Basant Panchami celebrated in Punjab and U.P

Amritsar / Allahabad, Feb 8 (ANI): Hundreds of locals and school children celebrated Basant Panchami, in Punjab and Uttar Pradesh.

In Amritsar, several school children, celebrated the occasion by singing and dancing in traditional attire.

Kamarpreet Kaur , a student , said "We are celebrating the festival of Basant (Spring) with enthusiasm and joy. People in Punjab now rarely celebrate this festival. We are celebrating it in Punjabi style, so that our brothers and sisters realise its importance. We have worn all these ornaments and dressed in a Punjabi way so that our culture remains intact,"

In Allahabad , on this auspicious day , Hindus get up early in the morning to take a dip in river Ganges because they believe bathing in the sacred river washes away their sins and helps them to escape the cycle of birth and death.

The occasion is also considered auspicious for initiating children into learning. (ANI)