Baisakhi Festival (बैसाखी का त्यौहार), Punjab, and ripe wheat crop: If we say that these three are almost synonymous with one, then probably it will not be wrong. Therefore, Baisakhi is also considered as a festival of the gaiety of the farmers, and it is also this. But Baisakhi is not just limited to Punjab, farmers, or crops. The cultural dimensions of Baisakhi go far beyond this. Actually, Baisakhi is the solstice of Vaishakh month. This Vaishakh is actually the first day of the solar month. On the day of Baisakhi, the Sun transits into Aries.
For this reason, it is called Aries Sankranti (मेष संक्रांति) or Vishubat Sankranti (विषुबत संक्रांति) in Vedic culture and astrology legislation. Baisakhi festival is traditionally celebrated only on 13 or 14 April. One more thing to understand is that it is purely a cultural festival of the Indian subcontinent. Therefore, it is as much related to Sikhism as it is to Hinduism, and the truth is that it is also related to Buddhism and Jainism as well.
Baisakhi Festival Punjab and wheat crop
The festival of Baisakhi is celebrated all over the country. The only difference is that its name is different in different places. Somewhere Basoa (बसोआ), Somewhere Bisua (बिसुआ), Somewhere Sheetal (जुड़ शीतल), Somewhere Paila Baisakh (पयला बैसाख), Somewhere Vishu (विशु), Somewhere Purthandu (पुर्थंडु). In the true sense, Baisakhi is celebrated throughout the Indian subcontinent, hence it is also known as Vaishakh Mahaparva.
However, in North India, Baisakhi is the festival of Bhumiputra farmers. Rainbow glee can be felt everywhere on the day of Baisakhi in Punjab, Haryana, Himachal. As soon as the name Baisakhi is used in this entire area, the aroma of the ripe crop starts filling in our hearts. Farmers doing the bhangra in their eyes and Gotti motiranas (मोटियारनें) start wandering. As soon as Baisakhi is named, the tune of “जट्टा आई रे बैसाखी” starts echoing in the ears.
In other parts of the country, on this day, there is a lot of grace in the tone and rhythm. On the day of Baisakhi, the second Guru of the Sikhs, Sri Angad Dev Ji was born. Along with this, a mythological story is also associated with this day, according to which Brahma Ji created the universe on this day. Sri Vikram Sambat was also launched by Maharaja Vikramaditya in the golden history of India from this day itself and the coronation of Lord Shri Rama also took place on this day. Not only this, in fact, on this day, Bishu festival (बिशु पर्व) in Kerala and Tamil Nadu and Bihu (बिहू) in Assam and Poela Baishakh festival (पोएला बैशाख पर्व) in West Bengal are celebrated. That is why it is called Mahaparva of festivals.
Baisakhi festival in India
As we all know, on this day, people in the country take a bath in holy rivers and ponds. Charities do charity, and all these bathing places hold fairs. In Punjab, fairs are held everywhere on this day. People bathe early in the morning and visit temples and gurudwaras. There were langars in the street.
An atmosphere of happiness and joy is seen everywhere. In Chitrakoot and Prayag also this day is a day of holy bath and fairs. In Uttar Pradesh, especially in the area of Bundelkhand, people bathe and worship Sattu (सत्तू) on this day. At this time, the wheat crop is being harvested or harvested all over the country. That is why farmers celebrate this festival by singing and dancing around the crops. Punjabi farmers see this crop happily calling Kanak Kanak (कनक कनक), which means gold. The rest of the wheat crop is less than gold for the farmer.
Importance of Baisakhi festival in India
According to Hindu Panchang, Guru Gobind Singh established the Khalsa Panth on the month of Vaishakh. The Sikh community also celebrates Baisakhi with great love, because it wants to give special honor and glory to Guru Gobind Singh Ji, through revealing his gaiety.
Pur Gobind Singh Ji also held a special gathering at Baisakhri at Sri Anandpur Sahib in 1699 AD to give special importance to the Baisakhi festival. In this, Sangat from all over the country came and supported him on this historic occasion. On this occasion, Guru Gobind Singh Ji challenged the Sangat and said, I want ahead to liberate the country from slavery.
Listening to the defiance of Guru Sahib, five heroes Daya Singh Khatri, Dharam Singh Jat, Mohkam Singh Chhiwan, Sahib Singh, and Himmat Singh had presented their heads to Guru Gobind Singh Ji. After this, the Khalsa Panth was established and how they saved the Hindu religion from the crisis, is history. On the day of Baisakhi, Bhangra and Gidda are everywhere in Punjab and Himachal, while Rangilo Bihu is in Assam, North Bengal, and Northeast. Baisakhi and Dhol go from the mill to dissolve in each other.
The festival of Baisakhi is also a festival of sacrifice. With the Baisakhi of 1699 AD, every year Baisakhi has been awakening people for the safety of the country. Mughal ruler Aurangzeb martyred Sri Guru Teghwahadur Singh Ji on the moonlight check of Delhi, at the time of persecution, injustice, and persecution when Guru Govind Singh Ji organized his followers and established the Khalsa Panth. After the martyrdom of Banda Bahadur in 1716, Punjabi became an example of the valor of Sikhs.
All the Mildadars used to give a year-long account at Harminder Sahib in Shri Amritsar on the occasion of Baisakhi every year. The time of Sikh misery is from 1716 to 1799. All the misdemeanors used to congregate on Baisakhi. But Baisakhi also has a relationship with the bloody Jallianwala Bagh scandal.
On 13 April 1919, hundreds of people stood at the Jallianwala Bagh for the freedom of the country, in front of the bullets of General Dyer’s soldiers, and they were martyred. In this way, Baisakhi is not only a festival of sacrifice but also a festival of sacrifice.