The History of Basant and Why It Is Considered Haram in Islam

For centuries, the festival known as Basant has been an emblematic celebration of spring across the Punjab region of South Asia. Its vibrant culture, colourful kites and social gatherings have left a lasting imprint on the collective memory of Punjabi communities. However, in recent decades the festival, especially in Pakistan, has been subject to bans and controversy in part due to safety concerns and in part due to religious objections rooted in Islamic jurisprudence.

Origins and Cultural Significance

The word Basant is derived from the Sanskrit Vasant or Vasanta, meaning “spring” — the season of renewal, blooming flowers and brighter days after winter. Traditionally observed in late January or early February, the festival marked the transition into spring and was celebrated with enthusiasm by people of different communities in the Punjab region, long before the partition of British India in 1947. The ritual of kite flying, which became deeply associated with Basant, symbolised joy, freedom and the playful spirit of spring.

In rural areas, mustard and rapeseed fields would burst into vibrant yellow — a colour that came to be especially celebrated during Basant. Sufi shrines across northern India and Pakistan would host gatherings where people offered sweets, wore yellow clothing, and participated in music and dance as part of the seasonal festivities.

Under the Sikh Empire in the 19th century, Basant was popularised in urban centres like Lahore, where kite flying became a defining component of the festival. The city’s rooftops would shimmer with multicoloured kites, and competitive “kite duels” became an integral part of the celebration.

Modern History and Regulatory Migrations

Despite its longstanding cultural roots, Basant’s contemporary history in Pakistan has been turbulent. From the mid-2000s onward, reports began highlighting frequent injuries and fatalities linked to kite flying — particularly due to commercially made strings coated with ground glass or metal, known locally as maanji — which could sever the skin or cause fatal accidents involving motorcyclists or passersby. This led to the government imposing bans and restrictions on kite flying and Basant celebrations in parts of Punjab.

In 2005, the Lahore High Court supported early restrictions on Basant, and a broader provincial ban followed in subsequent years. Only in February 2026 did the Punjab government formally reinstate a regulated version of the festival after nearly two decades, allowing kite flying in Lahore under strict safety protocols, including registration of kites and limits on the materials used for strings.

Why Basant Is Considered Haram by Some Islamic Scholars

The question of Basant being haram forbidden in Islam is tied to two main considerations: religious symbolism and public safety and morality.

1. Religious Context and Associations

Some Islamic jurists contend that Basant has pre-Islamic or non-Islamic origins that conflict with Islamic monotheism (tawhid). While Basant in its Punjabi context was largely a seasonal and cultural festival, its Vasant Panchami roots in the broader Indian subcontinent were historically intertwined with Hindu worship and rituals honouring deities like Saraswati. For some scholars, participation in a festival associated with reverence for non-Islamic deities is problematic for Muslims, especially when framed as a religious celebration rather than a purely cultural event.

From a traditional Islamic perspective, engaging in festivals that are rooted in or celebrated as part of another religion can be considered impermissible. A fatwa published on IslamQA examines that if a tradition like Basant is viewed as part of non-Islamic religious practice, blindly imitating or participating in it can be haram or at least highly discouraged particularly if Muslims accept its religious connotations rather than treating it as cultural.

2. Preservation of Life and Public Order

A more pragmatic reasoning offered by Islamic scholars and notably cited in a fatwa issued by Pakistan’s Darul Iftah Jamia Naeemia is based on the Islamic principle of preserving human life. The fatwa declared several activities associated with Basant celebrations including kite flying with hazardous strings, aerial firing and dangerous motorcycle stunts as un-Islamic (haram) because they threaten life and safety. Under Islamic law, acts that are likely to cause severe harm or loss of life without legitimate necessity are considered forbidden.

This interpretation aligns with a broader understanding within Islamic jurisprudence that prioritises maslahah (public welfare) and darar (prevention of harm). Any practice that evidently endangers individuals or the wider community can be declared impermissible to protect human life a core objective of Sharia.

Social and Cultural Debate

The stance that Basant or kite flying is haram is not universally accepted among all Muslims. Some argue that kite flying in itself is a recreational activity and not inherently religious — and that campaigns against it by some clerics have more to do with theological puritanism than authentic Islamic principles. Others maintain that most objections arise from historical associations rather than intrinsic religious rulings, suggesting that Basant can be interpreted as a cultural celebration devoid of explicit religious worship.

Scholar Haider Farooq Maududi has noted that while Basant holds cultural significance, traditions themselves cannot be conflated with religion. He argues that Islam does not reward or forbid all cultural festivals unless they involve prohibited acts.

Conclusion

The history of Basant reflects the complex interaction between cultural heritage and evolving social norms. From its centuries-old role as a seasonal celebration of spring to a contested festival in modern Pakistan, Basant embodies both joyful tradition and contentious debate. While many celebrate its legacy of colour and community, religious authorities and legal institutions have raised serious objections both on the grounds of preserving Islamic values and protecting human lives from the real dangers that emerged from unregulated festivities.

For further reading on Basant’s cultural history and its place today, you can explore more in depth at Wikipedia’s Basant festival page.

The History of Basant