This Friday marks Vaisakhi, one of the most significant and widely observed annual celebrations for Sikhs, who make up the fifth-largest major world religion.
Vaisakhi – sometimes spelled Baisakhi – has long been celebrated as a harvest festival across South Asia and especially in the Punjab region of India, where it is also observed by Hindus.
But in Sikhism, the day honors a pivotal moment in the evolution of the religion more than 300 years ago, when the tenth in a line of Gurus — or spiritual leaders — unified Sikhs and formalized many aspects of the faith by creating the Khalsa (those who wear 5 K’s).
“Vaisakhi presents an opportunity for me to reflect on my journey as a Sikh, and to reaffirm my commitment to the values of Sikhism,” said Harman Singh, senior manager of education at The Sikh Coalition.
When is Vaisakhi 2023?
Vaisakhi is typically observed on April 13 or April 14 and marks the first day of the month Vaisakh in the Sikh calendar. This year, the celebration falls on Friday.
Where did it all begin?
In 1699, the tenth guru of the religion Dhan Dhan Guru Gobind Singh Ji came out of a tent carrying a sword. He challenged the people of Punjab and said that anyone who is prepared to give their life for the Sikh religion must go into the tent.
Five men stepped forward one after the other and proceeded to go into the tent. Guru Gobind Singh came out of the tent alone with blood on his sword, worrying the crowd, who thought that the five men had died.
ut they all came out alive – wearing turbans – and would become to be known as the ‘Beloved Five’. Guru Gobind Singh then baptised all the men into the Khalsa by sprinkling them with amrit (sugar water).
These five men became the first members of the Khalsa and this ritual became the basis of the Sikh baptism ceremony. Even today, many Sikhs choose to get baptised on Vaisakhi as a sign of devotion to the faith
