Vaisakhi

Vaisakhi is an ancient harvest festival in the Punjab region, which also marks the beginning of a new solar year, and new harvest season. Baisakhi, a Sikh religious festival.I It falls on the first day of the month Baisakh Nanakshahi in the solar calendar, which corresponds to April 1913 in the Gregorian calendar.

In Sikhism is one of the main dates in the Sikh calendar, commemorating the founding of the Khalsa at Anandpur Sahib in 1699, the 10th Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh.

The special significance to the occasion shows regional variation outside of Punjab also. In Himachal Pradesh, the Hindu goddess worship Jwalamukhi on Vaisakhi, while in Bihar, the Sun-god Surya honoured.T The festival is celebrated as Rongali Bihu in Assam, Naba Barsha or Pohela Boishakh in Bengal and Tripura, Puthandu (Tamil New Year) in Tamil Nadu, Vishu (or Vaishakhi) in Kerala, Bikhu or Bikhauti in Kumaon region of Uttarakhand, Maha Vishuba Sankranti (or Pana Sankranti) in Orissa, and the Sinhala New Year festival in Sri Lanka. Out in Punjab, Baisakhi is widely celebrated as a traditional harvest festival in many northern states in India, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. In many places the day is marked by ritual bathing in holy rivers like the Ganges.

History Vaisakhi

Religious persecution under Aurangzeb

A younger son of Shah Jahan, Aurangzeb, seized Gaddi (throne) of the Mughal Empire from his brother Dara Shikoh, arrested his father and took the imperial name Alamgir I (Seizer of the Universe, besting his father who had styled himself Caught of the world) in 1657. His coming to the throne was too expensive for his family, now would be a disaster for the people of India and those who dared to challenge policies of religious persecution if he put in motion the process of Islamization of India.

Their temples and places of learning were closed, demolished and replaced often with mosques often are built from blocks of Hindu temples. He had been convinced by the powerful ulama, as his predacessors had largely ignored, that when the highly respected Brahmins of Kashmir accepted Islam, the Hindus of all castes will follow.

Martyrdom Guru Tegh Bahadur

While in prison, Guru Tegh Bahadur foresaw the beginning of his ecclesiastic trip. To test his son's courage and ability to the mission of the Gurus, he wrote, saying: "My strength is exhausted, I'm in chains and I can not work. This day is also observed in the beginning of the Hindu solar new year celebrated by the people of Nepal and India in Assam Valley, Kerala, Orissa, West Bengal and some other regions of India. The executioner left the severed head of the Gurus and the body to lie where she had fallen. Says Nanak, God alone is now my refuge. He will help me as he made his Saints.   Nanak, everything is in your hands. 'In reply young Guru Gobind Rai wrote: "I have regained my Power, my bonds are broken and all options are open to me. Vaisakhi is also known as Vasakhi or Baisakhi. Only you can help yourself.   Guru Teg Bahadur offered his life for freedom for all, not just their own group of Sikhs, but for those of other religions to freely choose when, where and how they would keep their worship.   The Brahmins were his primary target, but he reinstated the unethical religious taxes, that Akbar was over, the Hindus.

His sacrifice and courage kindled a similar spirit in the heart of young Gobind Rai.

There were 11 November hundreds of people had gathered around Chandini Chowk where Guru Tegh Bahadur martyred in Delhi. In fear of a sudden sandstorm, he had run for shelter. Nobody stood up to claim the corpse of the fallen guru or his comrades who had died tortured death before his eyes. Who would perform religious rituals these brave men. Even the most ardent followers marched recognized.

But to take advantage of the stormy weather a man, a member of Mazhabis, managed to take the severed head of Tegh Bahadur to his family back in Anandpur when the proper rituals were noble Guru. Another man, assisted by his sons, separated the Guru's body away before it will certainly be accommodated or hung on the display with Aurangzeb's minions. They used their simple homes that Guru's secret funeral pyre, as a proper cremation would have brought down the wrath of frustrated Aurangzeb on their heads. Aurangzeb had lost in this challenge to their plans - for Guru Tegh Bahadur had endured all the torture and lure the mighty Aurangzeb could gather, niether he nor any of his companions had taken the easier road and abandoned his religion and principles. Gobind Rai would now seek to give each of his Sikhs with an iron will and fortitude of his father. For the moment, Pandit was safe, but Guru Gobind Rai is now working to prepare his Sikhs for the coming storm.

1675 -: Guru Gobind Rai lead the moral struggle

The criteria of courage and strength to sacrifice, Gobind Rai became the tenth Sikh Guru. "He wanted to teach these principles in his downtrodden followers. He wanted to uplift their morale to combat the evil forces of injustice, tyranny and oppression.

Every year at the time of Baisakhi (springtime), thousands of devotees would come to Anandpur to pay their obedience and seek the Guru's blessings.

Celebrations

To mark the celebrations, devotees, irrespective of the Sikh religion, participate in the gurdwara, a Sikh place of worship. The festivities begin as early devotees, with flowers and offerings in their hands, go to the Gurdwara before dawn. Processions through the towns are also common. Baisakhi is the day the Khalsa (pure ones) was born and Sikhs were given a clear identity and a code to live. The key event was led by the last living Sikh spiritual teacher, Guru Gobind Singh Ji, who named the first Sikhs using sweet nectar called Amrit. Around the world at Baisakhi time, Sikhs and members of Punjabi descent reflect the values taught to them by their Gurus birth of Khalsa celebrated by Sikhs every Vaisakhi Day on 13th April. Vaisakhi 1999 marks the 300-anniversary of Guru Gobind Singh's gift Panther Khalsa to all Sikhs everywhere.

WAHEGURU JI KA Khalsa, 

WAHEGURU JI KI Fateh!