On 13th April 2021, Punjabis all over the world will come together to celebrate the harvest festival of Baisakhi, also known as Vaisakhi. On this jubilant day, the farmers offer their prayers in thanks for a bountiful yield of last season and gear up for the next season's sowing.
For Sikhs, Baisakhi also holds religious significance as it marks the founding of the Khalsa Panth community in 1699 when the Panj Piaras or the ‘beloved five’ were the first five men to be baptized as Sikh and Guru Gobind Singh laid down the Panth Khalsa — the Order of the Pure Ones — according to scripture.
By tradition, the festival is celebrated with great grandeur, on this day Punjabis wake up early, wear new clothes, and visit the gurdwara to participate in various holy activities like special ardaas, kirtan, and discourses. Kada Prasad — a type of semolina halva made with equal portions of whole-wheat flour, clarified butter, and sugar - is specially prepared and distributed amongst all devotees. Later, the gurudwara hosts a langar Langar Seva is held, which is served by Kar Sevaks.
In other parts of India, people celebrate harvest festivals with a lot of fun, merriment, and enthusiasm. Baisakhi is known by diverse names - PohelaBoishakh in West Bengal, Bohag Bihu in Assam, Puthandu in Tamil Nadu, Bihu in Uttarakhand, Ugadi in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, PooramVishu in Kerala, and MahaVishuva Sankranti in Odisha.
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