Basant Panchami, also known as Saraswati Puja, marks the arrival of spring and is celebrated with great devotion across India. Observed on the fifth day (Panchami) of the Hindu lunar calendar in the month of Magha, the festival is dedicated to Goddess Saraswati, the deity of knowledge, wisdom, music, arts, and learning.
Basant Panchami symbolises renewal, hope, and intellectual awakening. The onset of spring brings pleasant weather, blooming flowers, and mustard fields turning bright yellow, a colour closely associated with the festival. Yellow represents prosperity, energy, and learning, which is why devotees wear yellow clothes, offer yellow flowers, and prepare traditional dishes like kesari halwa and yellow rice.
On this auspicious day, devotees worship Goddess Saraswati to seek blessings for wisdom, creativity, and success in education. Students, teachers, artists, and musicians consider the day especially significant. In many parts of India, children are introduced to their first letters on Basant Panchami through a ritual called Vidyarambh Sanskar, marking the beginning of their educational journey. Schools and educational institutions organise Saraswati Puja in the morning, placing books, musical instruments, and stationery near the idol of the goddess.
Basant Panchami is also regarded as an “Abujh Muhurat,” meaning an inherently auspicious day that does not require a separate muhurta for starting new ventures. People choose this day to begin studies, creative projects, or important life decisions.
Beyond religious rituals, Basant Panchami celebrates the joy of learning, creativity, and the vibrant spirit of spring. It reminds people of the importance of knowledge, discipline, and cultural heritage, making it a meaningful and widely cherished festival across generations.
In this India Today special report, anchor Sonal Mehrotra Kapoor examines the intense winter conditions currently gripping North India. Following a late arrival, the season has intensified with heavy snowfall across Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand. Sonal Mehrotra Kapoor notes, 'In the national capital and its adjoining regions, the smell of rain has finally brought the much-needed relief and cheer from the toxic air,' as Delhi's AQI improves. The bulletin highlights significant disruptions, including the cancellation of 26 flights at Srinagar airport and the closure of key mountain passes like Zojila and Mughal Road due to several feet of snow. While the snowfall has transformed tourist hotspots like Gulmarg and Shimla into scenic landscapes just ahead of the Republic Day long weekend, local authorities face challenges in restoring power and road connectivity. Correspondents Ashraf Wani, Ankit Sharma, and Maninder Arora provide ground updates on the weather's impact on agriculture, tourism, and daily life in the Himalayan region.
In this special report, India Today’s Ravish Pal Singh provides a ground update from Dhar, Madhya Pradesh, where the Bhojshala Temple-Kamal Maula Mosque complex is under heavy security. The situation is particularly sensitive as Basant Panchami and Friday prayers coincide this year. Ravish Pal Singh notes, 'Today, I am going to show you the barricades around Bhusala Parishar, so that no one can enter without an I-Card'. Following a Supreme Court intervention, specific time slots have been allocated to both communities to prevent any law and order issues. While Hindu devotees perform Saraswati Puja from sunrise to sunset, the Muslim side has been granted a window from 1 PM to 3 PM for Friday prayers. Over 8,000 security personnel, including the Rapid Action Force, have been deployed to ensure separate entry and exit points, aiming to avoid the communal violence witnessed during similar coincidences in 2003, 2013, and 2016.
On this Special Report, the focus is on the escalating political and religious row in Uttar Pradesh's Prayagraj. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has issued a stern warning against 'Kaal Nemi-like forces trying to weaken the Sanatan Dharm from within.' The statement comes after Shankaracharya Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati skipped the Mouni Amavasya Snan at the Magh Mela, citing a lack of respect and protocol violations. The Samajwadi Party has accused the Yogi Adityanath-led government of targeting the seer and politicising sacred rituals. While the Magh Mela administration denies any wrongdoing, the Shankaracharya has reportedly decided to skip the upcoming Basant Panchami Snan as well. This report explores the collision of faith and politics as the battle over the Ganga Snan intensifies between the BJP and the opposition.
The Supreme Court has allowed the Basant Panchami Saraswati Puja to proceed from sunrise to sunset, while also permitting Friday Namaz between 1 pm and 3 pm at the Bhojshala-Kamal Maula Mosque in Madhya Pradesh.
The third Amrit Snan of the 2025 Maha Kumbh concluded peacefully in Prayagraj.
Hundreds of thousands of devotees, saints, sadhus, and akhadas participated in the Amrit Snan on Basant Panchami at the Maha Kumbh on Monday, as Prayagraj adhered to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s "zero-error" directive for the final holy bath.
Additional senior officers have been deployed, and designated areas have been assigned to manage the flow of pilgrims more efficiently.
According to the Uttar Pradesh Information Department, as of 8 AM, over 62.25 lakh devotees have taken the holy dip, with the total number of pilgrims surpassing 34.97 crore by Sunday.
Ahead of Monday's Amrit Snan at the Maha Kumbh on Basant Panchami, Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath has directed officials to ensure "zero errors" in arrangements.
Thousands of pilgrims took a holy dip in the river Ganga on the occasion of 'Basant Panchami' which will be officially celebrated on Wednesday. People were seen braving the freezing cold weather, to offer prayers to the sun god and bathe in the holy river. Basant Panchami, also called Saraswati Puja, dedicated to the Hindu goddess Saraswati, is a festival that marks the preparation for the arrival of spring.
