Magha Shukla Panchami. Spring's first day, sacred to Saraswati; yellow is worn. Vasant Panchami, also rendered Basant Panchami and Saraswati Puja in honour of the Hindu goddess Saraswati, is a Hindu festival that marks the preparation for the arrival of spring. It is celebrated during the fifth day (Panchami) in the bright fortnight (Shukla Paksha) of the month of Magha between January and February every year of the Hindu lunar year. Vasant Panchami also marks the start of preparation for Holika and Holi, which take place forty days later. The Vasant Utsava (festival) on Panchami is celebrated forty days before spring, because any season's transition period is 40 days, and after that, the season comes into full bloom. Wiki link Dates computed from the Sun and Moon as New Delhi's panchang reckons them; regional calendars can differ by a day. Text: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA).