Basant Panchami, a festival dedicated to Goddess Saraswati, will be observed on January 23, 2026. Celebrated on the fifth day (Panchami) of the Shukla Paksha in the Hindu month of Magh, the festival marks the onset of spring and is considered highly auspicious for learning, wisdom, creativity, and new beginnings.

The day holds special meaning for students, teachers, artists, musicians, and scholars, as Goddess Saraswati is revered as the embodiment of knowledge, intellect, music, arts, and science. Basant Panchami is also known as Saraswati Puja or Shri Panchami in different parts of the country.

Basant Panchami 2026: Date and Panchami Tithi Timing

In 2026, Basant Panchami will be celebrated on Friday, January 23.

• Panchami Tithi begins: 2:28 am on January 23, 2026
• Panchami Tithi ends: 1:46 am on January 24, 2026

As the Panchami Tithi prevails throughout the day, devotees can comfortably perform Saraswati Puja on January 23.

Saraswati Puja Muhurat on Basant Panchami 2026

The most auspicious time to worship Goddess Saraswati on Basant Panchami is during the morning to midday hours.

• Saraswati Puja Muhurat: 7:15 am to 12:50 pm

Performing the puja during this time is believed to enhance wisdom, concentration, creativity, and academic success.

Importance of Basant Panchami in Hindu Tradition

Basant Panchami symbolises the gentle transition from winter to spring—a season associated with renewal, growth, and positivity. Fields of mustard flowers bloom across northern India, lending the festival its signature yellow colour, which represents prosperity, knowledge, and energy.

According to religious beliefs, Goddess Saraswati manifested on the fifth day of Magh Shukla Paksha, which is why the day is also regarded as her appearance day. Devotees dress in yellow, offer yellow flowers and sweets, and place books, musical instruments, and study materials near the idol of the goddess.

An Auspicious Day for New Beginnings

Basant Panchami is considered an Abujh Muhurat, meaning no separate muhurat is required to perform auspicious activities. On this day, people traditionally begin:

• Formal education for children (Vidyarambh)
• New business ventures
• Writing, reading, and creative pursuits
• Mundan (first haircut) and Annaprashan ceremonies
• Griha Pravesh (housewarming rituals)

In some regions, the day is also associated with Madnotsav and marks the beginning of Ratikaam Mahotsav, celebrating joy, creativity, and life.

Cultural Observance Across India

While Saraswati Puja is widely celebrated in states like West Bengal, Bihar, Odisha, Assam, and Uttar Pradesh, Basant Panchami also holds importance in Sikh traditions, where it commemorates Maharaja Ranjit Singh and seasonal festivities.

Final Note

Basant Panchami is more than just a festival—it is a reminder of the importance of learning, discipline, creativity, and inner growth. Worshipping Goddess Saraswati on this day is believed to bring clarity of thought, academic progress, and lifelong wisdom.

International Men’s Day 2025 brings with it something far more meaningful than short messages, forwarded quotes, or generic wishes. It offers us a moment — a pause — to look at the men in our lives with more warmth, empathy, and awareness. This day is not about celebrating stereotypes of strength, silence, or sacrifice, but about recognising men as complete human beings with emotions, complexities, fears, and dreams.

More than anything, this year calls for a gentler, kinder perspective toward the men we often expect to “hold it together,” even when they’re quietly breaking.

The fathers who solve everything but talk about nothing.
The brothers who say “I’m fine” because they don’t know how to say “I’m hurting.”
The partners who carry emotional storms behind calm smiles.
The sons who grow up learning that tears and vulnerability come with rules.

So this Men’s Day, instead of another “Happy Men’s Day” text, let’s offer men what they rarely receive — space, validation, emotional room, and unconditional appreciation.

Here are 10 things every man truly deserves in 2025:

1. The freedom to say, “I’m not okay.”

Men are conditioned to stay composed, no matter what. But everyone deserves moments of vulnerability without judgment. A man should have people around him who take his emotions seriously — not as a weakness, but as a sign of honesty and courage.

2. Friendships deeper than surface-level banter

Banter is fun, but every man deserves friends with whom he can share fears, insecurities, ambitions, and confusion. Real male friendships are often under-celebrated — and Men’s Day reminds us how vital they are.

