IN PICS | People Across Country Bid Adieu To Winter And Welcomes Spring On Basant Panchami

On the eve of the Basant Panchami festival in Puri, sand artist Manas Kumar Sahoo creates a sand sculpture of Goddess Saraswati. Basant Panchami is an annual Hindu festival celebrated on the fifth day of the Hindu month of Magh. It is usually in late January or early February. The festival honours Saraswati, the goddess of learning.

People are seen bringing Goddess Saraswati idols home in preparation for Saraswati puja or Vasant Panchami celebrations. On this day, people worship the goddess of knowledge, music, and the arts, Goddess Saraswati, who is said to bestow wisdom, knowledge, and good fortune on her devotees. (Image Source: Getty)

A small child is seen carrying a Saraswati idol home ahead of the Saraswati puja or Vasant Panchami celebration. People across India celebrate the festival in various ways, including visiting temples, offering prayers and flowers to the goddess, and participating in cultural events such as music and dance performances. (Image Source: Getty)

Because yellow is Goddess Saraswati's favourite colour, yellow-colored delicacies like Khichdi, Pulao, and sweet dishes cooked with jaggery are served to the deity, along with fruits like ber and mishrikand. In Bihar, boondi, sev, ber, and seasonal fruits are also offered to the Goddess, along with dahi-chidwa. (Image Source: Getty)

Before Saraswati puja, students are seen carrying an idol of Goddess Saraswati to their school. On this day, students bring their books and musical instruments to the idol of Goddess Saraswati and spend the day worshipping her and eating Basant Panchami-themed dishes. (Image Source: Getty)

Yellow is considered an auspicious colour in Hinduism and has special significance during Vasant Panchami or Saraswati Puja. Yellow is associated with the goddess Saraswati because it is her favourite colour. (Image Source: PTI)

Yellow is the colour of knowledge, learning, and wisdom, all of which are associated with the goddess. It is also said to represent the colour of spring, which is when the festival takes place. As a symbol of their devotion, people in many parts of India dress in yellow clothing, decorate their homes with yellow flowers, and offer yellow fruits and sweets to the goddess. (Image Source: PTI)