Vasant Panchami 2012 date – Vasant Panchami Festival in 2012

Vasant Panchami or Basant Panjami, is a Hindu festival which heralds the arrival of spring season. ‘Vasant’ or ‘Basant’ means spring. Vasant Panchami 2012 date is January 28. It is also the day when Saraswati Puja is performed several parts of India especially in North and Eastern parts of India. Another specialty of Basant Panchami is the importance given to yellow color, which symbolizes prosperity and love. Shradh is also performed in many regions in the day.

Basant Panchami festival is celebrated mainly in North India and it celebrates the arrival of Basant ritu or Vasant season. There is no major legend or scriptural story associated with Vasant Panchami in Hinduism. But in the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna says that among the seasons he is the ‘Basant.’

A major Hindu ritual on the day is the Saraswati Puja dedicated to Goddess Saraswati, the Hindu Goddess of art and learning. Special programs are held on the day in schools and educational institutions. Young children are initiated into the world of learning on the day.

Yellow is the color of the day and deities in temples are decorated using yellow color flowers and yellow dresses.

Another important ritual on the day is the Pitru Tarpan or performing Shradh for dead parents, relatives and ancestors.