VAISAKHI: SIKH NEW YEAR CELEBRATION

Baisakhi 2026 will be celebrated on Tuesday, April 14. The festival is one of most vibrant harvest festival that marks the Punjabi New Year and the founding of the Khalsa Panth,

Vaisakhi or Baisakhi is celebrated by the Panjabis with a lot of devotion, joy and fervour. The occasion also marks the foundation of Khalsa (the pure one) Panth on Vaisakhi in the year 1699 and equity of castes. Also, on this day the Sikh Guru tradition came to an end and the Holy Scripture, Sri Guru Granth Sahib being deemed as the eternal Guru or guide of Sikhism.

“Khalsa Panth consisting of ‘pure ones,’ is considered to be Guru Gobind Sahib's biggest contribution to alleviate human sufferings through selfless service. Guru Sahib was a great warrior, philosopher, reformer and poet who fought against oppression and injustice,” this blogger wrote in an earlier post.

Among Punjabis farmers, Vaisahi  is celebrated as a harvest festival with joyous cultural events and dancing.  The festival is also celebrated with devotion and piety through visitation to Gurudwaras,  holding Shabad Kirtan and  organizing processions.

Shabad Kirtan - singing the praises of formless God - sung by Sikhs are are taken from the Guru Granth Sahib are set to traditional raga based musical scales to be recited by the granthis and ragis as leads and followed by the gathering or sangat.  Raga based singing and listening is done by the followers for realisation of the oneness with God.