Baisakhi

Baisakhi, also spelled Vaisakhi, is a festival celebrated in the Punjab region of India and by Sikhs around the world. It falls in the Vaisakh month of the Punjabi calendar, typically on April 13 or 14, and marks the harvest season in Punjab as well as the Sikh New Year in the Nanakshahi calendar.

The festival has both agricultural and religious significance. In rural Punjab, Baisakhi coincides with the harvest of the rabi crops. For the Sikh community, it commemorates a key historical event: in 1699 Guru Gobind Singh founded the Khalsa at Anandpur Sahib, initiating the first five members (Panj Piare) and establishing the Khalsa Panth and a code of conduct for Sikhs. The day is thus associated with the creation of the Khalsa, the Five Ks, and the reorganization of Sikh religious and martial identity.

Observances commonly include processions known as Nagar Kirtans, in which hymns from the Guru Granth Sahib are sung and parkash grihaz are carried through streets. Special prayers are held at gurdwaras, and large-scale langar meals are served to all visitors. Many communities also perform Akhand Path readings of the scripture and participate in community service and charitable acts. In addition to religious observances, Baisakhi is celebrated with cultural events, fairs, music, and festive foods in Punjab and among the global Sikh diaspora.