3. A life where the pressure to “provide” isn’t a lifelong sentence

The expectation that men must shoulder financial and emotional responsibility alone is unfair and exhausting. Men deserve relationships — romantic and familial — where duties are shared, not silently assigned.

4. Permission to rest without guilt

Men are taught to measure their worth by productivity. But rest is not laziness. It is necessary, deserved, and overdue. Every man deserves to relax without feeling like he’s disappointing someone.

5. A childhood they’re allowed to keep

From hobbies to silly joys, men should be allowed to hold onto the things that make them feel alive. They deserve space to enjoy life beyond responsibility and routine.

6. Compliments that go beyond strength or success

Tell him he is gentle, thoughtful, warm, resilient, artistic, funny, creative, patient — anything that acknowledges who he is, not just what he does. Men deserve appreciation that reaches the heart.

7. Emotional safety in their closest relationships

Men should be able to express affection, softness, and fear without being shamed for it. Emotional safety is not optional; it is foundational to healthy living.

8. A world where tears are not forbidden

If society stopped policing men’s emotions, we’d create healthier families, healthier communities, and healthier men. Tears aren’t weakness — they’re release.

9. Healthcare — including mental health — that truly hears them

Men often ignore symptoms, delay treatment, or suppress emotional distress because they’re taught to “tough it out.” They deserve mental health support, routine check-ups, and spaces that encourage them to speak openly.

10. Love that sees the human, not the expectation

Every man deserves love that acknowledges his journey, growth, struggles, and imperfections — not love that rests on outdated ideas of masculinity.

A gentle reminder this Men’s Day

Let’s celebrate men not through wishes alone, but through compassion in daily life — by listening more, judging less, and allowing the men around us to show up as their authentic selves.

Happy International Men’s Day 2025 — to every man growing, healing, trying, and becoming.

The nine-day Sharadiya Navratri festival began today with grand celebrations across India, as devotees gathered in temples to worship Goddess Durga and her nine divine forms. The auspicious festival, which symbolizes the triumph of good over evil, is marked with prayers, fasting, and cultural festivities such as Garba and Dandiya.

Devotees throng temples across India

From Delhi to Mumbai and Madhya Pradesh, temples were filled with spiritual fervor on the first day of Navratri 2025.

• Delhi: Large crowds gathered at Kalkaji Temple, Jhandewalan Temple, and the Shree Adya Katyayani Shaktipeeth Mandir in Chhatarpur, where morning aarti was offered with chants and devotional hymns.
• Mumbai: The historic Mumbadevi Temple witnessed the sacred Kakad Aarti ceremony, a traditional ritual marking the beginning of festivities.
• Madhya Pradesh: Thousands of devotees visited the famous Maa Baglamukhi Temple in Nalkheda, Agar Malwa district, believed to have links to the Mahabharata era, adding to its spiritual significance.

The significance of Navratri

Navratri is one of Hinduism’s most sacred and vibrant festivals, dedicated to worshipping the nine forms of Goddess Durga, collectively known as Navdurga. Each day is devoted to a different form of the Goddess, symbolizing aspects such as strength, courage, purity, wisdom, and compassion.

This year, Navratri begins with Ghatasthapana and the worship of Maa Shailputri on September 22, 2025, and will conclude on Vijayadashami (Dussehra) on October 2, 2025.

Devotees observe fasts (vrat), install a kalash at home or temples during shubh muhurat, chant mantras, and perform aarti seeking blessings for prosperity, health, and spiritual strength.

Navratri traditions and celebrations

• Fasting & Puja: Devotees abstain from grains and non-vegetarian food, offering fruits, sweets, and special vrat meals to the Goddess.
• Cultural festivities: In Gujarat and Maharashtra, traditional Garba and Dandiya nights bring communities together with colourful attire, music, and dance.
• Durga Puja Pandals: In West Bengal and eastern India, grand Durga Puja pandals are set up with artistic idols of Maa Durga, attracting lakhs of devotees.

A festival of unity and devotion

Navratri transcends regions, blending spirituality with cultural celebration. From the Himalayas to the coastal temples of South India, the Goddess is invoked with devotion and splendour, making Navratri not just a religious occasion but also a festival of togetherness, joy, and cultural pride.