Baisakhi is being observed on April 13 this year, heralding start of harvest season in Punjab. It falls on first day of Hindu solar year.
a popular spring festival that marks the first day of the month of Vaisakh, is celebrated with much enthusiasm among Hindu, Sikh and Buddhist communities. It is the beginning of the Punjabi and Sikh New Year which is celebrated across India especially in Punjab and northern India. The day marks the beginning of the harvest season and is the occasion to share the joy among community members. On Baisakhi, people from Sikh community visit local Gurudwaras and participate in langar, preparation of food and distributing them. For many members, Baisakhi is the day to worship the ‘Waheguru’ (the divine being) and meditate.
History of Baisakhi
The legend has it that on this day Guru Gobind Singh called for Sikh men who could give away their life for their faith and invited them inside a tent. Five men who chose to follow him vanished into the tent and after some time Guru Gobind Singh came out alone with blood on his sword. Soon, the men re-emerged wearing turbans and became the first members of the Khalsa – the Panj Pyare or beloved five. They were baptised by the Guru being sprinkled with Amrit (holy water).
Baisakhi is also associated with Buddhism as it’s believed that Gautama Buddha attained enlightenment or Nirvana on this day.
Baisakhi is also known as Mesh Sankranti and marks the beginning of the solar calendar as on this day, the Sun enters the Mesh Rashi, the first one among the twelve zodiac signs. The other spring festivals that fall on or around Baisakhi are Pana Sankranti in Odisha, Poila Baisakh in West Bengal, Rongali Bihu in Assam, Puthandu in Tamil Nadu, Vaishakhi in Bihar, and Poooram Vishu in Kerala. They all celebrate beginning of harvest season with slightly varied traditions
