by Arshdeep Kaur Longia | Feb 5, 2022 | What's Special
Basant Panchami marks the soon arrival of the spring season which is known as the “King of all seasons”. Both the words have their own meanings, Basant denotes spring while Panchmi is the fifth day of the Magh in Hindu calendar.
It is celebrated forty days before the spring season blooms fully and also marks the start of preparation for Holi and the end of winter season. People celebrate it in various ways depending on the region. This festival has different meanings to different cultures. In the Southern region it is known as Sri Panchmi but one thing remains common in every region. Want to know what it is?
Continue reading….
HISTORY OF BASANT PANCHAMI
For many Hindus, Basant Panchami is the festival dedicated to Goddess Saraswati, the Goddess of knowledge, language, music and all arts. It is believed that on this day Goddess Saraswati was born to Goddess Durga.
A popular belief says that Maharaja Ranjit Singh encouraged people to celebrate Basant Panchami by giving Rs. 2000 to Haramandir Sahib (Golden Temple) to distribute langar. He and his queen celebrated the occasion by flying kites. The Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh Ji was happily married to Mata Jeeto Ji in Guru Ka Lahore near Anandpur Sahib on this auspicious occasion.
Also, Haqiqat Rai, a martyr who was given choice between converting to Islam or be finished to death was executed in Lahore during Zakariya Khan’s Governorship.
THE SIGNIFICANT COLOUR
Thinking of Basant Panchami, the color yellow strikes our mind, which symbolizes prosperity and the ripening of crops and fruits. Also, this is the answer to what remains common in every region- the color YELLOW. It can also be related to the scene of bright yellow flowers of mustard crop dominating the Indian fields. People dress in yellow saree or shirts or accessories, turban to bring this occasion to life.
CELEBRATION TIME
Holy places like temples and gurudwaras experience heavy rush on this occasion. People visit Gurudwara Dukhnivaran Sahib, Patiala where this auspicious occasion is celebrated with utmost joy and pleasure.
Temples are crowded with devotees offering ladoo to Goddess Saraswati. Bihar lingers with the aroma of kheer, malpua and Bundi which is offered to Goddess Saraswati whereas Bengalis offer Baer and coconut.
Punjab sees it as a festival of flying kites without which it is incomplete. Some believe that this is an auspicious day to begin something new, like getting married or introducing children to reading and writing.
Numerous fares are also set up with various stalls like food, rides, clothes, toys, etc, which attract children. A feeling of joy sweeps over people on such occasions.
FOOD
Every festival has its own unique delicacy in every region. Basant is not an exception.
Sweet dishes with saffron like sweet rice with dry fruits, kesari bhat, kesar halwa, rava kesari, rajbhog and also khichdi are made and consumed as a part of the feast. These delicacies are easy to make and yummy to eat.
HOW WE CELEBRATED BASANT PANCHAMI
Parijai celebrated Basant Panchami in a GREEN way by holding an online contest on the theme “Basant ” with the aim of creating a community of like minded people and promoting the “Every Corner Needs A Plant “ concept. Passionate green lovers created miniature and mini gardens with the best possible accessories to match the theme and the occasion. It was an immense pleasure to witness the never ending creativity and the ideas behind them.
Nature prepares itself for a full bloom as we celebrate its arrival, bringing new hope. It’s such an immense pleasure to witness the beauty of nature. It then seems that nature is elated to be back after the cold.
Basant marks the time when the flora is set free from the freezing winter fogs and is allowed to bloom in pleasant weather. Each element of Earth yawns and wakes up to life. Let’s keep this Green Beauty alive forever and ever, so that we don’t lose the joy of watching the beautiful sight of Mother Nature.
Tell us in the comments how you celebrated your Basant Panchami. Was it with nature or cooking something yummy? Do let us know.
Wishing you all a Very Happy Basant Panchami!
by Arshdeep Kaur Longia | Oct 10, 2021 | Vertical Garden
The Beginning Of The Vertical Garden Concept
Vertical gardens tend to take up less space, are easier to harvest and to maintain. Way back in 1938, Professor Stanley Harts White of the university Illinois created a unique concept- the Vegetation Bearing Architectonic Structure and System or what is in today’s era known as ‘Vertical Garden’. But actually the credit of popularizing and modernizing the concept goes to the French Botanist, Patrick Blanc who created green walls, particularly in Europe.
