Visakhi

Not to be confused with Vesākha.

Visakhi
Sikh Visakhi parade in Surrey, British Columbia, Canada, on April 15, 2006
Also called	Baisakhi, Vaisakhi
Observed by	Sikhs
Type	Sikh festival
Significance	The birth of the Khalsa and the beginning of the harvest season.
Date	1st of Vaisakh (usually April 13, but April 14 in 2011 in the Gregorian calendar)
Celebrations	Parades and Nagar Kirtan
Observances	Prayers, Processions, raising of the Nishan Sahib flag

Vaisakhi (Punjabi: ਵਿਸਾਖੀ visākhī, Hindi: बैसाखी baisākhī), also known as Baisakhi, Vaishakhi, or Vasakhi) is an ancient harvest festival celebrated across the northern Indian subcontinent, especially in the Punjab region by all Punjabis regardless of religion. In Sikhism, as the Khalsa was founded on same day in 1699, Sikhs celebrate twice as much.

Importance

Since agriculture is the backbone of the Indian sub-continent, it provides livelihood to majority of the people in the rural areas of the country, the festival of harvest are given special importance in the calendar of events. Vaisakhi/Baisakhi is one of the important festivals celebrated with fun and fervor by the people living in the northern parts of the country. Apart from being a harvest festival, it holds religious significance too.

Visakhi in Sikh history

For people of Punjab, especially the Sikhs, Visakhi is a mega event. It's a religious as well as harvest festival and New Year Day also. For the Sikh community, it has a very special meaning. Sikhs celebrate Visakhi as the day of the formation of the Khalsa (the pure one). On the day, in 1699, Guru Gobind Singh (the tenth Sikh Guru) established the Khalsa and eliminated the differences of high and low and established that all human beings are equal. Sikhism, in its present form, owes its existence to that Visakhi day. After the Visakhi day of 1699, the tradition of Gurus was put to an end by the Sikhs and later the Guru Granth Sahib was declared as their eternal guide and Holy Book by the tenth Guru.

The history tells another story that in 1567, Guru Ram Das committed Visakhi as one of the special days, when all the Sikhs would assemble to seek the blessings from Guru at Goindwal. Many Sikhs believe that on the day of Baisakhi, martyred by the barbaric acts of the Muslim rulers. According to the legend, he was dumped into boiling oil, by the Muslim rulers.

Creation of the Khalsa

Main article: Khalsa

It was the Visakhi day of 1699. The tenth Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh, standing outside a tent, called for a Sikh to sacrifice himself, on hearing this one Sikh volunteer presented himself before the Guru for sacrifice. Then the Guru took him to a tent a and came out with a blood stained sword that frighten the viewers/gathering. He then called for another one for the same and after one by one four other came out. The same happened with the other four. Later, the Guru revealed that he had been smearing the sword with the blood of a dead animal, and all the five people were safe. He just wanted some daring persons. Then the Guru make Amrit (sacred water) by reading the holy Gurbani and baptized the five volunteers with the Amrit, added Singh to their names and called them Panj Piare (the beloved five). Then the Guru took the Amrit from them and became Gobind Singh from Gobind Rai.

Visakhi in Hinduism and Other religions

For the Hindus, it is the start of the New Year, and is celebrated with requisite bathing, partying, and worshipping. It's believed that thousands of years ago, Goddess Ganga descended to earth and in her honor, many Hindus gather along the sacred Ganges River forritual baths. The action is centered in the holy cities along the Ganges in north India, or in Srinagar's Mughal Gardens, Jammu's Nagbani Temple, or anywhere in Tamil Nadu. Hindus plant poles (wrapped in flags of god-embroidered silk) in front of their homes, and hang pots of brass, copper or silver on top.

In Kerala, the festival is called 'Vishu'. It includes fireworks, shopping for new clothes and interesting displays called 'Vishu Kani'. These are arrangements of flowers, grains, fruits, cloth, gold, and money are viewed early in the morning, to ensure a year of prosperity.
In Assam, the festival is called Bohag Bihu, and the community organizes massive feasts, music and dancing.

