The chills of winter gradually fade away as the brightness of spring knocks our door. In India, the beginning of spring season is marked with the celebration of Basant Panchami or Vasant Panchami, a harvest festival celebrated in the Hindu month of Magh, which coincides with the months of January and February in the Gregorian calendar.

In this festival, the yellow color dominates as people wear yellow clothes and even the food delicacies offered to the goddess Saraswati are given a touch of yellow. As you all might know, Hindu festivals are incomplete without feasting, the festival of Basant Panchami is not unlike. To celebrate the spring fever on this Basant Panchami 2020, here is a list of sweet delicacies for you to fill the joys of spring in your life.

Basant Panchami Special Dishes

Kesari Sheera

Kesari Sheera is a sweet dish made from semolina with ghee, milk, water, and sugar. Unlike normal halwa, more emphasis on milk is given while making Kesari Sheera. To give it a tinge of yellow, saffron is added to the dish, which also enhances the aroma of the dish.

Kesari Bhaat

Kesari Bhaat is basically sweetened rice savored with saffron that lends the color and flavor in it. After soaking in saffron water, rice is first boiled and then fried in ghee. Sugar and cardamom powder is added to it to make it sugary sweet. Finally, it is garnished with dry fruits and is served hot.

Kesari Rajbhog

A famous Bengali dessert, Rajbhog is given a dash of saffron to make it more delicious and suitable with the feel of Basant Panchami. It looks exactly like rasgulla and is made with cottage cheese (chenna) and a mix of crushed dry fruits and Kesar stuffed in the middle. The crunchy center of the Kesari Rajbhog balances the sweetness and is cherished by people.

Boondi/Boondi Ke Laddoo

Boondi is often offered as Prasada during so many festivals including Basant Panchami. Prepared with chickpea flour made sweetened and fried, boondi are savored by many. Boondi laddoos can also be prepared from boondi. When dipped in sugar syrup boondi laddoos can be prepared.

Pumpkin Kheer

Pumpkin or Sitafal is a healthy vegetable, which is eaten as a dish. However, pumpkin is sweet in taste so it can also be used to prepare a sweet dish. Pumpkin kheer can be prepared on Basant Panchami using pumpkin, cashews, cardamom powder, nutmeg powder, sugar, and ghee.