Basant Panchmi Uttarakhand

The festival of Basant Panchami celebrates the coming of the spring season. This festival, which also signals the end of winter, is generally celebrated during Magh (January - February). During this festival people worship the Goddess Saraswati, use yellow handkerchiefs or even yellow cloths and in a few places people put a yellow tilak on their foreheads. This festival also marks the beginning of holi baithaks.

Features:
1. Schools remain closed. Young ones participate in the preparations for Basant Panchami.

2. Weeks preceding the celebrations host annual competitions for music, debate, sports and other activities. Awards are given on Basant Panchami.

3. Cultural programmes are organized in the evening of Saraswati Puja Everyone prays together to the goddess of knowledge- "Oh Mother Sarasvati remove the darkness (ignorance) of my mind and bless me with the eternal knowledge."

Time to Celebrate :
Basant Panchami is observed on Shukla Paksha in the month of January-February of English calendar (Magh).