OMKAR DATTATRAY
Baisakhi is the grand festival of unity in diversity as it is celebrated by the all walks of Indians with great enthusiasm and fervor. People without any distinction celebrate Baisakhi with joy and gaiety. This festival is usually celebrated every year on 13th April by people of different faiths and it is the celebration and reflection of unity in diversity which is the overriding doctrine of this great land called Bharat. The festival of Baisakhi is celebrated to mark the onset of spring in India. There time of Baisakhi usually signifies the end of the harvest season, and is an occasion of tremendous joy and festivity for farmers. The festival of Baisakhi is celebrated for various reasons by various people, but the celebrations are concentrated in the states of Punjab and Haryana. Baisakhi, the agricultural festival of happiness and prosperity is celebrated every year on 13 or 14 April. It is also known as Vaisakhi and is a significant festival for Sikh community. Biasakhi marks the beginning of the Sikh new year and commemorates the birth and formation of the Khalsa. The festival is celebrated to commemorate the foundation of Guru Gobind Singh’s Khalsa group. This occasion is celebrated in the month of Baisakh, that is months of April or May. Generally, Biasakhi is celebrated on 13th or 14th April every year. This is the time when farmers harvest their Rabi crops after harsh winter. Biasakhi is majorily a festival of the Hindu-Sikh people but the ones following Islam could also actively be a part of the celebrations. Biasakhi is not a festival only to mark the Sikh new year or the first harvest, but it also marks the last Khalsa organised by Guru Gobind Singh in 1699.Biasakhi or vaisakhi as a major sikh festival marks the birth of Khalsa order by Guru Gobind Singh ,the tenth Guru of Sikhism ,on 13th April 1699.Later, Ranjit Singh was proclaimed as Maharaja of the Sikh Empire on 12th April 1801 to coincide with Vaishaki, creating a unified political state. The festival of Biasakhi, which is mainly celebrated in the north Indian states of Punjab and Haryana, marks the beginning of the Sikh new year. At heart, India is an agricultural country with spring harvest marking a major festival in many parts of the country. India is a land of diverse cultures, cuisines and festivals with hundreds of festivals celebrated across the country each year. However, spring harvest is an important time in the country with people in various parts of the country praying to the gods for a better harvest in the coming year. This spring harvesting festival also coincides with the New Year in certain states and religions. On the day of Baisakhi, in the year 1699,the tenth Sikh Guru, Shri Guru Gobind Singh Ji established the Khalsa Panth. Baisakhi is also the time when farmers begin harvesting of the Rabi crops. It is a significant event for the farmers in the northern region and observed as a thanksgiving to the Gods and the natural elements. On this day Sikhs and Hindus as well visit Gurudwars in new or clean clothes and offer prayers and remember the 10th Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh. What makes Biasakhi so special, is that it marks the first day of the year according to the Sikh Calendar. Another amazing root to this festival is that Biasakhi was one the three main festivals that the third Sikh Guru, Guru Amar Das Ji chose to celebrate. Biasakhi is also thev time when farmers begin to harvest the Rabi crops. It is a significant event for the farmers in the region and observed as a thanksgiving to the Gods and the natural elements. Walking up to the beautiful Biasakhi day morning is like stepping up on a fortune as one can see Punjab at its happiest and most joyful self-preparations for the festival. It begins well in advance and Gurudwaras are well decorated, men prepare and practice for their Martial Arts. In this period of celebration ,artisans from across the state and country come to sell their handicrafts all over Punjab. The purpose of the Baisakhi celebrations is to come together with the feeling of oneness and joy. Baisakhi is the festival which is the expression of communal harmony and mutual brotherhood and it exhibits the doctrine of unity while maintain diversity. Not only Sikhs and Hindus celebrate Baisakhi but people belonging to Muslim faith also actively celebrate this festival and lend grace to the festival. Thus the people of different religious communities greet each other on Baisakhi and celebrate the day with great pomp and show. On this day men, women and children dress up in their favorite traditional attire .Punjabis been outstanding hosts ,one could book a farm stay or a homestay and celebrate it with locals. Punjab tourism offers various options which can be chosen for a perfect stay. If you happen to be in Amritsar, you can have Kada Prasad and Guru Ka Langer at the golden temple. Spectate the Nagar Kirtan and prowess of the Loins of Punjab. Baisakhi is celebrated every year on the first day of the Hindu month of Vaisakh and the Hindu and Sikh solar new year too is celebrated on this occasion. This year we will be celebrating Baisakhi on 13th April.Some of the places in Punjab to best experience the festive fanfare on the day of Baisakhi are Takht Sri Damdama Sahib ,20 kms from Bathinda. Gurudwara Takht Sri Keshgarh Sabib at Anandpur Sahib and Golden Temple, Amritsar. Baisakhi is a festival that is deeply rooted in the cultural and religious fabric of Punjab, and serves as a poignant reminder of unity ,gratitude and renewal. This vibrant celebration holds multifaceted significance, blending agricultural abundance with spiritual awakening. At its core, Baisakhi is a harvest festival, marking the culmination of the winter sowing season and the arrival of the new one. As the golden fields of wheat sway in the gentle breeze, farmers rejoice in the fruits of their labor. Baisakhi serves as a time of thanksgiving, honouring the earth’s abundance and the toil of the agricultural communities. It is a moment to celebrate the cycle of life and growth that sustains us all.
In short Baisakhi is not just a religious or agricultural festival, but also a cultural extravaganza that showcases the vibrancy and diversity of India especially of the north Indian states of Punjab and Haryana.
(The author is a columnist, social and KP activist).
