Baisakhi celebrated in Delhi with traditional fervor and enthusiasm

The festival of Baisakhi was celebrated in Delhi on Sunday with traditional fervor and enthusiasm.

The day has historical as well as religious significance as it commemorates the establishment of the Khalsa Panth by Guru Gobind Singh in 1699. On this day, Guru Gobind Singh baptized the first five Sikhs declaring them Panj Pyare, or the beloved five, who would lead the Khalsa community.

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For the agrarian population, the festival marks the beginning of the harvest season and the start of a new farming cycle. On this day, farmers thank God for the good harvest and pray for a successful new year.

Devotees were seen thronging gurudwaras in the city such as Rakab Ganj, Sis Ganj, and Bangla Sahib among others to seek the blessings of the Almighty. Akhand paths were held in the gurudwaras and lungars (public feasts) were held.

Interestingly, an NGO carried out a five-kilometer marathon in the Connaught Place area to mark the spirit of the festival.

Dignitaries, including President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narender Modi, and Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta greeted the people on the occasion.

The festival has deep-rooted significance in Sikhism as Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism, was born on the day of Baisakhi in 1469.

The most significant event in Baisakhi’s history is the establishment of the Khalsa Panth by Guru Gobind Singh in 1699. On this day, Guru Gobind Singh called together thousands of Sikhs at Anandpur Sahib to volunteer to give their lives for the Sikh cause. The five brave Sikhs who stepped forward for the cause were known as the Panj Pyare. The Guru initiated them into the Khalsa Panth by giving them amrit (the nectar).

Another significant event associated with Baisakhi is the Jallianwala Bagh massacre that occurred on April 13, 1919. British troops fired on a peaceful gathering of unarmed Indians who had gathered to celebrate it in the Jallianwala Bagh in Amritsar, killing hundreds of people. This event sparked outrage and further strengthened the Indian independence movement.