After 20 years, Basant festival set to be celebrated in Lahore from February 6-8

Pakistan’s cultural capital Lahore will celebrate the iconic Basant festival with traditional merriments, colours, and kite-flying from February 6 to 8, after a two decade ban was lifted recently.

Celebrated towards the end of winters to mark the arrival of spring (Basant) season, the Basant festival has been an occasion for community celebrations across the Punjab province.

“Spring returns to the city of heritage and festivals. Lahore’s skies will speak in colour again reclaiming our glory for the world,” Punjab senior minister Marriyum Aurangzeb said on Thursday.

“Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has approved the revival of our beloved Heritage Basant Festival on February 6 to 8, to be celebrated across Lahore after 20 years, a tradition rooted in history and admired worldwide,” she said.

Last week, the Punjab government lifted the ban on Basant celebration through an ordinance — the Punjab Kite Flying Ordinance, 2025.

The festival was banned in 2005 because of an increasing number of deaths and serious injuries caused by sharp strings, particularly to motorcyclists and pillion riders, as well as by celebratory gunfire.

Basant is derived from Sanskrit word Vasant while Panchami in Sanskrit means fifth day. While Basant Panchami is a Hindu religious festival, in Pakistan’s Punjab province, ‘Basant’ is a cultural spring festival.

The festival gained special prominence in the Mughal era. Lahore, in particular, became the most vibrant centre of Basant festivities. Mughal emperors, nobles, and later Sikh rulers celebrated Basant with kite-flying competitions, music, dance, and gatherings that attracted people from far and wide.