Dear Editor, In busy lifestyle of metropolis, the sound of seasons and excitement of festivals are not known. To some extent, the postponement of seasons due to environmental impact, encroachment is also responsible for the scenario. Winters have slipped away to Phagun and unseasonal rains ruined crops. In such a situation due to business of life, almost everything has come under the control of fast-spinning wheel of the economic cycle. Whether it is spring or winter, its feeling and enthusiasm has vanished. With arrival of spring, mango trees are in bloom. The garden-gardens are ashamed of the treachery of Rituraj, as if with the pinkish red color of the flowers of Kachnar. The golden aura is scattered in the fields by yellow mustard. As per Kalika Puran, for the first time, Kamadeva asked for a partner to create disorder in Shiva’s mind. Then Brahma created Vasant in form of a companion. The Gupta era and later texts mention celebration of Basant Panchami, which was related to dance, music and arts. This ceremony lasted till full moon day of Falgun. These were called Madnotsav. The description of this festival is found in Banabhatta’s Harshacharita and Kadambari. There is also a description of Madnotsav in Malavikagnimitra, Dashakumarcharita and Varshakriyakaumudi. The girls used to dance frantically carrying Amramanjari. Kalidas has said in the Ritusanhar- Vasante Dwigune Kamaah, which means effect of Kama doubles during spring. It is mentioned in folk literature that spring also makes old people young. The literature of two prominent medieval poets, Amir Khusrau and Malik Muhammad Jayasi, is immersed in the influence of spring. The description of Nagmati Virah of Jayasi is also Vasantasikt. But now-a-days spring, the joy of all the seasons and festivals seems to be drowned in the tumult of the struggle for wealth and livelihood. Saraswati Puja and Basant Panchami celebrations in schools and colleges on Basant Utsav are over. In our college days, the celebration of Mahakavi Nirala’s birthday was celebrated with great pomp on Basant Panchami. Poetry and musical events were held. Not only the students, but the teachers also came wearing yellow or Basanti clothes. Sweet saffron rice was prepared in homes and Saraswati Puja was performed. Journals and magazines used to issue special issues on spring. The physical feeling of spring may have been fading away, but the intellectual feeling remained. But now this lusty feeling is on the verge of extinction from the memory of the people. The euphoria of the public mind is missing. Who has only time left to admire nature? We are living our lives detached from our surroundings. There is neither the heat of the arrival of new crops nor the alertness and cheerfulness of the change of seasons. Our new generation may not even recognize the difference between a swelled Kachnar and a Dahlia, marigold and sunflower flower. Aacharya Hazariprasad Dwivedi has written in his essay Vasant Aa Gaya that spring does not come, it is taken away. The bloody color of the Palash ignites as if a forest grove. Spring is the arrival of enthusiasm of the mind, of new energy, of new enthusiasm. Knocking on the doors of that sleeping consciousness, which has planted despair and depression among hearts, Spring is a call to renounce all these weaknesses. His message has to be understood. The season description of the commander is most effective. Nature has not disappeared from the point of view of those poets. He writes – Baran Baran Taru Phule Upvan Forest, Soi Chaturang Sang Dal Lahitu Hai. With the onset of spring, the forest gardens come and sit with their Chaturangi army. Spring does not give the message of migration. He binds with felicitations of welcome and enthusiasm. Today’s writer maintains a vision of reality as he considers spring only as a sign of luxury. For a person who is grinding day and night for bread and butter, footsteps of spring in his life do not bring any innovation. He remains untouched by her touch. It is his compulsion, not his lack of aesthetics. The pursuit of bread, cloth and house is making him utterly monotonous. In this time beset by materiality, only the thread of nature has been left out of our hands. In the battle of career, our instinctive spirit has been lost somewhere. Spring wants to come, but the doors should be open for it, there should be little scope for germination on the fertile land of the mind, so that one can hum again with full lofty consciousness – Sakhi spring has come. The heart of the forest filled with joy, the shadow of innovation. Vijay Garg.
