Vaisakhi, also well-known as Baisakhi, is Punjab's harvest festival. Irrespective of caste, faith, community, and religion, it is celebrated by everyone in Punjab. Vaisakhi is a symbol of the start of the Sikh calendar year.
Just like the other festivals, Vaisakhi involves a lot of colors, food, a whole boisterous society, and a lot of dance and music. It is also observed in other states of India.
When Is Vaisakhi In India In 2023?
Vaisakhi will fall on Friday, 14th April' 2023. People in Punjab and Haryana celebrate the Vaisakhi festival with complete joy and enthusiasm. People perform where traditional folk dances are performed.
Vaisakhi - The Harvest Festival
Be it in India or Vaisakhi celebration in USA or Canada or any other country where Punjabis live; the festival is celebrated everywhere. Men, women and kids love to perform Bhangra and Gidda folk Punjabi dances. In Sikh temples or gurudwaras, Kirtan is performed, where one can see huge Sikh gatherings. On the Vaisakhi festival in the USA, people gather for Nagar Kirtan, where baptist Sikhs perform Gatka, Kirtan and serve langer.
Apart from the events listed before, fairs are also held on this day. Men, women or children display their martial arts abilities alongside musicians and drummers, while some wield swords. These traditional rituals add a sense of excitement to the festival.
Traditional Dress Worn On Vaisakhi
Vaisakhi festival encourages the season of harvest and spring. The festival comes when everything blooms. You can see multicolored flowers around you. Similarly, people can be seen in vibrant and energetic mode celebrating the celebrations on this occasion. Apart from performing the customs and traditions of Vaisakhi, women love to wear traditional Punjabi suits and jewelry. Men and boys tie turbans and wear vibrant colors of dresses such as Kurta Pajamas. This attire's rainbow beauty portrays the rich and effervescent essence of the Punjabi way of life.
What Do People Like to Eat at Vaisakhi Festival?
At Vaisakhi fairs, many food booths are set up to keep the people hydrated and energized throughout the celebration. Some of the festivals also take place during the night. Traditional Punjabi food is always available during the fair, including Kadhi Chawal, Channa Bature, Sarson ka saag, dried fruit kheer, and the famous lassi. These gastronomic delights perfectly capture the Punjabis' unwavering love of flavor and cuisine.
Why Do People Celebrate Baisakhi Festival?
In 1699, the tenth Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh, founded Khalsa Panth. It was founded after the execution of Guru Teg Bahadur Singh - the ninth Sikh Guru, for not accepting Aurangzeb's (the then Mughal ruler) demand of conversion to Islam religion. So, in Sikhism, people have celebrated Vaisakhi to observe the religious event of creating Khalsa Panth since 1699.
Baisakhi's History and Significance
Well, this is one of the holy days when Guru Gobind Singh - the tenth guru of Sikhs, started the ceremony of making the Sikhs as baptists Sikhs by giving them Khandhe Bate da Amrit, also known as Pahul or also known as Amrit Shakana on 13 April 1699.
Since that day, this day has been celebrated similarly in various Sikh religious places in India and worldwide.
That was the day when the five Ks of Sikhism came into existence, and the caste system got utterly abolished from the Sikh religion. And Guru Gobind Singh urged every Sikh to embrace the Guru Granth Sahib as their everlasting guru. So, there's a vast significance of Vaisakhi in Sikhism.