Baisakhi Festival, also called
Vaisakhi, holds great importance
for the Sikh community and farmers of Punjab. Baisakhi falls on April 13
or 14, the first day of the year according to the Nanakshahi Calender.
Sikhs also celebrate this day in honor of their tenth guru, Guru Gobind
Singh. Baisakhi commemorates the day when the Sikh Guru eliminated caste
differences and founded
Khalsa Panth in1689.
For the large farming community of Punjab and Haryana, Baisakhi marks
the harvest time. Farmers celebrate it with immense fervor as they are
loaded with cash at this time. Men and women run over the fields
shouting
"Jatta aayi Baisakhi" .
Baisakhi Traditions and Rituals
It is in the blood of every Sikh to follow the tradition of Baisakhi
earnestly. They get up early in the morning, visit gurudwaras and offer
prayers. Some people prefer to visit Golden Temple or Anandpur Sahib
where Khalsa Panth was recognised.
In most of the gurudwaras, the holy books of Sikhs is cleansed with
milk and water. The granthi of the gurudwara reads the Sikh holy
scripture and the gathering of devotees listen to it seriously.
Following the tradition from the time of Guru Gobind Singh Ji, an amrit
is prepared in an iron vessel. The gathering of devotees sip this amrit
five times. Later on, ragis sing devotional songs and perform a kirtan
which is leaded by an ardas in afternoon. After performing all the
religious traditions, the
Karah Prasad is distributed amongst
the congregation. The religious ceremony accomplishes with a
Guru -
ka - Langar. This is meal consists of Dal Makhani, any vegetarian
dish, curd, salad and a sweet dish like semonila.
Baisakhi Celebrations
Traditional songs and dances boosts the spirit of the Baisakhi
festival. After performing rituals in gurudwaras, people of Sikh
community take out processions. The holy book of Sikhs is taken out in
the
processions. It is read in the holy book that the Sikh Guru
asked five volunteers to sacrifice their lives, then he took each one of
them into a tent and every time came out with a bloody sword but he
actually sacrificed a goat. Thus, the procession is headed by five men
to honor the
Panj Pyaras.
Fervor and vigor of the festival can be seen in these hours long
processions passing through various localities of the city. Sikh men and
women wearing gaudy clothes perform the famous bhangra and gidda dance.
Mock duels are also performed during Baisakhi processions. People carry
forward the procession by chanting various hymes like 'Jo Bole So
Nihal', 'Deg Teg Fateh' and 'Satnam Shri Wahe Guru'. Vaisakhi
celebrations are escalated by dramatizing sword fight, beating drums and
bursting crackers. In some places, early morning Prabhat Pheris also
take place.
At the end of the day, people express feelings of brotherhood, love,
unity and also hope to celebrate the festival with same energy and
enthusiasm every year.
