Baisakhi

Baisakhi or Vaisakhi marks the beginning of the new spring year. And the end of the harvest of Rabi crop in India. The festival celebrated with lot of enthusiasm in agriculture dominated state of Punjab and Haryana. Here, farmers thank God for the bountiful harvest and pray for prosperity in the coming year. To celebrate the day, people wake up early and take a dip in the holy rivers

Baisakhi’s auspicious festival celebrated on the first day of Vaisakh month (April-May). Hence, the festival of Baisakhi also popularly known as Vaisakhi. According to Gregorian Calendar, Baisakhi falls on April 13 every year and on April 14 once in 36 years.

Foundation of Khalsa

The date of the Baisakhi festival has tremendous significance in Sikhism. They celebrate the festival as the foundation of the Khalsa (the Sikh brotherhood) in 1699 under Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Guru of Sikhs. Sikhs all over the world celebrate the day with lot of enthusiasm and joy.

Khalsa is the Sikh way of life. Guru Gobind Singh enjoined Khalsa to have faith in One God and consider all human beings equal. They given the surname ‘Singh’. And asked to wear 5Ks or emblems at all times – kesh (unshorn hair and beard), kangha (a comb), kara (a steel bracelet), kachcha (cotton undergarment) and kirpan, a sword.

The date of Baisakhi also has major astrological significance as it marks the sun’s entry into Mesh Rashi. Some people therefore know Baisakhi as Mesha Sankranti.

The auspicious date of Baisakhi also celebrated as ‘Rongali Bihu’ in Assam, ‘Naba Barsha’ in Bengal, ‘Puthandu’ in Tamil Nadu, ‘Pooram Vishu’ in Kerala and ‘Vaishakha’ in Bihar.

RABI CROP

The crops that sown in the winter season called Rabi crops. (also known as the “winter crop”) in  India. Crops grown from October  to December, and harvested by March- April are wheat, barley, peas, gram and mustard.

GREGORIAN CALENDAR: The Gregorian calendar is the calendar in current use in the Western world. Instituted by Pope Gregory XIII in 1582, the calendar has 365 days with an extra day every four years (the leap year) except in years divisible by 100 but not divisible by 400. Thus, the calendar year has an average length of 365.2422 days. The Gregorian calendar replaced the Julian calendar , which had become 10 days out of synchrony with the solar cycle.