President Bidya Devi Bhandari attended the Basanta Shrawan ritual at the Hanumandhoka Durbar Square premises Monday morning.
On the occasion, the President listened to a special melody, Basanta, at the auspicious hour of 11:17 am and received
tika and
prasad. The President was offered with the
tika, garland and auspicious offerings by the Chief Priest at the Hanumandhoka Management Office, Dev Raj Aryal.
A contingent of the Nepalese Army presented a guard of honor to the Head of the State on the occasion. The ritual is observed every year on the occasion of Basanta Panchami. The festival is also celebrated as the Shree Panchami or Saraswati Puja, offering prayers to Saraswati, the Goddess of Knowledge.
Vice-President Nanda Bahadur Pun, Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba, Chief Justice Gopal Prasad Parajuli, ministers, chiefs of constitutional bodies and chiefs of security bodies also attended the ritual.
Similarly, Mayor and Deputy Mayor of Kathmandu Metropolitan City and high-ranking officials of Department of Archeology were also present on the occasion. There is a tradition that the Head of the State and of the government along with high officials attending the Basanta Shrawan ritual every year.
The ritual has its origins in the Srimad Bhagawat Mahapurana which mentions about a particular episode in the life of the Hindu God Krishna in which Radha and her friends sing hymns in praise of lord Krishna heralding the arrival of the spring season. It is believed that the spring season begins from this day.
A high number of devotees specially students have thronged Saraswati temples at different districts across the nation including Swoyambhu, Maitidevi, Gairidhara of Kathmandu valley to worship Saraswati, the Goddess of Knowledge.
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