Festivals teach us to respect Mother Nature

Basant Panchami heralds the spring season.

- Priya S Tandon

It is the fifth day of 'Shukla Paksha' in the lunar month of 'Magha'. Traditionally, it is the birthday of Saraswati Devi. This is when the chill of winter starts to ebb away.

The spring symbolizes new beginnings, development and growth with new saplings germinating. The entire landscape, each plant, tree, shrub, creeper and climber, dresses at its colorful best. The greens are greener; the reds are redder! Each plant grows its most beautiful flowers and foliage, because spring is in the air. The seniors stretch their limbs saying 'aaya basant, paala udant.' (the spring season is here and the winter chill has flown away.)

The feminine aspect of divinity is revered in three forms: Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswati. In Navratri, we worship the Goddess as Durga. During Diwali, we worship the Goddess as Lakshmi. On Basant Panchami, we worship the Goddess as Saraswati.