No Time Restrictions For Holi, Basanta Utsab Celebrations In Bengal's Birbhum, Police Clarify

Last Updated:March 13, 2025, 17:16 IST

Birbhum's district police confirmed that no time restriction will be imposed on the Basanta Utsab celebration after BJP slammed state government over various restrictions imposed on celebrations.

Students of Visva Bharati University celebrate Basanta Utsab at Santiniketan in Birbhum. (Source: PTI)

The district police of Birbhum in West Bengal on Thursday clarified that no time restriction has been imposed by them over the Basanta Utsab and Holi celebration in the district amid political row over the various restrictions imposed on the celebrations by the Mamata Banerjee-led government.

The police said that the festival will be celebrated the way it has been always.

“This is to clarify that no time restriction has been placed by Birbhum District Police in repect of Basanta Utsab and Holi celebration. It will be celebrated as it has always been. We urge all to avoid misinformation and rely only on authentic sources for accurate updates," said Birbhum District Police.

What Is Basanta Utsab?

In Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore’s Santiniketan in Birbhum, Holi is marked by an artistic, graceful and cultural festival called “Basanta Utsab".

The festival was introduced by Tagore as a cultural event and is celebrated every year on the beginning day of the Bengali month of Falgun.

The Basanta Utsab was started by Tagore at Visva-Bharti University, Santiniketan for blending education with tradition, art and nature.

In this festival, people wear yellow dresses and sing Rabindra Sangeet, perform traditional dance and apply abir on each other.

During Basanta Utsab, people also indulge in Bengali sweets like Patisapta, Pithe and Mishti Doi.

BJP Slams Mamata Govt For Restrictions Imposed on Basanta Utsab

This year, the West Bengal government has banned Basanta Utsab celebrations at the popular Sonajhuri Haat near Santiniketan citing environmental impact.

The marketplace is close to the Visva Bharati University’s Santiniketan campus, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

This is the first time such a restriction has been imposed on Sonajhuri Haat after public participation in Basanta Utsab in Visva Bharati University was halted in 2019.

The tourists have also been told not to record videos of the celebrations.

This year also, Visva Bharati University will not open its campus to the public and will have private celebrations because of its UNESCO heritage status.

To protect the World Heritage site status, the abir (coloured powders) has also been banned in the celebrations. So, Basanta Utsab will be celebrated sans its usual vibrant colours.

The restrictions have received criticism from the BJP government, which accused the state government of doing politics of appeasement.

West Bengal Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari said to ANI, “This has not happened in just one area. Police conduct coordination programs at the time of the programmes of other communities. We saw this happening during CPI(M) and TMC regimes. But in 2025, for the first time, meetings were held at every Police Station for Holi. What was the issue in the meeting, this is a special month for the other community and this time Holi is falling on a Friday. So, it was openly said that colours should not be used and Holi should be celebrated.

“There will be arrests if someone does something. Birbhum Additional SP said that by 10 am, the Holi celebrations in Santiniketan should be wrapped up because it is Friday…This is happening in Bengal for the first time…Mamata Banerjee’s Police administration is doing politics of divides, it is doing politics of appeasement," he said.

However, the district police confirmed that there will be no restriction on the timing of the celebrations.

Birbhum, India, India

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