Baisakhi marks the first day of the month of Baisakh and is traditionally celebrated on the thirteenth or fourteenth of April. It synchronises with the celebration of spring harvest in north India. In many parts of India, it is also the date of the Indian solar new year. It corresponds to other festivals celebrating the traditional solar new year like Pohela, Boisakh, Bohag, Bhihu, Vishu and Tamil Puthandu. It marks the solar transition to Aries. Baisakhi is culturally linked to the harvesting of the crops. The farmer celebrates an intimate connection with his land, with which he shares a deep bond. It is a means of sustenance, and he has a reciprocal relationship with it. As he reaps the harvest, he offers gratitude and prays for prosperity and abundance for his family and community, said Prof. Kumool Abbi in a lecture.
Thus in Punjab, Baisakhi is of tremendous cultural, religious social and spiritual significance at myriad levels. It demonstrates the cultural heritage of the people of Punjab and its rich folklore. Baisakhi holds special significance for the Sikhs, historically it marks the birth of the Khalsa order by Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Guru of the Sikhs on April 13, 1699. During that time Punjab reeled under religious persecution and tyranny of the Mughal rule. After the execution of Guru Tegh Bahadur for refusing to convert to Islam under the order of the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb, Guru Gobind Singh became the tenth Guru of the Sikhs. He initiated the formation of the new order of the the Khalsa (meaning pure) at Takht Keshgarh Sahib on Vaisakhi by baptising the five punj pyaras (volunteers) with the sacred nectar. He asked them to partake amrit from the same bowl to emphasise egalitarianism and lack of discrimination of the new religion on the basis of caste, creed and gender. The baptised were given the title of Singhs or lions. They had to adorn the five Ks: kesh, kangha, kacha, kada, kirpan on their person. The inclusive and pluralistic philosophy of the Khalsa order urged them to be valiant selfless warriors. To commemorate the occasion people pay their obeisance in Gurdwaras, partaking the sacramental karha prashad and langar (community kitchen). The festival of Baisakhi carries forward the robust resilient spirit and vitality of Punjabiyat.
Published - April 15, 2023 06:39 am IST
