Happy Basant Panchami: Celebrities on importance of the festival, their special plans for the occasion

Basant Panchami in Punjab is a day heralding change of season, it celebrates the arrival of the beautiful season of spring. On this day Goddess Saraswati is also worshipped and it is also the beginning of Holika or Holi, which is observed forty days later. Different parts of India celebrated the day in their own way. This year, the pious occasion is on February 5. Celebrities share the significance of the day in their lives, how they celebrate the same and their plans for spending spring.

Jasmin Bhasin

Basant Panchami signifies the onset of spring. I will wear something yellow. I remember in Kota (located in Rajasthan) my hometown, it is celebrated widely and I enjoyed dressing in yellow traditional attire and also buying a lot of flowers. I pray to Goddess Saraswati to bless the creative spirit in each of us.

Sharad Malhotra

It is a good feeling on this festival, spring signifies change and change is always for the good. I like the fresh breeze of air and enjoying going on a long drive as well. We go to Gurudwara and offer our prayers on Basant Panchami and eat lots of sweets, as I’m a foodie. Warm wishes to my industry folks, artists, craftsmen, musicians, scholars, innovators and to all catalysts of creation and growth on this occasion. Happy Basant Panchami, here's to new beginnings.

Vijayendra Kumeria

Basant Panchami is all about togetherness and harmony. In fact, the fun and frolic of the occasion is simply incomplete without good food and happiness. Also this spring season brings so much positivity and hope. We pray to goddess Saraswati and if we get a chance then visit the nearest Gurudwara as well. Kite flying is the fun part about this day and the sweets are my favourite.

Charrul Malik

Basant panchami is known by various other names as well. It is also Saraswati Mata’s birthday on this day, Sikh Guru Govind ji’s birth anniversary is also celebrated. It is also known as Rishi Panchami. So Basant panchami is a day which is very auspicious and people do all their big work, or start something new, maybe start a new business or buy a new car or house, etc on the occasion as it is said to be lucky. We wear yellow on this day as the yellow colour defines prosperity, so many yellow flowers and especially as I’m from Chandigarh we used to go to the ‘Sarson ka khet’. Those yellow flowers shine like gold and that is why this day is also called Rishi Panchami. People even make yellow sweets and food, even fly yellow kites, so basically it’s all about yellow. As we are in Mumbai right now, we don’t celebrate it the way we did in Punjab. Things are very simple here. This year I think i will be shooting that day, but we always celebrate all the festivities on the sets of Bhabhiji Ghar Par Hai! and Happu Ki Ultan Paltan, so I hope we have a track for the occasion and do something related to Basant Panchami. But yes this day is very important to me as I have many memories from childhood with my twin sister Parul. We wore matching yellow frocks and used to do kite flying and eat the yellow bundi and besan ladoos.

 Perneet Chauhan

To me, the change of season brings hope. A hope for better and happier times, and spring being my favourite season brings a sense of joy. All I do is try and wear yellow coloured clothes on the day. Same as my plans for the year 2022, work and travel a lot.

Nupur Joshi

Basant Panchami comes in a big way for us every year. I’m not only a classical dancer in pursuit for which I seek blessings from Goddess Saraswati, I also love the festival of colours ‘Holi’. It's one of my favourite festivals. And Basant panchmi marks the beginning of the celebrations. Every year at home it’s a ritual to cook yellow rice in jaggery and kesar with loads of dry fruits in it as an offering to maa Saraswati and we also worship and seek blessings upon books, copies of pen/pencils and ghungroos by offering them to her.

And yes, not to miss another Basant Panchami ritual, adorning ourselves with something yellow as a mark of prosperity and happiness!

Harjinder Singh

It is a day to worship goddess Saraswati and our industry works with the blessings of her. She is also known as Kala Ki Devi. It is the start of spring and a season of new beginnings. There are new flowers and new everything. It's been two years since we are living in the pandemic and let's hope that things get back to normal. When I was in Punjab we used to celebrate and fly kites. But now in Bombay, we only do puja. Well this time, mostly we would be shooting during Basant Panchami and probably it would be on the Northern side of the country. If I get a chance, I will definitely go to Punjab and would like to visit our farm and relive memories among the blooming yellow mustard flowers.

Muskan Verma

Basant Panchami is also known as Vasant Panchami is a festival celebrated to welcome Spring after the winter season. Basant Panchami is celebrated on the fifth (Panchami) day of Magh month (usually in January last/ February) on the lunar calendar. This year Basant Panchmi is on February 5 and people worship goddess Saraswati, the goddess of knowledge, on this day. Special prayers are organized at the schools and kids often wear yellow to celebrate the festival, as Vasant means spring. The yellow colour is a symbol of spring that's why people wear yellow clothes to welcome the season. Yellow coloured desserts are also made during this festival and offered to the goddess.

Rahul Bhatia

 It is a very special day as   it is the beginning of spring. In the villages in Punjab, there are fairs and we all have so much fun visiting them. However, since now I am in Delhi, there are no melas but yes some celebrations happen here. We wear yellow clothes and fly kites. In Delhi there is a tradition to fly kites on August 15, but in Punjab we fly kites on Basant Panchami. People fly kites of different styles and it's lovely to see the kite flying competition. Also people buy new clothes on that day. Our plan for the spring is that we prepare for Holi. Holi and Diwali are widely celebrated festivals. Together we also prepare for summers and get all our blankets dry cleaned and put our winter clothes aside.

Hansa Singh

Welcoming the season of spring with spring in my feet, I will welcome this amazing season of flowers blooming. Yes it’s the day to worship Goddess Saraswati

As without Vidya , Wisdom and Intellect we can’t be anywhere, for me it’s praying to the deity and thanking all given. Let’s all be in Gratitude to survive all since last 2 years and looking forward to awesome 2022.

Nidarshana Gowani 

On the occasion of Basant Panchami we pray to maa Saraswathi and wear yellow clothes. We also distribute books among children in need. We want them to gain knowledge, learn as much as they can on the occasion as maa Saraswati is the devi of knowledge. We pray for stronger minds and knowledge for everyone.