Everything about Baisakhi totally explained
This day is also observed as the beginning of the new year by Indians in
West Bengal,
Kerala, and some other regions of India. The particular significance attached to the occasion shows regional variation outside of Punjab too. In
Himachal Pradesh, Hindu Goddess Jwalamukhi is worshipped on Vaisakhi, while in Bihar, Sun-god
Surya is honoured. The festival is celebrated as
Rongali Bihu in
Assam,
Naba Barsha in
Bengal,
Puthandu in
Tamil Nadu,
Vishu (or Vaishakhi) in
Kerala, and the Sinhalese/Tamil new year festival in
Sri Lanka. Besides
Punjab, Vaisakhi is widely celebrated as traditional harvest festival in many northern states of India, such as
Haryana,
Himachal Pradesh and
Uttaranchal.
Vaisakhi in Sikhism - Panj Piare
Guru Gobind Singh, the Tenth Guru of the
Sikhs founded the
Khalsa (Servants of God) at the Vaisakhi gathering in 1699, at
Keshgarh Sahib near
Anandpur, where he'd arranged for followers to meet him at the Vasakhi Fair in Anandpur.
On that day Guru Gobind singh asked for a man to step forward from the congregation, who was willing to die for his cause. One man
Daya Singh stepped forward, and followed Guru Ji into his tent. When Guru Ji came out of the tent, his sword was stained with blood; and asked for another volunteer. One by one
Dharam Singh,
Himmat Singh,
Mohkam Singh and
Sahib Singh came forward. One after another they entered Guru's tent, and the Guru emerged alone with his blood stained sword. The crowd was nervous, until five men then emerged from the tent, and were nominated as
Panj Piares; or the five beloved ones.
The Guru put water in a bowl for sprinkling over the five in a simple initiation ceremony. He said prayers as he stirred the water with a short steel sword; symbolising the need for strength. The Guru's wife, Mata Sundri, then came forward and placed some sugar crystals into the holy water or amrit as a reminder that strength must always be balanced by sweetness of temperament. After completing his prayers, the Guru then sprinkled the amrit over the five. it's also celebrated by the group of inadians called serina worshiper of the gurus
He declared them to be the first members of an old community of equals, to be called the Khalsa, meaning "pure". These "saint soldiers" were to dedicate their lives to the service of others and the pursuit of justice for people of all faiths. The Panj Pyare were asked to wear five distinctive symbols of their new identity,
The Five Ks.
In a move to end social divisions the Panj Pyare's surnames were removed by the Guru, mainly because surnames were associated with one's caste - the Guru then gave them (and all Sikh men) the name
Singh, meaning "lion", a reminder of the need for courage. At the same time, the Guru gave all Sikh women the name or title
Kaur, meaning "princess", to emphasize dignity and complete equality. The Guru then knelt before the five and asked them to initiate him. Hence, the Khalsa became a community in which master and disciple were equal.
For Sikhs, this seasonal festival also has great importance as the founding of the Akal Khalsa (Soldiers of the Timeless One) at Anandpur Sahib. The Akal Khalsa played an important role in resistance against
Mughal rule. For many centuries after that, the first male child of many Hindu families in Punjab was ordained as a Sikh in order for him to train and become a warrior and fight for the people. Other male children used to take care of the family, parents and the land.
Celebrations
To mark the celebrations, devotees, irrespective of their religion, throng at
gurdwaras, the Sikh place of worship. The celebrations start early as devotees, with flowers and offerings in their hands, proceed towards the gurdwaras and temples before dawn. Processions through towns are also common. Vaisakhi is the day on which the Khalsa (The Pure Ones) was born and Sikhs were given a clear identity and a code of conduct to live by. The event was led by the last living Guru, Guru Gobind Singh Ji, who baptised the first Sikhs using sweet nectar called Amrit. Around the world at Baisakhi time, Sikhs and Punjabis reflect on the values taught to them by their Gurus and celebrate the birth of the Khalsa.
On top of this usually on this day in India, there's a huge parade/celebration. In the
United States, there's usually a parade a few days after Vaisakhi, the actually day. In
Manhattan,
New York City there's a huge parade where many people come out to do
seva (religious work) such as giving out free food, and completing any other labor needed to be done. The local Sikh community in
Surrey,
British Columbia,
Canada holds its annual Vaisakhi celebrations in the April long weekend, which often includes a
nagar kirtan, or parade, in which an estimated 200,000 people attend.
Further Information
Get more info on 'Baisakhi'.
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