The harvest festival of Vaisakhi, the first day of Sikh New Year according to Nanakshahi Solar Calendar marks the beginning of the harvest season in India.
Hundreds of thousands of people participate in the celebration of Baisakhi. Baisakhi always falls on the first day of the first month in the Hindu calendar, which is called Bikram Samvat. Furthermore in India, Vaisakhi is a very popular festival in the state of Punjab.
It is a day associated with the establishment of Holy Khalsa by Guru Gobind Singh in 1699, when he was the 10th Guru. Baisakhi Holiday will be celebrated on 14th April, 2023 (Friday).
Story Behind Vaisakhi
It has been stated that during the ancient period, Guru Teg Bahadur was publicly beheaded by Emperor Aurangzeb (the ruling force of the Mughals).
Moreover, as he had fought on behalf of Hindus, it was he who was the first to speak out in favour of them. Guru Gobind Singh became the next Guru following the death of Guru Teg Bahadur in the year 1702.
During the year 1650, Punjab was in a state of destabilisation under the rule of a corrupt government, and the people lacked any legal rights, no law, and no justice.
A lot of people, especially the weak, suffered constantly and in silence. Thus, Guru Gobind Singh wishes to instil the powerful virtues of courage and strength amongst everyone on this day.
In order to bring together a large number of Sikhs, he called a meeting at Anandpur.
He stood up at the meeting and raised his sword and challenged those who stood up for the truth to join him and to rise up to the challenge and to raise their voices against unfairness.
As the last group of five Sikhs rose to speak, Guru Gobind Singh announced that they were the Panj Pyare (The Five Beloved Ones).
Guru Gobind Singh then chose to baptise them as opposed to killing them, and the first ceremony of Amrit initiation subsequently took place.
Tradition of Vaisakhi
Observed for thousands of years in the Punjab region, the festival of Vaisakhi is an ancient spring harvest festival.
Guru Gobind Singh, leader of the Sikhs, chose the date of the festival to create the highest order the Sikhs could achieve, known as the Khalsa Panth, at the end of the 17th century.
Anandpur Sahib in Punjab was the location of Guru Gobind Singh's 1699 summons to all of India's Sikhs. Sikhs in front of a mass of people were encased in Khalsa identifiers of a Saint Soldier.
Vaisakhi celebration
In order to celebrate Baisakhi or Vaisakhi, people mostly go to Gurdwaras and dance Bhangra and Gidda in the open air. Other ways to celebrate it include:
A special prayer meeting is held at Gurudwaras in the morning.
The holy book is ceremoniously bathed in water and milk in Gurdwaras.
A special throne is then placed for the holy book.
Followers then listen carefully to what has been read out.
This festival requires the preparation of holy nectar and receiving of amrit, as well as chanting of verses. Several verses are chanted and then the nectar is distributed.
Amrit is typically sipped five times in a row by devotees according to tradition.
The morning of Ardas, a sweetened semolina dish is served to the congregation, called Karah Prasad. After Ardas, the congregation offers the prasad to the Guru.
A Langar arrangement completes the process.
Conclusion
On the occasion of Baisakhi, many Sikhs make pilgrimages to holy sites in order to commemorate the events that occurred. The Nagar Kirtan is a public processional that occurs in some parts of the world on a fairly regular basis.
The Sikh community across the world will also hold public celebrations in cities like London, Leicester and Vancouver that have significant Sikh populations.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1. Is Vaisakhi on the 13th or 14th?
Ans: Traditional celebrations of Vaisakhi take place on 13 April or sometimes 14 April to mark the first day of the month of Vaisakh and celebrate spring harvest primarily in northern India
Q2. Is Vaisakhi on the same day every year?
Ans: The festival of Vaisakhi takes place every year on the 13th or 14th of April. Sikhism became a collective faith in 1699, when it was founded
Q3. Why has Vaisakhi date changed?
Ans: Since Vaisakhi and other Sankrantis change over time, the date of Vaisakhi has fluctuated much. In the year 2999, Vaisakhi would be celebrated on the 29th of April.