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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. |
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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 13
and sometimes on 14 April. |
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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. |
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 |
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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. |
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