Baisakhi 2019 is going to be celebrated on April 14th this year. Also known as Vaisakhi or Vasakhi, the festival is celebrated every year by Sikhs or followers of Sikhism, as well as Hindus around the world. The festival if of religious and historical importance for the Sikhs and is celebrated as the Punjabi New Year and Sikh New Year. The festival commemorates the formation of the Khalsa panth of warriors under Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singhji in 1699. Additionally, the festival is a Sikh harvest festival and it coincides with a number of regional New Year festivities which are observed in various parts of the Indian subcontinent. These include Pohela Boishakh (Bengali New Year), Bohag Bihu (Assamese New Year), Vishu (New Year of Hindus in Kerala), Puthandu (Tamil New Year) etc.
Baisakhi 2019: Dates, Significance, Celebration
Baisakhi is celebrated on April 13 or April 14 every year and it also marks the solar New Year for Hindus. According to Khalsa Sambat, the Khalsa calendar started from the day of the creation of the Khalsa 1 Vaisakh 1756 Bikrami. In Punjab, it marks the ripening of the rabi crops and the day is also observed as a day of thanksgiving by the farmers, who offer thanks to God for the abundant harvest and also pray for a future of prosperity. The festival's celebrations are characterised by organization of fairs or melas, as well as dance functions, where revelers participate in bhangra or gidda dances. Vaisakhi is also celebrated by Sikhs and Punjabi Hindus living in Pakistan, Canada, U.K. and the U.S.
Baisakhi 2019: Festivities include delectable Punjabi foods
Baisakhi 2019: Festive Foods and Traditional Feast
Baisakhi is a celebration primarily of the Punjabis and Sikhs and the festival is celebrated by indulging in traditional North Indian Punjabi dishes. These include chhole bhature, peele chawal (savoury yellow rice), makke ki roti with sarso ka saag, sweet lassi or buttermilk, gur ka halwa (jaggery halwa), Punjabi kadhi pakora with rice etc. A number of North Indian or Punjabi chicken and mutton dishes may also be prepared during Baisakhi festivities, these include tandoori chicken, murgh makhani (butter chicken curry) etc. The desserts include coconut ladoos, dry fruits kheer etc.