Basant Panchami

Vasant Panchami, also known as Sarasvati Puja, Shree Panchami, or the Basant Festival of Kites is a Sikh and Hindu festival held on the fifth day of the traditional Indian calendar month of Magha (usually early February).

It is a public holiday in the Haryana, Odisha, Tripura and West Bengal regions of India.

The festival marks the end of winter and the beginning of spring – Vasant Panchami means the fifth day (‘Panchami’) of Spring (‘Vasant’). It takes place 40 days before Holi and marks the start of preparations for that festival.