Waisaki — New Year of the Sikhs (14/04)

In the Indian state of Punjab, one of the most beloved Sikh holidays, Vaisakhi, is celebrated on April 13 or 14. For the Sikhs who inhabit Punjab, this is both a religious holiday, a harvest festival, and a New Year's day. It is celebrated by Vaisaki on the first day of the first month of Vaisakh Nanakshahi of the solar calendar.

Sikhs — are an Indian people professing Sikhism, which originally arose in the Punjab in the 15th century.

On this day in 1699, the last, tenth, Sikh guru, ruler and mentor Gobind Singh founded the Khalsa — brotherhood with the idea of world order, eliminating differences between castes and establishing equality for all people.

The main festivities of Vaisaka are usually concentrated in gurudwaras of — Sikh temples. In addition, Waisaki is also celebrated in the field, because peasants celebrate the harvest festival on this day.

On this day, Punjabis wake up in the early morning and visit temples with flowers in their hands to take part in special religious events. Most Sikhs seek to visit the most revered gurudwaras, such as the Golden Temple or the Anandpur Sahib, where the Khalsa was proclaimed. Those who are unable to travel to central temples visit local temples.

On the day of Vaisaka, the holy book of the Sikhs, Guru Grant Sahib, is solemnly delivered in every gurudwara, and religious leaders read the basic postulates to everyone present. After visiting the temple, believers eat a special dish of sweet flour and butter — kara prasad.



Punjabi farmers note Waisaki slightly differently. On this day, they dress up in new clothes, prepare national dishes, organize crowded fairs and concerts and congratulate each other on the New Year. Many people gather in the field on this day, and folk dances bhangra and gidha are held to celebrate the harvest festival. These amazing dances reflect the entire history of the agricultural process, from plowing and sowing to harvesting.

The bhangra dance is performed by men who dress up in colored turbans, white shirts, bright vests and a semblance of skirts. They make intricate movements to the sounds of national dhol drums. The gidha dance is performed by women. They wear colorful outfits and a variety of shiny jewelry that makes a melodic ringing sound with each movement. Noisy celebrations continue until late in the evening.

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