Baisakhi

Baisakhi

Baisakhi (also called Vaisakhi) is one of the most significant holidays in Sikh calendar, commemorating the establishment of the “Khalsa” (meaning “the Pure”).It is celebrated all around the world by the Khalsa as their birthday every year, the day corresponding to the event when they were created by the tenth Guru Shri Guru Gobind Singh ji. in 1699.Incidentally,this day is also observed as the beginning of the Hindu solar new year celebrated by the people of Nepal and Indians in West Bengal, Tamilnadu and Kerala and some other regions of India. The particular significance attached to the occasion shows regional variation outside of Punjab too. In Himachal Pradesh, Hindu Goddess Jwalamukhi is worshipped on Vaisakhi, while in Bihar, Sun-god Surya is honoured. The festival is celebrated as Rongali Bihu in Assam, Naba Barsha in Bengal, Puthandu in Tamil Nadu, Vishu (or Vaishakhi) in Kerala, and the Sinhalese/Tamil new year festival in Sri Lanka. Besides Punjab, Vaisakhi is widely celebrated as traditional harvest festival in many northern states of India, such as Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Uttaranchal. It is traditonally celebrated on 1st of the month of Vaisakh which corresponds to 13th or 14th April in the Gregorian calendar.The day is celebrated by prayers,religious processions and by raising the Sikh religious flag called “Nishan Sahib”.

To mark the celebrations, devotees, irrespective of their religion, throng at gurdwaras, the Sikh place of worship. The celebrations start early as devotees, with flowers and offerings in their hands, proceed towards the gurdwaras and temples before dawn. Processions through towns are also common. Vaisakhi is the day on which the Khalsa (The Pure Ones) was born and Sikhs were given a clear identity and a code of conduct to live by.The event was led by the last living Guru, Guru Gobind Singh Ji, who baptised the first Sikhs using sweet nectar called Amrit. Around the world at Vaisakhi time, Sikhs and Punjabis reflect on the values taught to them by their Gurus and celebrate the birth of the Khalsa. On top of this usually on this day in India, there is a huge parade/celebration. In the United States, there is usually a parade a few days after Vaisakhi. In Manhattan, New York City there is a very huge parade where many people come out to do seva (religious work) such as giving out free food, and completing any other labor needed to be done. The local Sikh community in Vancouver and Surrey, British Columbia, Canada holds its annual Vaisakhi celebrations in the April long weekend, which often includes a nagar kirtan, or parade, in which an estimated 200,000 people attend.

I wish a Happy Baisakhi to all my relatives,friends and well wishers.

May the Lord’s benevolence be showered on us all. !!

PS: By Grace of God,we have installed our Holy Book-Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, today in our home.May we learn to live a noble life as per the teachings of our Gurus.