Anybody can indulge in the pleasure of growing and harvesting their own food and attain its superior nutrition. Don’t crib about the lack of gardening space when vertical gardening is the best option to start growing up. It is surely an amazing discovery. These can be easily set up using your own skills or by hiring a professional.
Vertical Gardening Ideas:
- Hanging Pots
Flat-finish paint and some sturdy rope will help get the job done. It’s imperative to keep in mind when building your garden that your support system can handle strong and gusty winds. Cherry tomatoes, strawberries and eggplant grow well in these pots.
- Tin Can Fence Garden
Sprays painted tin cans make absolutely adorable and extremely affordable planters. It is a good idea to reuse your tin cans instead of throwing them away which would lead only to piling up of waste.
- Traditional Trellis
This method is used to grow vining vegetables. You get a good harvest and a more neat and clean garden. Also, it’s easier to find all those hidden tomatoes. Beans, squash, melons and cucumbers can be grown through trellis. Make it strong enough so that it can withstand the weight of the plants.
- Tray Herb Garden
Herbs grow good and strong in this quite-large vertical tray system. Go for a strong wall and fasteners which are ready to support the weight of all the stuff that you put in.
- Pallet Tray System
You can build up this vertical garden with some plywood, landscaping cloth, and a pallet. Fill with soil and lay flat, and then put in seeds or seedlings into the slats.
- Bottle Garden
It is a herb garden which uses recycled bottles. They’re suspended on strings for easy caring. While some of the plants wouldn’t reach their full size due to the small container, there are enough plants to get herbs for a family. Environment lovers would go for this option without thinking much.
- Succulent Gardens
Living walls can help reduce the amount of cooling needed in the house. Succulents require less attention if watered properly. These are very much attractive. You may name it as the creative garden.
- Herbs in Baskets
You can grow nearly any herb in these beautiful hanging baskets, here are some good choices to start with as well as the most common:
- Dill
- Parsley
- Thyme
- Sage
- Lavender
- Mint
- Rosemary
- Oregano
- Freestanding Garden
If you’d like to build your own vertical garden setup, here is a good idea. Build a small raised bed, put in these vertical angled supports. Lemongrass, petunia and tomatoes can grow in this type of garden.
- Pyramid Garden
Pyramid garden is a great option for smaller plants like lettuce and strawberries. It allows all your plants to experience the lush warm sunlight without interfering with other ones.
- Stair Garden
This amazing vertical garden has been transformed from an old staircase. The stair steps provide a good way for excess water to drain off down the unit and every plant receives adequate sunshine.
- A Shoe Organizer
You can make canvas pouches or use an old shoe organizer to make a creative Vertical Garden. So, don’t throw out your shoe organizer, use it for a vertical garden dear.
By now you would be probably buzzing with all the ideas of how you can build your own creative vertical garden. A vertical garden can be installed by anyone. You just need to follow some principles for the same.
Try a vertical gardening system and let us know how it worked for you in the comment box!
by Arshdeep Kaur Longia | Aug 17, 2021 | Student's Column
Hello there, I am Peepal (the sacred fig). I would like to show you a picture of mine.
How was it? Adorable, right? I flourish in mother nature’s lap. She keeps me alive and makes me able to let you breathe the purest air.
Now, here’s another picture of mine.
😔I feel sad looking at myself like this. What inference did you draw from it?
Does this place look like a worshipping spot?
Why am I left unattended when I equally and constantly serve humanity?
I am said to be worshipped in this way. Do you know why I am worshipped? Trimurti resides in me; Brahma the roots, Vishnu the trunk and Shiva the leaves. Visnu was born under me and Buddha attained enlightenment under me. But, this is the wrong way of doing it.
Let me take you to the topic of discussion.
What is worship?
To show a strong feeling of admiration, respect or love for a God. But in today’s society modern worship has made its place like worshipping celebrities, cricket teams, etc.
Worshipping Nature
In a recent blog of ’15 Sacred Trees Native to India’, we mentioned the reason for worshipping trees and their importance. We hope you all gave it a read. Ancient scriptures do mention the worship of trees but in a decent manner.
It’s not something new about the fact that people in India worship trees. But have you ever seen them polluting the same?
