Baisakhi or Vaisakhi as it is popularly known as is a festival that celebrates the Sikh New Year and the founding of the Sikh community known as ‘Khalsa’. As per the Gregorian calendar, Baisakhi falls in the mid of April i.e. on 13th of the month every year and on 14th April once in 36 years. The auspicious occasion is celebrated on the first day of Vaisakh month (April-May) as per the Nanakshahi calendar. This year, Baisakhi will be celebrated on 14th April, 2014. On this day 315 years ago, i.e. in 1699 the tenth Sikh Guru, Sri Guru Gobind Singh drank the holy water (Amrit) at Anandpur Sahib and thus gave birth to the ‘Khalsa Panth’. Thus, this day is also known as the ‘Khalsa Sirjana Diwas’.
Baisakhi is an eminent harvest festival and holds great significance especially for the Sikh community. This harvest festival is celebrated by an enormous farming community especially in the states of Punjab and Haryana & is a time to rejoice as they enjoy the fruits of their hard work.
Traditional Celebrations
People wake up early in the morning to make the preparations for the day. Since the major activities of the day are organised in the Gurudwara Sahib, thus people take bath in the sarovar (holy river), following which they pay a visit to the Golden Temple, Amritsar or the nearby Gurudwara Sahib to seek the blessings of the almighty and attend the special prayer meetings. At the end of the Baisakhi Ardaas, congregates receive the specially prepared Karah Prashad, after which the Guru ka Langar (community lunch) is distributed in the langar hall. Amidst this, echoes of devotional songs (shabad-kirtan) and hymns are heard all over. The processions or Nagar Kirtans are led by the ‘Panj Pyaaras’ (the beloved five of the Guru), symbolizing the journey made by the five fearless devotees from their homes to Anandpur Sahib, to be baptized by Sri Guru Gobind Singh.
Traditionally, in the villages of Punjab, men perform bhangra, an energetic dance performance that tells the story of the agricultural process, from tilling the soil through harvesting. Besides this, women adorn traditional dresses to perform on the foot-tapping beats of giddha, another form of folk dance. Apart from this, Baisakhi fairs are a major attraction.
The festival holds great significance for two major religious groups of India. Primarily, it marks the start of the New Year for the Hindus. It is assumed that thousands of years ago, Goddess Ganga descended on earth and to honour her, plenty of Hindu devotees gather along the sacred Ganges River to take the ritual bath. Besides this, the festival is also celebrated in the state of Kerala and is familiarized by the name ‘Vishu’. The celebrations include fireworks, shopping for new clothes and interesting displays called ‘Vishu Kani’. Furthermore, this festival is known as ‘Bohag Bihu’ in the state of Assam.
How to celebrate Baisakhi at home:
- Wake up early in the morning and together with your children pay visit to the nearby Gurudwara to attend special prayer meetings and offer the prayers (Ardaas).
- Tell your children to take a bath in the sarovar (holy river) on this auspicious occasion.
- Motivate your children to brighten-up the home by decorating it with earthen lamps, candles and lights.
- Encourage them to actively participate in the Nagar Kirtans (holy processions).
- Teach your children holy verses such as ‘Satnaam Sri Waheguru’, ‘Bole So Nihaal..Satsriakal’ and ‘Degh Tegh Fateh’.
- Inspire them to offer services at the Gurudwara Sahib like cleaning of the Gurudwara premises, distributing the Karah Prashad & langar (community lunch) amongst one and all.
- Encourage the children to learn the famous folk dances viz. giddha & bhangra and perform on the eve of the festival.
- Tell your children about the different ways in which this festival is celebrated in different parts of the country.
So, get into the festive mood and let your heart dance to the rhythm of the drums on the joyous occasion of Baisakhi. Happy Baisakhi..!!
