }} India site website.</ref> It is auspicious for children to begin school and learn their first word on this day. In the ancient Indian texts, the ''[[Vedas]]'', the prayer for Sarasvati depicts her as a pristine lady in a white dress embellished with white flowers and white pearls. She sits on a white lotus blooming in a wide stretch of water (''neluhini''). She holds a ''[[veena]]'', a string instrument similar to a sitar. No animal is sacrificed and Indians have a vegetarian meal. Saraswati's prayer concludes,
:"Oh, Mother Sarasvati, remove the darkness (ignorance) of my mind and bless me with the eternal knowledge."

== India ==
[[File:Kite shop in Lucknow.jpg|thumb|200px|right|A kite shop in Lucknow.]]
In India, Vasanta is not a [[Public holiday|national holiday]]. However, it is celebrated in North and Eastern India. Students participate in the decoration and preparation of their place of worship. A few weeks before the celebration, schools become active in organizing various annual competitions of music, debate, sports and other activities. Prizes are distributed on the day of [[Vasanta Panchami]]. Many schools organize cultural activities in the evening of the Saraswati Puja day when parents and other community members attend the functions to encourage the children.

=== Hindu festival ===
On Vasanta Pachami<ref>{{cite web |title=बसंत पंचमी (Basant Panchami) के बारे में विस्तारपूर्वक जानकारी - One Hindu Dharma |url=https://onehindudharma.org/basant-panchami/ |website=One Hindu Dharma |publisher=onehindudharma.org |access-date=19 January 2022 |language=hi-IN |date=19 January 2022}}</ref> day, everyone rises early to bathe, dress in yellow clothes, adorn their forehead with the yellow of [[turmeric]] (''[[tilak]]''), and worship the Sun God, [[Ganges in Hinduism|Mother Ganga]], and the earth. Books, articles, musical instruments, tools for art such as earthen inkpots and bamboo quills, are placed in front of the goddess to receive her blessings. The ink is made from unboiled milk water, red colour powder and silver glitter called ''avro''. Although it is auspicious for children to learn their first word on this day of celebration, everyone abstains from their usual reading and writing in deference to the goddess.

The colour yellow represents good fortune, spirituality, the ripening of the spring crops and the recent harvest. Food is coloured with [[saffron]]. The goddess Saraswati is dressed in yellow. In some traditional homes, sweetmeats of yellowish hues, such as kesar [[halva]] are offered to relatives and friends. Yellow flowers are used in abundance to decorate the places of worship. The yellow flowers of the mustard crop covers the field in such a way that it seems as if gold is spread over the land, glittering in the rays of the sun.

=== Sufi festival ===
The [[Sufis]] introduced the festival to the Muslim community in [[Indian subcontinent|India]]. By the [[Mughal Empire]] period, Basant was a popular festival at major Sufi shrines. There are, for example, historical records of Nizam Auliya ki Basant, Khwaja Bakhtiar Kaki ki Basant, Khusrau ki Basant; festivals arranged around the shrines of these various Sufi saints. [[Amir Khusro]] (1253–1325) and [[Nizamuddin Auliya]] celebrated the festival with songs that used the word ''basant'' (festival).<ref>Blum S. and Neuman D. M. "Ethnomusicology and modern music history." University of Illinois Press 1993.</ref> Khusrau, a Sufi-poet of the thirteenth century, composed verses about Vasanta:
{{Div col|colwidth=30em}}
Aaj basant manaalay, suhaagan,
Aaj basant manaalay
Anjan manjan kar piya mori, lambay neher lagaalay
Tu kya sovay neend ki maasi,
So jaagay teray bhaag, suhaagun,
Aaj basant manaalay.
Oonchi naar kay oonchay chitvan,
Ayso diyo hai banaaye
Shah Amir tuhay dekhan ko,
nainon say naina milaaye,
Suhaagun, aaj basant manaalay.

Celebrate basant today,
O bride, Celebrate Basant today
Apply [[Kohl (cosmetics)#South_Asia|kajal]] to your eyes, and decorate your long hair
Oh why are you the servant of sleep?
Even your fate is wide awake,
Celebrate Basant today,
O high lady with high looks,
That is how you were made,
When the king looks at you, your eyes meet his eyes,
O Bride, Celebrate Basant today.
{{Div col end}}

==Bangladesh==
{{main|Pahela Falgun}}
[[File:Bangladeshi girls taking Selfie at Pohela Falgun.jpg|150px|thumb|Bangladeshi girls taking Selfie at Pahela Falgun festival.]]
The first day of [[Spring (season)|Spring]] (Boshonto) of Bengali month [[Falgun]], of the [[Bengali calendar]], celebrated in [[Bangladesh]]<ref name=history>{{cite news |title=Pohela Falgun celebrated |url=http://archive.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=174151/ |newspaper=The Daily Star |date=14 February 2011 |archive-date=4 March 2016 |access-date=6 April 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304074436/http://archive.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=174151/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> and [[West Bengal]] with processions, fairs and family time. In [[Bengali language|Bengali]], Pahela stands for 'first' and 'Falgun' is eleventh month of the Bengali calendar. This day is marked with colourful celebration and traditionally, women wear yellow saris to celebrate this day. This celebration is also as ''Boshonto Utshob'' ({{langx|bn|বসন্ত উৎসব }}; ''Spring Festival'').
{{clear}}

