Basant Panchami

Basant Panchami is celebrated with great enthusiasm at Gurudwara Chheharta Sahib on fifth day of the bright half of the month of Magh (end of January or beginning of February). People start pouring in a day earlier than the Basant Panchami and participate in the celebrations, which starts the same evening, continue throughout the night, and last till late in the afternoon the next day when the congregation breaks up. Flying of kites is a peculiar feature of the Basant. It is very interesting to watch when two players entangle their kites in the fair with a view to cutting the twines. With a cleaver loosening and jerky pull on the twine, one of the kites gets cut off and there is an uproar of delight and taunts from the winning party. The player whose kite gets cut off, tries to recover as much of the twine as he can without any loss of time. Among the sight-seers, there are some persons who carry poles to catch the falling kites and the twine. It is very exciting and amusing to watch the kites fighting high up in the air.
This fair has also commercial aspect. A large number of big and small shops are set up at the site of the fair. The is visited by a very large number of people , both Hindus and Sikhs. During the festivals days, special buses ply from Amritsar and other important stations to Chheharta from the convince of the visiting pubic.
The fair is organised by the local Gurudwara management with the corporation of the various social service organisations. Free community kitchen(Langar) is arranged by the management on this occasion. Arrangements are also need for medical and first aid services.
Fairs and festivals celebrated here are a wonderful prism of social, moral, religious and patriotic values .Since the days of freedom struggle, there has been a tradition among Hindus and Muslim in Amritsar to drink water from the same vessel on the eve of Ram Navami. Amritsaris jointly celebrate all the Gurpurbs. Diwali, Baisakhi, Holi, Karva Chauth, Teej, Ram Tirath Mela, Basant Panchmi at Chheharta, Langoor Mela at Durgiana and Maghi are celebrated with great gusto and fervour.
 
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