Swami Dayanand Saraswati founded the Arya Samaj on Baisakhi, in 1875. Therefore, Baisakhi is as special for the Hindus, as it is for Sikhs. In April, this day marks the beginning of the Hindu solar New Year. In fact, this day is celebrated all over the country as New Year day, under different names.^{[citation needed]}

Apart from the Sikhs and Hindus, Baisakhi is an important day for the Buddhists as well. On the day, Gautam Buddha achieved Nirvana in the town of Gaya, under the Mahabodhi tree.

Celebration

Visakhi is usually celebrated on the 13th April, and occasionally on 14 April, in the different regions across the world as the Punjabis migrated overseas.

In East Punjab

Visakhi at Takht Sri Keshgarh Sahib at Anandpur Sahib, the birthplace of the Khalsa

The main celebration takes place at Talwandi Sabo (where Guru Gobind Singh stayed for nine months and completed the recompilation of the Guru Granth Sahib), and in the Gurudwara at Anandpur Sahib (see picture above), the birth place of the Khalsa and at the Golden Temple in Amritsar.

In West Punjab

Visakhi is widely celebrated by the Sikhs in Western Punjab (Pakistan) as well, with festivities centered on the Panja Sahib complex in Hasan Abdal, numerous Gurudwaras in Nankana Sahib, and in various historical sites in Lahore. It is culturally and traditionally regarded as an important and significant Punjabi festival, further exemplified by the thousands of Sikh pilgrims from around the world arriving each year to commemorate the day at the sacred Sikh sites of Nankana Sahib and Hasan Abdal. Further, local Pakistani's offer their well wishes and welcome the incoming pilgrims. In April 2009, the Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee announced plans for formally organising the event on a larger scale in the country as well as expressing intentions for elegant arrangements. In 2010, over 20,000 pilgrims were expected to arrive in Pakistan for the celebrations, a significant increase over previous years.

In United States, Canada and United Kingdom

In the United States, there is usually a parade commemorating the Visakhi celebration. In Manhattan, New York City people come out to do "Seva" (selfless service) such as giving out free food, and completing any other labor that needs to be done. In Los Angeles, California, the local Sikh community consisting of more than 20 Gurudwaras holds a full day Kirtan (spiritual music) program followed by a two mile parade in downtown Los Angeles with an estimated 15,000 participants. The local Sikh community in Vancouver, Abbotsford and Surrey, British Columbia, Canada holds its annual Visakhi celebrations in the April long weekend, which often includes a Nagar Kirtan (parade) which an estimated 200,000 people attend.

Punjabi style of celebration

To mark the celebrations, Sikh devotees generally attend the Gurudwara before dawn with flowers and offerings in hands. Processions through towns are also common.

Punjabis assign a quite different meaning to Visakhi. In rural areas of Punjab they celebrate with full happiness and joy. They can be caught performing the wild Bhangra. This strenuous dance tells the story of the agricultural process, from tilling the soil through harvesting. Thus it prepares the people of Punjab for the joy of the harvest season which begins on the following day. It is a day of feasting and merriment before the hard, tiring but fruitful time ahead.

In other regions of India

The particular significance attached to the occasion shows regional variation outside of Punjab.

This day is also observed as the beginning of the Hindu solar new year celebrated by people across the Assam Valley, Kerala, Orissa, West Bengal, Uttrakhand and other regions of India. In Himachal Pradesh, the Hindu Goddess Jwalamukhi is worshipped on the day, while in Bihar, the Sun-god Surya is honoured. It also celebrated out of India in Nepal and Sri Lanka.

Names by region

The festival is celebrated as:

• Rongali Bihu in Assam,
• Naba Barsha or Pohela Boishakh in Bengal and Tripura
• Vishu (or Vaishakhi) in Kerala
• Puthandu (Tamil New Year) in Tamil Nadu
• Bikhu or Bikhauti in the Kumaon region of Uttarakhand
• Maha Vishuva Sankranti (or Pana Sankranti) in Orissa
• Sinhalese New Year festival in Sri Lanka.

On the same day JurShital (New Year) is celebrated in Mithila (Portion in Bihar & Nepal).