Baisakhi is the harvest festival mainly celebrated in Punjab and other parts of northern India. It marks a new beginning, the start of a new harvest season or the solar year. Baisakhi is a Sikh religious festival falling on the first day of the Baisakh month in the solar Nanakshahi calendar, which corresponds to April 13. This is one festival which common to the whole of India and to all the communities. It has a unique importance for the people of the Punjab.
Being the New Year day in naturally occupies the position of the first and foremost festival day of the coming year. It also signifies the climate of the spring season, besides it heralds the advent of summer. The major crops of the year are ready for harvesting, and the farmer eagerly awaits this day to apply his sickle to gather the fruit of his previous six months labour. They also express gratitude to God for the rich yield and pray for abundant growth ahead.
Baisakhi Festival at Gurudwara Shri Sahib (Photo : Mani)
According to the history, Baisakhi is the day when Khalsa (pure ones) were born and given their identity. The tenth Guru, Shri Gobind Singh, had organized the order of Khalsa on this particular day in 1699. This act unified the different communities of the time, raising them all to the same social status and essentially eliminating discrimination within the community. He gave all Sikhs the name ‘Singh’ and bestowed the unique Sikh identity of Kesh (long hair), Kangha (comb), Kripan (dagger), Kaccha (shorts) and Kara (bracelet). The birthplace of Khalsa in Anandpur Sahib, Punjab is Gurudwara Shri Keshgarh Sahib. It is also known as Takhat Keshgarh Sahib as it one of the five Takhats or seats of authority of the Sikhs. Sahib also gave them the name ‘Singh’ (lion) to boys and ‘Kaur’ (princesses) to girls.
Farmers celebrating Baisakhi Festival
In rural Punjab, the event takes on a whole new meaning. Farmers celebrate this day as a form of thanksgiving for their harvest and praying for continued prosperity in their fields. People celebrate Baisakhi with gusto as they wear new clothes on this day and enjoy themselves by performing bhangra and gidda (Punjabi folk dance). In an explosion of music the fields light up under the night sky. Amongst the dancing, some also take part in mock duels and wrestling bouts. The drummer and the bands playing music add to the glory of the procession. The crowd hails by saying “Jo Bole So Nihal, Sat Shri Akal” (Whosever called the name of god will be blessed) and “Satnam Waheguru” (Name of the god is true).
Baisakhi Festival in Golden Temple Amritsar (Photo : Rupinder Kaur Virk)
Indian Sikh devotees pay their respects at The Sikh Shrine, the golden temple in Amritsar on April 13, 2011, on the eve of the Baisakhi festival. (Photo : Abdon Periera)
The religious features of the festival are highlighted by the early morning attending of special prayers in Gurudwaras (temples) by the Sikhs. Most of them do their best to visit the revered Golden Temple inAmritsar or to Anandpur Sahib where the Khalsa was established. The Granth Sahib is bathed with milk and water and read in temples followed by distribution of sweet puddings (Karah Prasad). In the afternoon, the Granth Sahib is taken out procession, accompanied by music, songs and performances. The surrounding areas of the Golden temple in Amritsar turn like a carnival with a great deal of feasting including folk music, Bhangra dancing and fairs (Melas) as it is also New Year celebrations for the Sikh. One of the most noteworthy aspects of the Sikh culture is their togetherness and unity.
Baisakhi ( Poila Baisakh)Celebration in Kolkata
Celebrating “Vishu” in Kerala( Photo: Prashant)
The festival also marks the first day of the solar New Year on the Hindu calendar. Some Hindus also celebrate the day as the descension of Ganga to earth, with devotees bathing on the banks of the Ganges River and conducting sacred rituals. Outside their homes, many plant poles wrapped in gold silk and adorn them with brass or silver pots. Known as Vishu in Kerala, fireworks light up the sky and arrangements of flowers and fruit are presented for a prosperous year.
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