Sand artist Manas Sahoo creates sand sculpture on occasion of #BasantPanchami in Puri, Odisha. Image: @airnewsalerts

New Delhi: Basant Panchami is the first of the two spring festivals of Hindus - the other being Holi. The festival is celebrated every year on the fifth day of "Phalgun" (the eleventh month of the Hindu calendar).

Basant Panchami is a festival that is traditionally celebrated to mark the birth of Goddess Saraswati.

In West Bengal, people worship goddess Saraswati, the goddess of knowledge, education, music and art. The festival signifies that knowledge is supreme, and prevails over ignorance. Girls and women drape themselves in yellow traditional attires while men and boys wear clothes mostly in yellow.

Although there is no special time to perform Saraswati Puja, texts suggest that the goddess should be worshipped when Panchami Tithi is prevailing. According to experts, Saraswati Puja should be performed during Purvahna Kala - the time between the sunrise and the midday.

According to a popular belief in the Hindu mythology, Goddess Saraswati, who is considered as the deity of knowledge, music, arts, science and technology, wisdom, was born on this auspicious day. People all over India worship her to achieve wisdom and the beauty of enlightenment. According to some traditions in Hindu Mythology, the god Brahma created the universe on this day.

According to another belief, this festival is marked by end of winter and welcoming of spring as 'Basant Ritu' means the spring season in Hindi. Pitr-tarpan (puja for a departed soul) is performed and Brahmins are fed. The god of love Kamadeva is also worshipped on this day.

'Yellow' is the dominant color of this festival as it signifies the ripening of fruits and crops. The mustard fields in North India blooms during this season giving a yellow coat to nature.

People wear yellow clothes, offer yellow flowers to Goddess and put a yellow, turmeric tilak on their forehead. They visit temples and offer prayers to various gods. New clothes are purchased for this festival and many delicious dishes prepared for this particular occasion.

Basant Panchami marks the onset of spring and is celebrated all over India in various ways. Many revere Goddess Saraswati and seek her blessings for wisdom and knowledge.

Many devotees take holy dip at Triveni Sangam in Uttar Pradesh's Allahabad.

What says the political class

President Ram Nath Kovind, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress President Rahul Gandhi, amongst others, on Monday greeted the nation on the occasion of Basant Panchami and Saraswati Puja.

"Greetings to all fellow citizens... May this festival, which celebrates learning, spur us to expand the frontiers of education and knowledge in our families, our society and our country," the President said in a tweet.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday extended greetings to the nation and wished for happier society on the auspicious occasion of Basant Panchami.

"Greetings on Basant Panchami. I pray that this auspicious occasion makes our society happier and even more harmonious. May the blessings of Maa Saraswati always remain with us and bestow us with wisdom," the Prime Minister tweeted. The festival, which marks the onset of spring, is celebrated all over India in various ways depending on the region.

Rahul Gandhi took to Twitter to greet the nation.

Many other politicians also took to the micro-blogging site and greeted the nation.

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh said: "Warm greetings to you on the occasion of Basant Panchmi. May Maa Saraswati blesses everyone with knowledge and wisdom.

"I pray for a safer, peaceful and prosperous India on this auspicious occasion."

Union Minister for Law and Justice, Ravi Shankar Prasad tweeted: "May the Goddess Saraswati bless you with knowledge and wisdom..."