Short and Long essay on Baisakhi
Baisakhi, also known as Vaisakhi or Vaisakhi, is celebrated every year on 13 or 14 April. Like other Indian festivals, Baisakhi is awaited by all sections especially those belonging to the Sikh community as it is one of their main festivals. Not only does it mark the beginning of the new year for them, but it is also a time to celebrate the harvest.
Baisakhi, originally a Hindu festival, was incorporated as a main Sikh festival by Guru Amar Das and has since been celebrated with great enthusiasm by the people of the Sikh community all over the world. The tenth Sikh Guru, Sri Guru Gobind Singh, laid the foundation of the Khalsa Panth in 1699. The Khalsa Panth was formed on the same day and this is the reason for the Sikh community to celebrate this day.
Gurudwaras all over India, especially in different regions of Punjab, are decorated for this day and a large number of people come to offer prayers on this day. Nagar Kirtan is performed from Gurudwaras and people dance, sing and burst crackers to enjoy during the processions. Many people get together at home to celebrate this day with their relatives, friends and colleagues.
Baisakhi celebration at the Golden Temple
While Baisakhi fairs and processions are held at many places around the world, no celebration can match the celebrations at the Golden Temple.The Golden Temple, also known as Sri Harmandir Sahib, is considered the most sacred place for the Sikh community. Sikhs from different parts of the world travel to the Golden Temple to participate in the grand divine ceremony held here.
Baisakhi is a festival celebrated on the 13th (or sometimes 14th) of April every year and is one of the main festivals of Sikhs and Hindus, although the reason for the celebration varies somewhat for the two communities. Here is further explained how the day is believed and celebrated by people belonging to Hinduism and Sikhism.
Significance of Baisakhi – For the Hindu Community
Baisakhi day is said to be the first day of the traditional solar new year. People of the Hindu community celebrate their new year on this day by visiting temples, offering prayers, meeting and sending greetings to their friends and relatives, eating good food and wearing new clothes.
During this time the harvest is completed and farmers across the country celebrate the harvest on this day. Baisakhi is known by different names in different parts of India though the way it is celebrated is almost the same. This festival is known by different names in different Indian states
- Rongali Bihu in Assam
- Maha Vishva Sankranti in Odisha
- Pohela Bosakh or Naba Barsha in West Bengal and Tripura
- Ugadi in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Karnataka
- Bisu among Tulu people
- Bikhu or Bikhoti in Kumaon Uttarakhand
- Puthandu in Tamil Nadu
- Vishu in Kerala
Significance of Baisakhi – For the Sikh Community
Contrary to popular belief, Baisakhi is actually a Hindu festival. It was the Sikh Guru Amar Das who chose this along with two other festivals for the Sikhs – Diwali and Makar Sankranti. Like Hinduism, Baisakhi marks the beginning of the new year in Sikhism and is therefore a day of celebration.
Apart from this, Baisakhi is also celebrated as a harvest season in Punjab as Rabi crops grow during this time in the Punjab region. The farmers thank God for the harvest and also pray for abundance in the future.
The day is also special for Sikhs as it marked the beginning of the Sikh order, following the expulsion of the ninth Sikh Guru Tegh Bahadur, who refused the order of the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb to convert to Islam. This was followed by the coronation of his tenth Guru and the formation of the Khalsa Panth.
Baisakhi Celebration Around the World
Baisakhi is celebrated not only in India but also in other parts of the world. Here is a detailed look at how the festival is celebrated
Pakistan
Several historical sites recognized by the Sikhs in Pakistan, one of which is said to be the birthplace of Guru Nanak Dev, attract Sikh as well as Hindu pilgrims every year on the day of Baisakhi.
The festival was celebrated with enthusiasm by the local people till the 1970s. Baisakhi fair was organized in Lahore after the harvesting of wheat crop. However, this all came to an end after Zia-ul-Haq came to power during the 1970s. Recently, the Pakistan Muslim League had banned kite flying. Although Baisakhi fairs are still held in many Pakistani areas and some other places.
Canada
There are many Sikhs in Canada and they celebrate the festival of Baisakhi with great enthusiasm. It is one of the main festivals for them. Nagar Kirtan is organized on this day and a large number of people participate in it.
In the Canadian province of British Columbia, more than 200,000 people gathered to celebrate Baisakhi in the year 2014 across the cities of Canada. The number was recorded as 3,50,000 people in the year 2016 and 4,00,000 people in 2017.
- United Kingdom
There is also a sizeable Sikh community in the United Kingdom. The West Midlands and London are known to have the largest number of Sikhs in the UK. The Nagar Kirtans held in Southall attract a large number of people from different parts of the United Kingdom.
It is organized in coordination with Birmingham City Council. The Nagar Kirtans start from Gurudwaras in the city and end at the Baisakhi Mela held at Handsworth Park. This year Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, was seen participating in the Baisakhi parade at the Gurudwara in Southall.
Conclusion
The festival of Baisakhi is celebrated by the people of the Sikh community living in different parts of the world. Indians are known for their exuberant behavior and celebrate Baisakhi in different parts of the country. This is the reason why the local people are attracted and participate in the festival of Baisakhi with equal enthusiasm.
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