The festival is celebrated to mark the end of winter and the arrival of spring.

Basant Panchami is a Hindu festival that celebrates the arrival of spring. The festival falls on the first day of Magha month, which typically falls in February or March. Basant Panchami is observed by Hindus across India, although celebrations vary from region to region. In Uttar Pradesh, for example, people gather at the banks of rivers and ponds to welcome spring with dance and song. This celebration usually involves women and girls in colorful dresses dancing around a decorated tree or pole.

On Basant Panchami, Hindus also offer prayers to their ancestors. There are different customs regarding this aspect of the festival, with some families offering food to their ancestors while others place flowers on their graves. Some Hindus also believe that it’s an auspicious time for marriages during Basant Panchami.

In the early 20th century, Basant was considered a harvest festival, celebrated to mark the end of winter.

In 2019, Basant became a controversial topic when the government of India announced that it would be replacing Ganesh Chaturthi with Basant as the country’s national festival. The move was met with widespread opposition from various political parties and religious groups. They claimed that replacing Ganesh Chaturthi with Basant would hurt Hindu sentiments and lead to an increase in communal tensions. However, supporters of the change argued that this was a way to bring unity among India’s diverse population by bringing everyone together for one common festival.

What is Basant?

Basant is an ancient Hindu spring festival that marks the beginning of spring in India. It is celebrated over five days from Purnima (full moon) in mid-February until Purnima in mid-March. This corresponds to March 21st through March 25th on our modern calendar.

Why do we celebrate Basant?

The exact origins of this spring festival are unknown, but it is believed to have been started by Lord Krishna himself thousands of years ago. According to legend, Lord Krishna taught his followers how to celebrate Basant by using flowers and coloured powders during a day-long dance party on Vasant Panchami (the fifth day of Magha). As part of their celebration, people traditionally went out into nature and collected flowers like marigolds and jasmine as well as coloured powders like red ochre and turmeric.

Russia has been under constant attack from the West since its annexation of Crimea in 2014.

The crisis in Ukraine is one of the most important issues of our time. The West accuses Russia of invading Ukraine and annexing Crimea, while Russia denies these claims. The US and its allies have imposed economic sanctions on Russia for its alleged role in the Ukrainian crisis, and have even blamed it for interfering with elections. But what is really going on?

Why did Russia annex Crimea?

Crimea was annexed by Russia in 2014 after a controversial referendum. According to reports, 96% of voters were in favour of joining the Russian Federation. The vote was deemed illegal by the international community and considered an invasion by NATO members.

How has the West responded to this annexation?

Western countries were outraged by this development and imposed economic sanctions on Russia, with some even accusing it of interfering with elections. Western countries also helped train Ukrainian troops who fought against pro-Russian separatists.

Harvesting ice is a dangerous profession that has been practiced for centuries.

Ice harvesting is a dangerous profession that has been practiced for centuries. Ice harvesting refers to the process of extracting and storing ice from frozen bodies of water, such as lakes and rivers. In modern times, this practice is mainly carried out in Canada and Russia, although it was also common in the United States during the 19th century. The main reason why people harvest ice is to sell it on to others.

How does one harvest ice?

Ice harvesting involves cutting blocks of ice from frozen bodies of water using tools such as an axe or chainsaw. The blocks are then taken to storage areas where they are packed into sawdust or straw to keep them from melting. Ice harvesters must be extremely careful when carrying out their work, as there are many dangers associated with it.