Baisakhi also pronounced as Vaisakhi is one of the major Hindu festivals in northern India but also observed in other parts of the country with different names.
The festival is primarily celebrated marking the beginning of the spring season and it falls on the first day of Vaisakh month as per the Hindu calendar.
Every year Baisakhi is celebrated traditionally between 13 April and 15 April and this year it falls on Thursday 14 April. As per the Hindi calendar, the festival of Baisakhi also marks the beginning of New Year as it is believed that another year starts with a fresh harvest.
Indian states of Haryana and Punjab with the majority of Sikh people celebrate the occasion with great joy and enthusiasm following certain important rituals and traditions.
Baisakhi is also observed by other Indian cultures and Diasporas with different names and traditions but on the same date.
The festival of Baisakhi marks the birth of the Khalsa order by the 10th Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh on 30 March 1699. Guru Gobind Singh became the leader of the Sikhs at the young age of 9 when his father Guru Tegh Bahadur was executed by Aurangzeb.
The festival of Baisakhi holds major significance for Sikh Community as it marks the New Year along with the beginning of Rabi crop harvesting.
On this occasion, the farmers offer special prayers to their God for a good harvest in the previous year and also worship for the upcoming harvest season.
People take baths in holy rivers to begin a fresh year and to get themselves purify as it is believed that a holy bath washes away the negativity.
On the day of Baisakhi people wake up early in the morning for a holy bath and dress up in new outfits. They enjoy feasting with friends and families and visit gurudwara for prayers.
In different regions and localities, processional fairs and melas are also organized where people participate in various fun activities.
The people from Sikh Community take a dip in rivers and lakes and many others also visit Holy Rivers like the Ganga, Jhelum and Kaveri. Nagar Kirtan is an integral part of the celebration of Baisakhi.
People are also seen singing and dancing their traditional dance in fields and other areas of their locality wearing traditional outfits.
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