Basant Panchami Essay in English - 100, 200, 500 Words

India is a land of festivals, and Basant Panchami is one of the many festivals celebrated with mirth and merriment. ‘Basant’ means spring and ‘Panchami’ means the fifth day. Across India, glimpses of celebration and preparation can be seen. Goddess Saraswati is worshipped on Basant Panchami. Here are a few sample essays for school students on Basant Panchami which is a famous Indian Festival.

100 Words Essay on Basant Panchami

One of the most significant festivals of India is 'Basant Panchami', which marks the arrival of the spring season. It is also known as Vasant Panchami. This festival marks the conclusion of the winter season and the beginning of spring. This is the time when the mustard crop blooms, and is believed to symbolise prosperity, energy, and peace. Hence, people traditionally celebrate this day by wearing yellow-coloured clothes. This day also sees devotees worshipping Goddess Saraswati. Devotees also visit temples and pray for better health, wisdom, and prosperity. People all across India celebrate this festival in different ways depending on their regional practices.

200 Words Essay on Basant Panchami

Basant Panchami or Vasant Utsav is celebrated in January or February. It's also known as Saraswati Puja or Sri Panchami. The festival of Vasant Panchami in Bengal is observed on a large scale. Basant Panchami is observed on the fifth day of Shukla Paksha in the Magha month. According to Hindu mythology, Rituraj, the king of the spring season is welcomed during the festival of Vasant Panchami.

Why It Is Celebrated | During the spring season people pray for good health and wealth. Goddess Saraswati, the goddess of wisdom, art, language, and knowledge is worshipped on this day, and hence it is an important day for students as well. The day also marks the blooming of the mustard crop.

How The Day Is Celebrated | On this day, people wear yellow (or white), eat sweets, and decorate their houses with yellow flowers. People in Rajasthan typically wear jasmine garlands. On the first Basant Panchami following the wedding, newlywed couples in Maharashtra go to a temple and pray. Sikhs and Hindus in the Punjab area dress in yellow headdresses or turbans. Along with Saraswati Puja, residents in Uttarakhand also worship Lord Shiva, Goddess Parvati - as the earth's mother, and the agricultural sector or crops. Additionally, this is a big time of year for buying school supplies.

500 Words Essay on Basant Panchami

Basant Panchami (Vasant Panchami ) is an auspicious day to start new things in life. Many people shift to a new house on this day, children start their first day of school, and people start a new business or undertake important projects since this festival is associated with prosperity, happiness, wealth and good luck. With Basant Panchami, it is believed that spring starts, a good time for crops to harvest. Since India is predominantly an agricultural country, this festival holds quite an important place in the hearts of Indian people.

Basant Panchami Celebrations

The festival of Basant Panchami is celebrated across the country in different ways depending on the cultural practices of a certain group of people.

Bengal | In Bengal, Vasant Panchami is celebrated with joy and glee. Vasant Panchami is celebrated on the fifth day of Shukla Paksha in the Magha month. It is often referred to as Sri Panchami or Saraswati Puja. On this day, people honor Saraswati, the Hindu goddess of learning, art, and language. On the eve of Vasant Panchami, devotees go to the temple to ask for Goddess Saraswati's blessings, and grains including barley, gram, and wheat are prepared.

Karnataka | In Karnataka, Saraswati Puja isn’t synonymous with Basant Panchami. People of Karnataka celebrate it to mainly honor the Gods that have blessed them with good crops and a bountiful harvest. Delicious dishes are prepared, payasam is quite common here.

Punjab | Basant, also known as the Basant celebration of kites, is a seasonal festival observed by people of all religions in the Punjab area. The festival is held here in honor of Goddess Saraswati, the deity of learning. It's the season when mustard farms burst into blossom with sunny blooms.

Traditional Foods of Basant Panchami

On the day of Basant Panchami, people wear clothes in different hues of yellow and eat mouth-watering traditional delicacies like Khichdi, Meethe chawal, Boondi Ke Ladoo, and Kesari Halwa.

Khichdi | During Saraswati Puja, Khichdi, or Khichuri in Bengali style, is one of the traditional foods offered. The basic components for a festive khichdi are scented (gobindo bhog) rice, split moong dal, and veggies (cauliflower, carrots, potatoes, and peas). Various spices like garam masala, cumin, green chilies, and ginger-garlic paste give the dish its distinctive flavour.

Kesari Bhaat or Meetha Chawal | On Basant Panchami, people eat the saffron-flavored sweet rice dish known as Kesari bhaat. It is made by putting some jaggery and saffron in water to soak, which then later is added to rice. The mixture is then garnished with ghee, raisins, saffron, and chopped cashews and served warm.

Boondi Ladoo | Boondi Ladoo is one of the most popular treats during any festival. It is made with gram flour batter mixed with milk or water, then fried and later added to a large pot of cardamom-flavored sugar syrup. It is then garnished with chopped nuts, raisins, and melon seeds.

Kesar Halwa | Halwa, or Rava Kesari is a dish similar to Kesari Bhaat. Except, it includes semolina and large amounts of ghee. It is made by roasting rava and adding jaggery water and soaked saffron strands to it. It is then garnished with chopped nuts and raisins.