Everything You Need to Know About Baisakhi Mahotsav

India is a land of festivals where every significant occasion is celebrated with great joy and enthusiasm. As a predominantly agricultural country, numerous festivals are celebrated during the harvest season in different parts of the country at different times.

With this background, the state of Punjab situated in the northern part of India celebrates the harvesting season of rabi crops in April. This occasion is anticipated with great fervor and is celebrated all over Punjab as Baisakhi Mahotsav also called Vaisakhi Mahotsav.

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When it is Celebrated?

Baisakhi is a spring festival celebrated on the 13/14^th of April every year. This date coincides with the Bihu festival in Assam, Puthandu in Tamil Nadu, Vishu in Kerala, and Naba Borsho in West Bengal

Significance of Baisakhi

In Hindu tradition, Baisakhi marks the arrival of the solar New Year and is celebrated as a thanksgiving to Mother Nature for a good harvest and also for good times ahead. Families gather to harvest a wheat crop which is known as Awat Pauni with great passion and enthusiasm.

Additionally, this festival also has assumed religious significance among the Sikh people. On this day in the year 1699, Guru Gobind Singh, the revered tenth of Sikhs, summoned them from all over the country in the city of Anandpur Sahib, Punjab to create the highest order, Khalsa Panth; a group 5 highly dedicated and passionate Sikh, identified as Khalsa, or saint soldier. They formed the Brotherhood of saint soldiers to fight against the tyranny and oppression of the then-Mughal emperor, Aurangzeb. These people were called Panj Pyara (beloved five) by the Guru who had the rank of the highest order.

The event instilled a great sense of courage and patriotism among the Sikh people to sacrifice for a noble cause. Even today every Sikh aspires to imbibe the qualities of a saint soldier.

Baisakhi is also important for the Hindus since on this day Swami Dayanand Saraswati in the year 1567 founded the Arya Samaj, a reformed sect of Hindus who seek out the Vedas for spiritual guidance and discard idol worship. Read Also: List of Religious Places and Temples in Punjab

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Customs and Tradition

The vibrant state of Punjab celebrates Baisakhi with great exuberance and gusto. The whole state erupts into massive celebrations and people start preparations months before the actual festival takes place.

Sikh Tradition

Sikh people as a family visit holy sites – Gurudwaras especially the Golden Temple or Anantpur Sahib where the tradition of Khalsa was established. People cover their heads as a mark of respect and pay obeisance to their Gurus.

During this occasion to thank Mother Nature remember the sacrifices of their religious gurus and seek their blessings. At the Gurudwara, the Guru Granth Sahib, the holy book of the Sikhs is religiously taken out and offered a symbolic bath with milk and water.

The books are read by the devotees in the Gurudwara. A group of five priests representing the Panch Pyare (beloved five) chant a prayer and drink Amrit five times prepared in iron.

Later the Amrit is distributed among the devotees. The practice of the five K’s is followed- Kesh, Kanga, Kara, Kirpan, and Kaccha is been followed since the day Guru Gobind Singh initialized the tradition. People serve Langar in Gurudwaras to all. Sweet is offered to all. Community lunch is provided to all for free. The whole atmosphere symbolizes oneness and unity in diversity. Also, read: List of Religious Places and Temples in Uttarakhand

Village Tradition

The one striking aspect is people have great fun and frolic, especially in the villages. The farmers are especially excited about their rich harvests after a season of hard tiring work.

On this day they take a rest from the intensive farming practices to enjoy the festival in its full grandeur. The state reverberates with the highly energetic traditional Bhangra and Gidda dance.

Friendly wrestling matches and competitions are held with winners collecting huge rewards. Jatta Aai Baisakhi’s cries fill the atmosphere.

People spend quality time with their friends and family; have get-togethers; enjoy a sumptuous meal and. Cheerfulness engulfs the air and it does infect the tourists who visit there at this time of the year. The whole atmosphere erupts with laughter and merriment.

The day is not just limited to dancing and singing but also a time to visit the holy sites and seek blessings in Gurudwara along with family.

Get More Information: List of Religious places and temples in Rajasthan

Community Gathering Roleplay

Large public processions are carried out by drummer bands, dhols play Punjabi music in both devotional and spiritual uplifting moods. The Sikhs swing swords, mock duels, and chant-like Bole So Nihal Sasriyakal, Sat Nam, Wahe Guru, and Deg Teg Fateh electrify the atmosphere.

Bhajans and kirtans are also sung throughout the day in memory of the great leaders and their valuable teachings. the idea of filial piety and charity is put forth, especially among the children in honor of Guru Gobind Singh. In some places, processions are carried out a week before the actual festival.

Huge fairs or exhibitions are held in the countryside in open fields where men flaunting brightly colored turbans neatly rolled on the head; women and children wearing dazzling colored kurtas and salwar kameez gather and chit chat; listen to discourses; in the evenings’ friends and family visit each and other distribute sweets and snacks.

Makeshift community kitchens are erected to feed the rich and the poor alike. Rich foods like Chole Bhature, Makke ki Roti, and Sarson ka saag are cooked. Non-vegetarian dishes like Achari Mutton are relished on this day. Drinks including thick lassi are prepared and even competitions are held such that the one finishing the maximum amount of lassi wins and takes home prizes. A lot of socializing occurs and the whole community comes together and helps each other out in carrying out tasks with all humility and modesty.

Thus Baisakhi/Vaisakhi is an auspicious festival of the people of Punjab and is considered an auspicious time for initiating various activities. It is a colorful festival that has both social and religious connotations. On one hand, it marks the beginning of harvesting season and on the other, it is the foundation day of Sikhs. On this day Khalsa Panth was founded. The main aim of this festival is to cultivate a sense of collective faith, togetherness and community well-being, courage, and spiritual upliftment.

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