A bundle of colourful paper kites in India
© Anand Purohit/Moment/Getty Image
A colourful bundle of joy. Vasant Panchami
Today is Vasant Panchami, a festival that marks the beginning of spring. It is a time for families to gather and spend the day flying kites. You can see Basant Panchami festivals happening all over India, but it is in the Punjab region where it is the most spectacular! The skies are filled with colourful kites and yellow ribbons.
In the early 1800s, Maharaja Ranjit Singh (the founder of the Sikh Empire) and his queen Moran would dress in yellow and fly kites to mark the start of spring. Therefore, kites have become a yearly tradition as part of the Basant celebrations. Many people wear different shades of yellow as well to welcome the new season.
Related Images
Prayer flags in Phobjikha Valley, Bhutan
Indian flags selling on Independence Day
Blacktip reef sharks, Maldives
Farmland in the Palouse, Washington, USA
Rainbow flags and confetti
Backlight sunrays at Jim Corbett National Park
Cueva de las Manos (Cave of the Hands) in Santa Cruz, Argentina
The Acraman crater, Australia
Bing Today Images
Monarch butterflies, Goleta, California
Feb 05, 2024
Monarch butterflies at Pismo Beach, California, USA
Feb 05, 2023
