PRETORIA: Pakistanis in South Africa are putting the finishing touches on what organizers describe as the country's biggest celebration of Basant, the traditional spring kite festival, as the community works to keep its culture alive far from home.
Preparations have been finalized for the event in Pretoria, according to sources. The festival is being organized by community leader Rehan Bhai, who has obtained official permission and security clearance from local authorities, the sources said.
Organizers say the event will go beyond kite flying. They describe it as a family cultural festival, with a dedicated children's entertainment area and stalls offering traditional Pakistani food, including chaat and live-cooking stations.
A large number of Pakistanis from across South Africa, including Durban and Cape Town, are expected to attend. Visitors from neighboring Eswatini are also expected.
Such gatherings play an important role in presenting Pakistan's peaceful and cultural face abroad, according to the report.
Details such as the date, venue and expected attendance were not provided.
What is Basant?
Basant takes its name from "vasanta," the Sanskrit word for spring. The festival marks the season's arrival and is traditionally observed in late January or February. It is linked to Basant Panchami, which falls on the fifth day of the lunar month of Magh.
The festival is most closely associated with the Punjab region, which spans present-day Pakistan and India. Its customs blend several traditions. In Hindu practice, the day honors Saraswati, the goddess of knowledge. In South Asian Sufi tradition, it is linked to the 13th- and 14th-century devotee and poet Amir Khusrau and the Delhi saint Nizamuddin Auliya, and celebrants wear yellow to evoke blooming mustard fields. Kites themselves are believed to have originated in China more than 2,000 years ago and spread across Asia over the centuries.
In Lahore, Basant became famous for rooftop parties and sky filled with colorful kites. Some historians trace the city's kite-flying tradition to the 18th century and the story of Haqiqat Rai, though accounts differ.
The festival's history in Pakistan has been shaped by safety concerns. Authorities in Punjab restricted kite flying in the 2000s after deaths and injuries, many caused by metal or glass-coated string and by celebratory gunfire.
Where it is celebrated
Basant and related spring or kite festivals are observed in Pakistan, India, Nepal and Bangladesh, where the day is widely marked as Saraswati Puja. Celebrations are also held by South Asian diaspora communities in the United Kingdom, North America, the Gulf, Africa and elsewhere. Kite festivals tied to other occasions, such as Makar Sankranti and Uttarayan in India, are held in other parts of the region.
