BAISAKHI FESTIVAL 2023 DATE, HISTORY & WHY IS IT CELEBRATED & CALLED VAISAKHI

Like every year, we are going to celebrate the Baisakhi festival 2023 on the 13th of April concluding the fact that it is being celebrated on the 14 April after every 36 years.

Word Baisakhi / Vaisakhi is derived from the Hindu calendar month of Vaishakh. It is the second month of the Hindu calendar, beginning with Chaitra and ending with Falgun or Fagun. This is the time of year when farmers in northern India harvest their crops and prepare for the following season's sowing.

Baisakhi is a harvest festival that, like all things Punjabi, involves the community, is colourful and boisterous and includes food, music, and dance. Baisakhi is celebrated in other Indian states as well.

Baisakhi is the Sikh's New Year Day since it commemorates the founding of the Khalsa Panth of warriors under Guru Gobind Singh in 1699, as well as a Spring harvest festival.

TENTH SIKH GURU - GURU GOBIND SINGH JI ON KHALSA INAUGURATION CEREMONY

| 13 APRIL, 1699 AT ANANDPUR SAHIB |

On this particular day. Gurudwaras are decked out in festive garb as they prepare to welcome thousands of devotees. Sikhs take a holy dip in nearby ponds or lakes and dress up for the occasion. Nagar kirtan processions are performed, as well as food charity or Langar Seva.

Nagar Kirtan is the procession of the Guru Granth Sahib, the Sikh holy book. This religious procession is led by devotees who chant or sing holy hymns. The Panj Pyare (the five beloved ones who form the central part of the Khalsa), dressed in saffron, always leads the procession. They are accompanied by the Sikh holy book, Guru Granth Sahib, and other procession participants. Sewadars, or volunteers, help clear the path for the procession ahead of time. Finally, the procession arrives at the designated Gurudwara, where Ardas, or prayer, is offered.

It is also a holy day for non-Sikh Hindus. Many people celebrate it by taking a dip in a river or lake and then visiting a temple. It is also a day of making and sharing sweetmeats, dancing, and festivity.

In addition, Baisakhi is observed in Bengal, Assam (Rongali Bihu), and Bihar, each with its own unique flavour.

Unfortunately, it also commemorates the day in 1919 when an unruly British colonial officer named General Dyer opened fire on thousands of Indians at Jallianwala Bagh in Amritsar. The slaughter of thousands of festive revellers by a hail of bullets shocked the world and created the narrative for freedom from foreign control, which came to an end in 1947.

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TOPIC: BAISAKHI FESTIVAL 2023 DATE, HISTORY, WHY IS IT CELEBRATED & CALLED BAISAKHI 'OR' VAISAKHI