==Pakistan ==
Basant celebrations in [[Pakistan]] are limited. Instead, the ''Jashn-e-baharaan'' ([[Urdu (language)|Urdu]]) spring festival is celebrated for one month. Basant does continue in [[Lahore]], [[Punjab]],<ref>[http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2009\03\15\story_15-3-2009_pg13_3 "Basant."] ''[[Daily Times (Pakistan)|Daily Times]]'' 15 March 2009.</ref><ref>[http://www.thingsasian.com/goto_article/photoessay.2100.html "Pakistan's Basant festival."] Things Asian photoessay.</ref> however, the festival and the term "Basant" is associated with the annual kite flying festival rather than the historical Spring festival itself. Typically kite manufacturers announce one Sunday either in February or March as the Basant day, which sees record numbers of kites being flown across the city.

=== Besant mela, Lahore ===
Various fairs are held throughout the region. One such fair was started by Kalu Ram dedicated to the memory of [[Haqiqat Rai]].<ref>Nijjar B. S. ''Punjab under the later Mughals.'' Patyala p279.</ref> Maharaja [[Ranjit Singh]] held many fairs and introduced kite flying to<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=zwpMGA0HH_sC&q=maharaja+ranjit+singh+introduced+kite+flying+on+basant+panchami Camille Mirepoix (1967) Now Pakistan]</ref> such fairs which he also held at [[Sufi]] shrines.<ref>[http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-5-38123-Festival-of-Lights-kicks-off Ansari, Shahab (26 March 2011) The News Festival of Lights kicks off]</ref>

=== Controversy ===
Basant is synonymous in Pakistan with a kite flying celebration rather than the seasonal festival association of neighbouring India. Controversy about the celebration of Basant in Pakistan is due to concerns about its safety. Safety concerns include the use of metal or glass coated kite strings (a slurry of fine glass shards which allows one flyer to cut another's kite loose), power breakdowns due to damage from kites, overcrowding and the use of firearms. In small villages, disadvantaged children were trying to pull down kites. In 2005, kite flying was banned in Pakistan. In 2009, nine people in Pakistan died in kite flying related incidents.<ref>[https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4792776.stm "Pakistan province kite flying ban."] BBC South Asia.</ref><ref>[http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=167136] The News. 13 March 2009.</ref><ref>[http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/asiapcf/12/09/pakistan.kites/ "Kite ban sparks violent protests."] CNN 9 December 2005.</ref><ref>[http://www.albalagh.net/food_for_thought/basant.shtml "Kites of blasphemy: an Islamic perspective on Basant."] Albalagh blog.</ref>

==Indian Punjab region==
In the [[Punjab region]], the Vasanta Pachami is known as the ''Basant Panchami''. In the towns and villages of North India, Vasanta Pachami is celebrated as the secular [[Basant Kite Festival (Punjab)|Basant Festival]] of kites by all communities as a seasonal festival. Fields of mustard present a colourful sight all over rural Punjab. The phrase ''Ayi Basant Pala Udant'', meaning, "with the onset of spring, winter bids adieu" is used.<ref>[http://www.webindia123.com/punjab/festivals/fairs.htm "Punjab fairs."] Web India 123.</ref><ref name="times">[http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ludhiana/Basant-muse-colours-itself-in-diverse-hues/articleshow/5481966.cms "Basant muse colours itself in diverse hues."] ''The Times of India'' 20 January 2010.</ref>

== See also ==
* [[Culture of India]]

== References ==
{{Reflist|30em}}

== External links ==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20060815140117/http://ccindia.sphosting.com/basant/ "Spring festival of South Asia."] C C India.
* [http://www.chapatimystery.com/archives/holydays/basant_i.html "Holy Days, Basant."] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190401215229/http://www.chapatimystery.com/archives/holydays/basant_i.html |date=1 April 2019 }} Chapati Mystery website
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070310033006/http://blog.wired.com/wiredphotos50/ "Basant 2007, Lahore."] Wired.com website.

[[Category:Festivals in India]]
[[Category:Kite festivals]]
[[Category:Culture in Lahore]]
[[Category:Spring (season)]]
[[Category:Hindi words and phrases]]
[[Category:Sports festivals in India]]
[[Category:Hindu festivals]]
[[Category:February observances]]
[[Category:January observances]]
[[Category:Hindu calendar]]

Vasanta (season) - Revision history

MatildaAldrich: starting first entry more to come!