Happy Vaisakhi! - 307 years of Guru Khalsa Panth

On 1st Vaisaakh (Panjabi Month), 14th April, the Sikh Nation celebrates the festival of "VAISAKHI". Vaisakhi is "historically" Guru Nanak Sahib Ji's birth day. Guru Amar Daas Sahib Ji institutionalized the day of Vaisakhi in 1567 for the Sikhs to gather to receive the Guru's blessings at Goindwal Sahib, and learn the basic tenets of the Sikh faith as well as do sewa (selfless service) of the Sangat.

In 1699 Guru Gobind Singh Ji gathered thousands at Anandpur Sahib on the day of Vaisakhi and physically MANIFESTED the KHALSA by initiating 5 Sikhs and conferring Guruship to the KHALSA PANTH (the corporate Sikh community), completing the revelation commenced by Guru Nanak Sahib Ji and the successive Guru Sahibaans. The 5 Sikhs (Panj Piaare) in turn initiated Guru Gobind Singh Ji into the Khalsa.

Guru jee's Hukam (instruction) to us on commencing of the month of Vaisaakh (mid April - mid May):

ਵੈਸਾਖਿ ਧੀਰਨਿ ਕਿਉ ਵਾਢੀਆ ਜਿਨਾ ਪ੍ਰੇਮ ਬਿਛੋਹੁ ॥
ਹਰਿ ਸਾਜਨੁ ਪੁਰਖੁ ਵਿਸਾਰਿ ਕੈ ਲਗੀ ਮਾਇਆ ਧੋਹੁ ॥
ਪੁਤ੍ਰ ਕਲਤ੍ਰ ਨ ਸੰਗਿ ਧਨਾ ਹਰਿ ਅਵਿਨਾਸੀ ਓਹੁ ॥
ਪਲਚਿ ਪਲਚਿ ਸਗਲੀ ਮੁਈ ਝੂਠੈ ਧੰਧੈ ਮੋਹੁ ॥
ਇਕਸੁ ਹਰਿ ਕੇ ਨਾਮ ਬਿਨੁ ਅਗੈ ਲਈਅਹਿ ਖੋਹਿ ॥
ਦਯੁ ਵਿਸਾਰਿ ਵਿਗੁਚਣਾ ਪ੍ਰਭ ਬਿਨੁ ਅਵਰੁ ਨ ਕੋਇ ॥
ਪ੍ਰੀਤਮ ਚਰਣੀ ਜੋ ਲਗੇ ਤਿਨ ਕੀ ਨਿਰਮਲ ਸੋਇ ॥
ਨਾਨਕ ਕੀ ਪ੍ਰਭ ਬੇਨਤੀ ਪ੍ਰਭ ਮਿਲਹੁ ਪਰਾਪਤਿ ਹੋਇ ॥
ਵੈਸਾਖੁ ਸੁਹਾਵਾ ਤਾਂ ਲਗੈ ਜਾ ਸੰਤੁ ਭੇਟੈ ਹਰਿ ਸੋਇ ॥੩॥
In the month of Vaisaakh, how can the bride be patient, who is separated from her Beloved. She has forgotten the Lord Waheguru, her Life-companion, her Master; she has become attached to Maya (the material illusionary world), the deceitful one. Neither son, nor spouse, nor wealth shall go along with you-only the Eternal Waheguru. Entangled and enmeshed in the love of false occupations, the whole world is perishing. Without the Naam, the Name of the One Lord, they lose their (spiritual) lives in the hereafter. Forgetting the Merciful Lord, they are ruined. Without Waheguru, there is no other at all. Pure is the reputation of those who are attached to the Feet of the Beloved Lord. O Waheguru! Nanak makes this prayer (at Your Door): "Please, come and unite me with Yourself." (In this season all around the trees and plants are becoming beautiful, but) the month of Vaisaakh will only be beautiful and pleasant for the soul when I meet the Saints and Waheguru. 3.

A few years ago the BBC broadcasted several programmes reflecting on the MEANING OF VAISAKHI for Sikhs. 'In Praise of God' broadcast by the BBC World Service included an interview with Bhai Sahib Mohinder Singh Ji of Guru Nanak Nishkam Sewak Jatha (Birmingham). During the interview Bhai Sahib Ji described the receiving of Amrit to be "akin to a SPIRITUAL MARRIAGE" with the Almighty, where our pledges of COMMITMENT are like our MARRIAGE VOWS and the Guru's gift of Panj Kakkaar (5 Articles of Faith) are the signs of our marriage bond.

Bhai Sahib Ji also quoted the Hukam for the month of Vaisaakh from Sri Granth Sahib Ji, explaining how as people we become so 'MESMERISED' and consumed by the material world that we 'DIVORCE' ourselves from our Beloved Lord Waheguru. Vaisakhi is an occasion for us to REMEMBER and RENEW our spiritual bond, as well as to make our COMMITMENT through the blessing of Amrit.


You can download the Sikh Calendar with all the Gurpurbs and other Sikh dates on http://www.nanakshahi.org/