After nearly two decades, the Punjab government’s decision to permit Basant celebrations and declare local holidays has sparked enthusiasm among the public. Reports suggest that not only residents from across the country but also Pakistanis living abroad are travelling to Lahore to participate in the festivities. According to media reports, kites and strings worth approximately Rs3.4 billion have already been sold in Lahore.
In ancient Hindu philosophy, the concept of Ritu Chakra is regarded as one of the most comprehensive and reliable frameworks for understanding the natural relationship between time and seasons. According to this system, Vasant (spring) is referred to as Ritu Raj (the king of seasons), symbolising the return of life and the awakening of the earth. It also marks the season of sowing seeds, preparing for new crops, and listening to the cheerful chirping of birds.
In the ancient Rig Veda, Vasant is described as a joyous and sacred phase of natural transformation. In the Hindu Vikrami calendar, the central day of Basant is Vasant Panchami, observed annually on the fifth day of the month of Magh, which usually falls in January or February according to the Gregorian calendar. This day is dedicated to Goddess Saraswati, the deity of knowledge, wisdom, art and music.
Basant, in my view, is one of the prominent festivals of our region which, over time, evolved in the Snent into a vibrant socio-cultural celebration. Historically, it enjoyed royal patronage in the Delhi Sultanate. It is said that Amir Khusrau, renowned Indo-Persian Sufi singer, musician, court poet and scholar, celebrated Basant with yellow apparel, yellow flowers and Sufi melodies to please Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya, symbolising spiritual joy beyond religious boundaries.
Similarly, several Mughal emperors, including Akbar the Great, Jahangir and Shah Jahan, decorated their courts in yellow to mark the occasion. Kite flying from royal palace rooftops to welcome spring later spread among the people. During British rule, Basant continued to be celebrated with enthusiasm in various cities, including Lahore, Delhi and Agra. During the festival, Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Christians and Parsis alike dressed in yellow and celebrated together. Rooftops were filled with music and food and guests travelled from far and wide to join the festivities. Even after Partition, Basant continued to be celebrated with zeal as a symbol of religious harmony, social cohesion and collective joy.
The people of Lahore, known as Zinda Dilan-e-Lahore, have always remained at the forefront of Basant celebrations. In areas such as the Walled City, Anarkali, Shah Alami and around Data Darbar, Basant was never a one-day affair but rather a multi-day event.
Unfortunately, at the turn of the new century, certain anti-social elements stained this peaceful festival with innocent blood. The use of metallic and chemically treated strings caused severe casualties, particularly to motorcyclists. Such tragedies resulted from irresponsible practices that ultimately compelled the government to impose a complete ban on Basant.
Some extremist voices today oppose Basant by attempting to give it a purely religious label. They overlook the fact that Basant and kite flying have never been the exclusive preserve of any single religion or sect in our region. Although the concept of Vasant emerged in the ancient Vedic era, it was more cosmic and natural. Spring carries a universal message of hope, not for followers of a particular belief, but for all humanity. This universal foundation transformed Basant into a priceless element of the Subcontinent’s shared culture, nurturing tolerance, pluralism and interfaith harmony.
Today, we have a golden opportunity to revive Basant responsibly in its true historical, cultural and social context. Under no circumstances should anti-social elements be allowed to exploit the festival or spread their hate agenda. If we succeed, Lahore can emerge not only as Pakistan’s cultural capital but also as a cultural hub for the entire region. More importantly, Basant can help to project the soft image of our beloved country as a peace-loving and human-friendly nation on the global stage.
The writer is a member of the National Assembly and patron-in-chief of the Pakistan Hindu Council. He tweets/posts @RVankwani
