Baisakhi, Punjab
| Year | Dates |
|---|---|
| 2023 | 14th April 2023 |
| 2024 | To be announced |
Baisakhi festival is one of the most popular festivals in India, celebrated in the Indian state of Punjab. To be a part of a Sikh festival is an experience worth taking in your life time. The sheer enthusiasm of the community can raise your spirits out of this world. It coincides with Bohag Bihu festival in Assam, Vishu in Kerala and Tamil New Year. Punjab’s Baisakhi is a harvest festival celebrated on the first day of Vaisakh month according to the Sikh Calendar, which usually falls in the month of April. The entire state of Punjab celebrates Baisakhi with great gusto and fervour. An annual festival which everyone in Punjab looks forward to so as to enjoy it to the fullest. Baisakhi Festival Punjab 2023 date is 14th April 2023. A visit to Punjab during the Baisakhi festival gives you a better chance to explore the culture and the rich colourful traditions of the state.
Significance and History of Baisakhi Festival
Baisakhi Festival of Punjab is not only associated with the harvest festival or the Hindu New Year, it is also a festival to celebrate the anniversary for the formation of the Khalsa Community.
Baisakhi festival has a rich history that dates back to 1699. In 1699, when the ninth Sikh Guru, Guru Tegh Bahadur, was publicly beheaded by the Mughals for his refusal to convert to Islam to protect the identity of the Sikhs and the Hindus, his son Guru Gobind Rai took out a protest march with the Sikhs. This rally was carried out on the Baisakhi day. He became the last Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh, and the Guru system was dispelled. The Khalsa community was formed and everyone was advised to adopt the five Ks of Sikhism – Kesh (uncut hair), Kara (a steel bracelet), Kanga (a wooden comb), Kaccha – also spelt, Kachh, Kachera (cotton underwear) and Kirpan (steel sword) and follow the paths depicted on the Granth Sahib, the holy book of the Sikhs. So, Baisakhi festival is a festival celebrated as a tribute and in honour of the Sikh Guru.
Celebrating Baisakhi in Punjab can be considered as one of the most memorable experiences that you can have as it overlaps with the history of the religion of the Sikh community.
Baisakhi was also the day when the infamous Jallianwala Bagh Massacre took place in 1919.
Highlights of the Baisakhi Festival, Punjab
Baisakhi Sikh celebration is celebrated in Punjab and near the border with Pakistan on a grand scale. It is a festival of fun, food, festivities, dance and songs which depict the rich culture of the state. When you are in Punjab during Baisakhi time, you can expect a bonanza of bhangra dancing and folk music performances. All streets, shops, markets and buildings are beautifully decked up with colourful lights.
The festival calls for the celebration of life. Some of the special moments and rituals of the festival are as follows:
- Visiting the Gurudwaras is a must on the Baisakhi day. Sikhs visit the Gurudwara near the locality. Some visit the beautiful Golden Temple which looks simply magnificent with lights décor on Baisakhi. Sitting at the temple complex enjoying the mystical environment, offering prayers to the Granth Sahib and having the Karha Prasad are the moments that tourists and Sikhs enjoy a lot on Baisakhi day.
- The Baisakhi Procession or the Nagar Kirtan march is worth witnessing. This procession of the Sikhs passes through the streets, accompanied by music, singing and chanting of hymns from the Guru Granth Sahib. A large number of people participate in this procession.
- Sikh Farmers shout out loud ‘Jatta Aayi Baisakhi’ to thank God for the bountiful harvest and welcome the festival.
- Like in all major festivals in India, even on Baisakhi, the Sikh men and women and children wear new clothes. They prefer to wear traditional Punjabi attire, which is bright and colourful, depicting the high-spirited Punjabi way of living.
- The traditional Bhangra and Gidda dances, to the beat of the drums, are performed in open paddy fields, in open areas in the markets and roads on Baisakhi, creating an atmosphere of joy and happiness.
- At some places, fairs are held where people in all age groups join in to have fun. Children and youth display their skills in martial arts. Punjabi men display their prowess in swinging swords making the Baisakhi festival all the more colourful.
The Baisakhi festival is one of the most popular festival tours in India. Experience the beauty of this festival at any place of your choice in Punjab. Some noteworthy places where you can plan your Baisakhi Punjab tour includes Amritsar, Chandigarh, Jalandhar, Anandpur, Bathinda etc. Some prominent attractions for the tourists include:
- Visiting the Golden Temple in Amritsar, taking a dip in the sacred water and having langar and kadha prasad here is considered very auspicious in Baisakhi.
- Talwandi Sabo in Bathinda is another Gurudwara which is considered auspicious to visit. It was here Guru Gobind Singh recompiled the sacred book, Granth Sahib.
- Anadpur Sahib Gurudwara is another sacred place in Sikhism which can be visited during Baisakhi time by the tourists. Here Khalsa Panth was formed.
- Tourists also visit the Baisakhi Mela at Pinjore Gardens in Pinjore City
Book your Baisakhi 2023 Punjab Tour now with the best inbound tour operator in India for a memorable experience and join in the celebrations with the Sikh community.
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