Baisakhi (Vaisakhi)

About

Baisakhi, also spelled Vaisakhi, is one of the most important days of the year in Punjab and for Punjabi communities everywhere. It falls on the first day of the solar month of Vaisakh, and the usual date is around April 13 or 14. It marks the ripening of the wheat harvest in the fields of Punjab and the start of the solar new year in many parts of India.

For Sikhs, Baisakhi has a second and deeper meaning. It is the day on which Guru Gobind Singh Ji founded the Khalsa at Anandpur Sahib in 1699. Hindus in Punjab, and Punjabi families of all faiths, share the harvest and spring side of the festival. This page respects both.

Sikh worship does not use puja in the Hindu sense. The headings below follow the site's usual pattern, and the text explains how Sikh families mark the day.

Significance and stories

At the end of the winter, the wheat is ripe and farmers prepare for the harvest. Baisakhi is a time of thanks and joy for this reason. The fields are golden, and communities gather for fairs.

For Sikhs, the heart of the day is the event at Anandpur Sahib. According to Sikh history, Guru Gobind Singh Ji called a great gathering and asked for volunteers who were ready to give their lives. Five answered one by one. They became the first Panj Pyare, the Five Beloved Ones, and were initiated into the Khalsa order. The sources describe them as coming from different backgrounds, which is taken as a teaching that all people are equal in the Khalsa. The Guru then received initiation from them in turn.

In the Nanakshahi calendar, Baisakhi falls on the first day of Vaisakh, the second month, while the Nanakshahi year itself begins in Chet. Many Punjabis still think of Baisakhi as the new year of spring. The Punjabi and Sikh calendar page explains this. Where Sikh groups differ about calendar dates, follow your gurdwara.

How to observe (puja vidhi)

1. Morning prayers. Begin the day with Nitnem (the daily prayers) at home, or at the gurdwara.
2. Visit the gurdwara. Cover your head, remove your shoes, wash your hands and sit on the floor. Bow before Guru Granth Sahib, listen to kirtan (hymns) and the hukamnama (the day's message).
3. Accept karah prashad. Take the sweet offering with both hands cupped, and eat it with respect.
4. Langar. Share the free community meal. It is vegetarian and open to everyone.
5. Nagar kirtan. Join or watch the procession, led by the Panj Pyare, with hymns, and the Guru Granth Sahib carried in a decorated vehicle.
6. Amrit Sanchar. Some gurdwaras hold the ceremony of initiation into the Khalsa on this day, for those who have chosen this path.
7. Evening at home. Share the festive meal with the family, and visit relatives.

For Hindu Punjabi families, the day often includes a morning bath, a temple visit, and a festive meal. Traditions vary; follow your own family and community.

Puja items (samagri)

Sikh worship does not need ritual items. If you are visiting a gurdwara, it helps to bring:

• A head covering (gurdwaras usually keep spare cloths at the entrance)
• Clean, modest clothing
• Socks, since shoes come off
• A donation to the langar, if you wish

Fasting and food

Baisakhi is not a fasting day. It is a day of feasting and sharing. Langar at the gurdwara is simple, hot vegetarian food, usually dal, vegetables and roti, with kheer or another sweet, and all sit together to eat.

At home, Punjabi families make dishes such as chole, parathas, lassi and sweets such as kheer and meethe chawal (sweet rice). The details differ by family.

Anyone with a health condition, pregnant or nursing women, children and elders should follow their doctor's advice about food and rest on a long festival day.

Regional customs

In Punjab, villages hold fairs (melas) with bhangra and gidda dances, wrestling and food stalls. Anandpur Sahib and Talwandi Sabo (Damdama Sahib) attract large crowds. The main celebration is at Anandpur Sahib.

The same day is a new year elsewhere, under other names: Puthandu in Tamil Nadu, Vishu in Kerala, Bohag Bihu in Assam, Poila Boishakh in Bengal, Maha Vishuva Sankranti in Odisha and Baisakh 1 in Nepal. Baisakhi is on a solar date, falling on April 13 in most years and on April 14 in some.

Celebrating in the USA

Gurdwaras across the country hold Vaisakhi programmes, and many cities hold a large nagar kirtan, usually on a weekend close to the day. Check with your local gurdwara for dates and parking, since the crowds are large.

If Baisakhi falls on a school or work day, visit the gurdwara in the evening. At home, make a festive meal and share the story of the Khalsa with children. Langar is open to everyone, so friends of any background are welcome if they follow the gurdwara's etiquette.