All these items are symbol of nature, knowledge, Music, meditation. Since then, Maa Saraswati is prayed for knowledge, music and nature.
Basant Panchami is an Indian festival which is celebrated with so much of enthusiasm. Festival of Basant is known to welcome the spring and marks the end of winters. This festival is also celebrated to honor Maa Saraswati. There are many stories and other rituals which are performed on this auspicious occasion of Basant Panchami.
Ancient Mythologies behind the Festival of Basant
Birth of Maa Saraswati
When Lord Brahma(the creator) created the universe. The world appeared to be blank. There was no knowledge, no light, no sound, no nature. On observing this, Brahma ji focused on his mind and created The goddess who appeared with a Veena, a manuscript, a lotus and a roasary in her hand.
All these items are symbol of nature, knowledge, Music, meditation. Since then, Maa Saraswati is prayed for knowledge, music and nature. And the welcome of spring is celebration of nature and the birth of Goddess Saraswati.
Union of Lord Krishna and Radhe
The braj and The Vrindavan celebrates basant panchami as the divine and lovable festival for the Union of Krishna ji and Radhe. It is said that spring marks as the season when Lord Krishna and and Radha had their lovable time in form of rasleela. Both Krishna and radha are dressed up in yellow and basant is celebrated with love and affection.
Kamadeva and the season of love and new beginning
Kamadeva was considered as God of Love. Once, Lord Shiva was deeply heartbroken after the death of Sati and decided to go into deep meditation leaving the worldly affairs aside. The trouble was that during this time, Tarakasura (the demon) was into destruction of the universe.
He had a boon by Lord Brahma which was that only Lord Shiva’s Son can kill Tarakasura. But Lord Shiva was not into marrying anyone and have a child whereas all the gods wanted him to marry, so they went to seek help of Kamadeva, the God of love. Their plea was to make Lord Shiva fall in love with Maa Parvati who was a Reborn Sati.
Kamadeva went to a snowy mountain where Lord Shiva was meditating. Kamadeva tool his friend Vasanta(spring) for the help and when they both entered the mountain, the snowy, dry mountain turned to a lovely, lush green area, trees grew up, bees started humming around.
After this, Lord Kamadeva hid behind a tree and shot the arrow of love on Lord Shiva, the feeling of love awake in Shiva’s heart which lead to marriage of Shiva and Parvati but on noticing Kamadeva disturbing his meditation, he opened his third eye and burnt Kamadeva into Ashes.
Thereafter, Rati and Parvati requested Lord Shiva to revive Kamadeva, and Lord Shiva did it but now Kamadeva can longer exist in a bodily state. Hence, he existed in bodiless state called “Ananga” and from then he existed in the hearts of people in the form of love.
This story signifies the Basant to be the festival of new beginnings. Also, the existence of Kamadeva in the hearts of people states that spring is the season of love, joy and romance.
