Share

Baisakhi (बैसाखी)    Baisakhi is widely celebrated  festival in many  states of India. In Punjab Vaisakhi ਵਿਸਾਖੀ (Punjabi) or Baisakhi बैसाखी  Baisakhi is an ancient harvest festival in the Punjab region and a Sikh religious festival. Baisakhi observed as the beginning of the Hindu solar new year celebrated by the people in Kerala, Orissa, West Bengal and some other regions of India and  Nepal.              Anandpur Sahib   In Sikhism, it is one of the most significant holidays in the Sikh calendar, commemorating the establishment of the Khalsa at Anandpur Sahib in 1699, by the  10th Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh   Vaisakhi (ਵਿਸਾਖੀ) in Punjab  Vaisakhi or Baisakhi, a seasonal festival in the Punjab which takes place on the first day of the solar month of Baisakh. Traditionally, the festival was celebrated as the harbinger of happiness and plenty being closely connected with harvesting.      As some Sikh texts record, Guru Nanak Dev Sahib Ji (1469-1539) was born during the month of Baisakh. According to Sarup Das Bhalla, Mahima Prakash, Part 2, Guru Amar Das Ji (1479-1574), at the suggestion of Sikhs led by Bhai Paro, started an annual congregational fair at Goindval on the occasion of Baisakhi.    It became customary for distant sangats of Sikhs to assemble at the seat of the Gurus on every Baisakhi (and Divali) day. With the inauguration by Guru Gobind Singh Ji of the Khalsa on 1 Baisakh 1756 Bk, Baisakhi became an important festival on the Sikh calendar. The date then corresponded with 30 March 1699, but owing to the adoption of Gregorian calendar by the British in 1752 and the difference between the Christian and the Bikrami years since then, Baisakhi now usually falls on 14 and sometimes on 13 April.

The Sikhs everywhere celebrate Baisakhi enthusiastically as birthday anniversary of the Khalsa. Akhand patths are recited followed by kirtan and ardas in almost every gurdwara. Community meals form part of the celebrations. At bigger centres congregational fairs, amrit-prachar, i. e. initiation  ceremonies for inducting novitiates into the Khalsa fold, and contests in manly sports are held.    Until the partition of the Punjab in 1947, the largest attended Baisakhi fairs were those of Panja Sahib and Eminabad, in Gujranwala (now both in Pakistan). The most important venues now are the Sri Darbar Sahib, Amritsar, Takht Damdama Sahib at Talvandi Sabo, in Bathinda district, and Takht Kesgarh Sahib, Anandpur Sahib, in Ropar district, all in the Punjab.    It was at Kesgarh Fort that conversion of Sikhs into the Khalsa through the administration of khande di pahul, or baptism of the double-edged sword, first took place on the Baisakhi day of 1699.(Sikh Encyclopedia)    To mark the celebrations, devotees, irrespective of Sikh religion, throng at gurdwara the Sikh place of worship. The main celebration takes place at Talwandi Sabo (where Guru Gobind Singh stayed for nine months and completed the recompilation of the Guru Granth Sahib), and in the gurdwara at Anandpur Sahib, the birth place of Khalsa and at the Golden Temple in Amritsar.     Historic Panja Sahib gurdwara, Pakistan   Five thousand Sikh pilgrims are due to arrive at the Wagah border by the Samjhauta Express on April 11, 2010  to visit their sacred shrines in Pakistan on the occasion of Baisakhi. The festivities at the historic Panja Sahib gurdwara, starting Monday, would carry on until Wednesday - Baisakhi day. The pilgrims will return to India April 21..   Basakhi observed as new year   Baisakhi  is observed as the beginning of the Hindu solar new year in many states in India. In Himachal Pradesh the Hindu Goddess Jwalamukhi is worshipped on Vaisakhi/ In  Bihar the Baisakhi day  the Sun-god Surya is worshiped. The Baisakhi festival is celebrated as Rongali Bihu in Assam, Naba Barsha or Pohela Boishakh in Bengal, Assam and Tripura, Puthandu (Tamil New Year) in Tamil Nadu, Vishu (or Vaishakhi) in Kerala, Maha Vishuba Sankranti  in Orissa, and the Sinhala and Tamil new year festival in Sri Lanka.

[Information Technology ] [Environment ] [Agriculture ] [Renewable Energy ] [Clean Water ] [ Education ] [Child Care ] [Health Care ] [ Wild Life ]  [Railways] [ Airways ] [ Weather] [ Contact Us ] [ Advertise ] [About Us ] [ Disclaimer ]