Leaving the pooja articles, packets, polythenes and flowers scattered leaves a bad impression on the viewers. This all compiles up into waste. A bad lesson for children to take away. We place photographs of our gods around it and sometimes some idols also. But these are left behind unattended due to many reasons. This is called disrespect. The packets left behind fly away which come under the feet. Stray animals rest there which makes the place look more dirty.
Moreover, food is also offered as prasad to the trees which is many times left as it is. The food is also getting disrespected. We don’t even notice that the smallest of the waste thrown piles up and it begins to look like a junkyard. It’s too late when we realize that.
Our elders taught us how to worship but never told us to pollute the worshipping place. We misinterpreted what was told. There is a specific way for puja which avoids harming the environment and we all know it how.
Type in your views in the comment box below.
by Arshdeep Kaur Longia | Jun 18, 2021 | Gardening
Special days, special memories. We all wish to make our special days last forever. Is there any special way to do it?
People tend to celebrate occasions through parties, vacations and some through social work like donating blankets, clothes and blood. I have one of my close friends donating blankets and grocery items to streetside beggars and blind homes and even donating blood on their birthday every year. This is indeed a good practice to make each birthday more meaningful.
But, is there any more creative way that can benefit us as well as our upcoming generations? Is there any way of saying thanks to nature or showing gratitude for providing us with such incredible life resources? Is it possible to involve our surroundings in our celebrations?
So many questions but the answer lies with the colour green. Give it a thought, while we provide you with a new gifting idea.
Giving An Opportunity To Plants
From birthdays to anniversaries, we always fall short of gifting options. Indeed, we all have so much to choose from.
We bet you must not have ever thought of gifting plants to your loved ones on special occasions. You read that right, plants can be the best and memorable gifts to someone. It is surely an out of the box idea. The materialistic gifts start depreciating with time whereas plants become our companions and stay for a longer period if taken care of properly and sometimes these even become a legacy.
There are numerous and uncountable varieties of plants to choose from and so are their benefits. One plant can give birth to several plants. Let us help you scroll through the reasons for the same.
Gift A Plant
1. Pleasure & Prevention:
Gifting someone a living plant means you are handing them the responsibility of taking care and keeping it alive. The person receives immense pleasure when it grows out to be a healthy plant. Growing something enhances self-esteem and boosts confidence.
Also, living plants restrict the occurrence of Sick Building Syndrome (SBS), a very common issue nowadays. Its symptoms include anxiety, headache, dizziness, and lack of concentration. Place one on your child’s table.
2. Gift a plant For mental wellness:
In this time of stress and anxiety, people often don’t find emotional balance. We know there is no guidebook on how to manage stress and also be productive at the same time. Greenery is said to reduce stress and make one more productive. We can ensure that the person can function with a clear head by giving them plants that enhance the mood and lower down the stress level. The presence of a plant in the room or at the desk can help considerably in making the air fresher.
Caring for plants like watering them, fertilizing and watching them bloom is one of the great pleasures. It makes you feel alive and psychologically healthy. The satisfaction achieved from watching your plants grow ultimately leads to happiness and elation.
3. Feng Shui :
Every plant has its Feng Shui energy which invites positive vibes to the place. The colour green is said to be associated with healing. So, gifting plant heals your near and dear ones.
- Peace lily
- Lucky bamboo
- Boston fern
- Areca palm
- Jade
- Golden Pothos (money plant)
- Snake plant
- Rubber plant
- Orchid
- Citrus trees
4. Aesthetic Value:
While gifting a plant to your loved ones you will add a lot of aesthetics to their lives. Plants add a lot of vitality and brightness to the surroundings and lots of layers in the décor as well. They definitely add up to the aesthetic value of the place, be it the garden, indoors, balcony or office. Gift a plant to beautify someone’s place.
5. Value for Life:
Gifting a plant is very beneficial for human beings and could be a great nutriment to the other species. As we know many insects like bees, butterflies, and beetles etc survive on flowers and plants. So be a contributor for some little lives.
6. Air purifiers
The most important value of some plants is that they purify air. NASA recommended air purifier plants not only produce oxygen but also remove volatile pollutants like benzene, formaldehyde and xylene, thus reducing the carbon footprint of a place. Adding this small practice of gifting plants to others will be a great initiative to boost this chain of creating a purified and clean environment around us.
