Agra : The city of the Taj basked in shades of yellow as bright sunshine greeted people on Basant Panchami, perking up the festive mood here.

The occasion that marks the onset of spring was celebrated in various forms in the city of diverse culture with many joining the annual celebrations at the Samadhi of the founder of Radha Soami faith at Dayalbagh.

The day was also celebrated as the birthday of the 18th century poet Mian Nazir Akbarabadi. The modest tomb of Nazir was lit up as admirers queued up to pay homage to the poet, who sang of love and the life of the common man in Agra and gave the city its unique literary identity.

Young and old were seen flying kites, feeding monkeys on the banks of the Yamuna or visiting the Taj Mahal that dazzled white in the soft sunshine.

Basant Panchami is an auspicious day for the followers of Radha Soami faith. The colony of Dayalbagh, which translates as "Garden of the Merciful" and is the spiritual home of the followers of the faith, was decked up with yellow flowers and rangolis on the floor.

Dayalbagh was founded on Basant Panchami in 1915 by Huzur Sahabji Maharaj, the fifth revered leader of Radha Soami faith, by planting a mulberry (shahtoot) sapling. Hundreds of devotees from the US, Singapore, France and many other countries have gathered here to participate in the three-day celebrations to mark 150 years of the founding of the faith.

Huzur Maharaj essayed secularism through his teachings. This found expression in the birth of the Radha Soami faith. His mausoleum is also coming up in this city. "The entire stretch around the mausoleum and the colony looks out of this world with so many flowers and rangolis," said a devotee from Andhra Pradesh.