Agra’s Radhasoami sect celebrates Basant Panchami with verve
This time, the celebrations began on February 11 with Baby Show Final organized in farm areas in the morning. On February 12, a gymnastic competition was organized, followed by Sports Day on Tuesday. Basant Panchami on Wednesday was marked by lighting.
Agra The members of Radhasoami sect celebrate Basant Panchami with great fervour, not only because it is a festival but also because on this day in 1915, foundation was laid for Dayalbagh in Agra which is now the headquarters of Radhasoami Satsang Sabha, with its followers spread all over the globe.
So, on Basant Panchami on Wednesday, localities inhabited by followers of the Sabha in Dayalbagh area were decked up and houses and offices were decorated and illuminated LED lights were used for illumination to ward off air pollution.
This time, the celebrations began on February 11 with Baby Show Final organized in farm areas in the morning. On February 12, a gymnastic competition was organized, followed by Sports Day on Tuesday. Basant Panchami on Wednesday was marked by lighting.
In all the events, yellow colour was used as Basant Panchami heralds the beginning of spring and falls at a time when yellow flowers of ‘sarson’ (mustard) are in full bloom.
“On Basant Panchami (January 20) in 1915, the fifth acharya, Sar Sahab Ji Maharaj had planted a shahtut (mulberry) sapling at Dayalbagh near the bank of river Yamuna in Agra. With passing time, the plant grew and so did the Radhasoami Satsang Sabha with special focus on education and a simplistic and ethical life,” said SK Nayyar, the media in charge of Radhasoami Satsang Sabha.
“A middle school was set up on January 1, 1916 which later came to be known as REI (Radhasoami Educational Institute) and is presently a deemed university called Dayalbagh Educational Institute (DEI), a much sought after destination for education now,” he said.
“Basant Panchami holds major significance for Radhasoami faith as it was on this day in 1861 (February 15) when the first acharya or religious head Param Purush Pooran Dhani Maharaj delivered sermons for welfare of humanity,” he said.