Today is Baisakhi, the beginning of the solar year. On this day people of North India, particularly Punjab, thank God for good harvest. Baisakhi, also known as Vaisakhi is the festival celebrated as the Sikh New Year and the founding of the Khalsa Panth. History of Baisakhi traces its origin from the Baisakhi Day celebrations of 1699 organized by the Tenth Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Rai to form Khalsa; Brotherhood of Saint Soldiers to fight against tyranny and oppression.

The origin of this festival of Baisakhi begins with the martyrdom of Guru Teg Bahadur, the ninth Sikh Guru who was publicly beheaded by the Mughal ruler Aurungzeb. Aurungzeb wanted to spread Islam in India and Guru Tegh Bahadur stood up for the rights of Hindus against his oppressive doctrines, resulting in Mughals seeing him as a threat to Islam.

Guru Gobind Singh wanted to instil the principles of courage and morality in his downtrodden followers. He wanted to uplift their determination to combat the evil forces of injustice, tyranny, and oppression. He had become Guru with the criteria of courage and strength to sacrifice. Every year at the time of Baisakhi (springtime), thousands of devotees would come to Ananpur to pay their obeisance and seek the Guru’s blessings.

In 1699, Sikhs from all over Punjab in India gathered together to celebrate the local harvest festival of Vaisakhi. The tenth guru, Guru Gobind Singh, came out of a tent carrying a sword and said that every great deed was preceded by an equally great sacrifice. He asked anyone who was prepared to give their life for their religion to step forward. But this was a test, and the five brave people who stepped forward, willing to sacrifice their lives, were known as the Panj Piare or ‘beloved Five’ from that day forward.

Dr. Anshul Mahajan