Find out more: https://parijaigenus.com/radiation-free-homes-and-offices-10-indoor-plants/
Here are some plants:
- Peace lily
- Aloe vera
- Pothos plant
- Spider plant
- English ivy
- Bamboo palm
- Sansevieria
- Red-edged dracaena
- Aglaonema
7. Gift a plant to give a push to the economy
Sounds strange? But let me tell you in one sentence ‘The more we make the environment green, the purer air we will inhale, the more fresh air we get, the more we become healthy and so goes on with our country’s growth’. We need to be healthy for productivity and creativity and these factors are directly involved in improving the country’s economy.
Karamveer Singh from Longowal planted a sapling on his 23rd birthday
8. Gift a plant without any reason
Not only for gifting, saplings can be planted on a special occasion. Like planting a tree on your birthday, anniversary, on a success celebration etc.
Moreover, planting a tree gives shade and fruit at a later stage. Give a thought and list all that we borrow from our nature. So, “Gift A Plant, Gift A Life”.
9. Gift a plant to yourself on a occasion
Planting a “Triveni” is the best gift one can gift to themselves on a birthday or special occasions to make it more memorable. Plant atleast 1 tree in your lifetime to give back to mother nature.
Is it not our responsibility to maintain and spread the positive and clean the negative?Here, you need to ponder a lot.
The Bottom line: Gift a plant on every occasion.
We are definitely sure that now there exist enough reasons for gifting a plant. Go give it a try and share your experiences with us in the chat box and also if you have more reasons besides the ones mentioned above, do share those also.
Every Corner Needs A Plant
Rangwali Holi (Dhuleti) is celebrated the next morning, and it is a free-for-all colour festival in which people smear and bathe each other. Water pistols and water-filled balloons are also used to have fun and colour with. Friends or strangers, rich or poor, man or woman, youngsters and elderly are all fair game. Colour frolics and fights take place in open streets, parks, and outside temples and buildings.
Groups sing and dance, with some drumming and playing the dholak. People serve gujiya, mathri, malpuas, and other traditional treats after each stop of pleasure and colour play. Cold drinks, particularly marijuana-infused drinks, are often part of the Holi celebrations.
Significance
The Holi celebration has cultural importance in the Indian subcontinent’s Hindu traditions. It is a joyful day to reflect on and correct previous mistakes, to resolve issues by meeting new people, and to forget and forgive. Debts are paid or forgiven, and people begin over with others in their lives. Holi also celebrates the beginning of spring, a time for people to celebrate the changing seasons and meet new people.
Maharaja Ranjit Singh and his Sikh Empire, which spanned what is now Northern India and Pakistan, celebrated Holi. According to Sikh court documents, Ranjit Singh and his staff in Lahore utilized 300 mounds of colours in 1837, according to Tribune India. In the Bilawal gardens, where decorative tents were set up, Ranjit Singh would celebrate Holi with others. Sir Henry Fane, the British Indian army’s commander-in-chief, attended the Holi celebrations organised by Ranjit Singh in 1837. Ranjit Singh financed a fresco in the Lahore Fort depicting the Hindu God Krishna playing Holi with Gopis. After Ranjit Singh’s death, his Sikh sons and others continued to celebrate Holi every year with vibrant colours and opulent celebrations. These ceremonies were attended by colonial British officials.
Colour Experimentation
Holi frolics and celebrations commence the morning following the Holika bonfire in North and Western India. Children and teenagers join groups to colour their targets using dry colours, coloured solution and water pistols (pichkaris), water balloons filled with coloured water, and other inventive methods.
How is Parijai celebrating Holi this year?
We are always beside Mother Nature at every moment and trying to involve people so that they could realize their responsibility towards Nature. After the success of the Lohri and Basant contest, we are holding up a contest on “Phoolon Ki Holi”, where the green lovers will showcase their love for different colours of flora of the season. We are merging creativity and nature to visualize how beautiful recreating nature can be.
Indulge in the Colourful Love of plants this Holi. Send in your entries to our Whatsapp number mentioned below. Participate and get a chance to be the judge of our next contest.
Hurry up! Warm up your creative minds.
Last date for sending in entries is March 18th, 2022 till 6 p.m.
8727004333
Every Corner Needs A Plant 
