Baisakhi festival: What is the significance of this harvest festival and more

By Pankaj Khanna, 

What is the baisakhi festival?

In 2022, Baisakhi will be celebrated on April 13th, the start of the solar year. This is a popular festival in Punjab, North India, to thank God for the good harvest. On this day, people pray at nearby Gurdwaras. Vaisakhi processions and traditional performances (group dance and singing) are held.

In Punjab and Haryana, the Vaisakhi or Baisakhi festival is celebrated with great delight and zeal. This celebration is very important to farmers because it signifies the beginning of harvest season (Rabi crop). Vaisakhi, also known as Baisakhi, is a harvest festival that is observed by Sikhs, Hindus, and Buddhists alike.

What is the significance of the Baisakhi festival?

It is on this day (in 1699) that the tenth Guru, Gobind Singh Ji, laid the foundation of the Khalsa Panth, which is why Baisakhi or Vaisakhi is celebrated with great reverence by Sikhs. It is also known as the Sikh New Year’s celebration. In 1699, Guru Gobind Singh Ji, the then tenth Sikh Guru, held the Baisakhi celebrations that resulted in the formation of the Khalsa (to be pure, to be clear, to be free from). Guru Gobind Singh Ji, widely known as the “Final Living Guru of Sikhism,”. In conjunction with the foundation of the Khalsa, an army was organised to battle against the faults of society as well as the Mughal Emperors and their armies.

Today, Baisakhi is celebrated by people from all walks of life, not just Sikhs and Punjabis. It’s called “Khalsa Sirjana Diwas,” or “the birth of khalsa.” Punjabis and Sikhs celebrate Baisakhi in different ways, and many of them do so in their own way. These are not the same as the harvest festivals in the villages. Baisakhi isn’t just a celebration for people in rural areas anymore. It’s also a celebration for people in cities and towns.

On this day, Sikhs remember their 10th guru, Guru Gobind Singh. On this same day, he set up the order of the Khalsa and gave it a new push. There are many places in India where people can get baptised on this day because it is a good time. As far as tradition goes, it varies from one family to the next. Some food is given out along the way. Then, there is more food, like kadah and langar, and the path ends.

How is this Baisakhi festival celebrated ?

People in the villages of Punjab really have a good time when the crops are harvested. In Anandpur Sahib, the birthplace of the Khalsa, a lot of people come together for Baisakhi meals. In cities, people go to gurdwaras with their families, and they do it all the time. Only Sikhs go to the gurudwaras with their families and friends to take holy baths and enjoy the food. People from other religions also go there to do the same.

On this day the gurudwaras are illuminated and there is a 48-hour akhand path and bhog. The day is usually marked with kirtan, kadah, prasad and langar. Womenfolk prefer to dress up in white suits with orange dupatta on this day while going to the gurdwara.

As a celebration of the festival, Sikhs travel and bathe in lakes or rivers before going to their local Gurdwaras. Community fairs, nagar kirtan procession events, and gatherings to mingle and eat celebratory meals are also held on the day. When it comes to Hindus, this is a chance to take a dip in sacred rivers like the Ganges or the Jhelum or the Kaveri, go to temples, meet friends, and eat and drink traditional foods and drinks.

Sikhs go to Nagar Kirtans and pay their respects to the Khalsa on the eve of Baisakhi. There are many other things that happen during the festival. They read religious songs, sing, and pay homage to the Guru Granth Sahib (the Sikhs’ holy book).On this day, there will also be dance shows, like Bhangra and Gidda, that you can enjoy. People come in their best clothes and share sweets to remember the event.

Aside from the events listed above, fairs are also held on this day to promote local businesses. Children and teens demonstrate their martial arts talents in the presence of drummers and musicians, while men wield swords, all of which add to the excitement of the event. 

Puja Muharat

This year, Vaisakhi festival will be on 13th of April, 2022.The Shubh Muhurat for the festival is 13th April, 2022, 8:39 PM.

(The author is Chairman, Khanna Gems. Views expressed are personal and do not reflect the official position or policy of FinancialExpress.com.