Baisakhi (Vaisakhi) वैशाखी

Baisakhi, also written Vaisakhi, falls when the Sun enters Aries, which makes it a solar and not a lunar festival and therefore close to the same date each year. In Punjab the day marks the ripening of the rabi wheat and the start of harvest, and fields, fairs and folk dances take over. In the same period, other regions celebrate their own new year: Puthandu in Tamil Nadu, Vishu in Kerala, Bihu in Assam and Pohela Boishakh in Bengal, a shared moment in a solar calendar.

For Sikhs the day has a particular importance. In 1699 Guru Gobind Singh gathered the community at Anandpur Sahib, called for five volunteers who became the Panj Pyare, and initiated them with amrit, founding the Khalsa. Gurdwaras hold special services and large processions, called nagar kirtan, led by the Panj Pyare. Anandpur Sahib and Talwandi Sabo are the main centres, and Amritsar's Golden Temple sees large crowds. It is worth stating clearly that the Khalsa foundation is a Sikh tradition, shared by neighbours as a regional celebration.

For Hindu families, Baisakhi is also an occasion for a river bath, temple visits and thanksgiving for the harvest. In Himachal, Haryana and the hills of Uttarakhand fairs and local deity processions are held. In Punjab the energetic dances bhangra and giddha are strongly associated with the season, and farmers visit the fields and offer the first of the grain with thanks before sale. The harvest season is hard work, so the festival is also a time of rest and meals shared with neighbours.