Vaisakhi

13 April 2007

Vaisakhi

Tomorrow is Vaisakhi, which is a big, fun, serious, religious, secular celebration. Since I know that some of my readers are not Sikh, I thought I'd write a post about the meaning of this holiday. Time, however, in its fluidity, has caught up with me and that post has not been written. So I am doing what I usually refuse to do and giving you a cut and paste. At least it's not from Wikipedia; it's from the Gurmat Learning Zone.

Vaisakhi - A Sikh Religious Holiday

Vaisakhi is an
important Sikh festival. It falls on April 14 and
celebrates the founding of
the institution of Khalsa in 1699 which made the current
outer identity of
the Sikhs – unshorn hair and beard and a head covering – as
a mandatory part
of their faith. In addition, members of the Sikh faith were
ordered to adopt
the additional name of Singh, meaning lion, or Kaur,
meaning princess
symbolizing equality, and to follow a code of conduct, which Sikhs
still
uphold today, practicing equality, kindness, courage, steadfastness,
and
leadership. The Khalsa was created by the founders of Sikhism to
encourage
people to stand up for their own civil rights and religious freedom for
all.
Today, Vaisakhi is celebrated by Sikhs all over the world as a religious and
social occasion. They go with their families to the Gurdwara (the Sikh
place of worship) to sing hymns, and to read the Sikh Holy Book, Guru Granth
Sahib. Processions and feasting follow readings of the holy scripture.
Vaisakhi
brings together people of all backgrounds in a congregation in the
spirit of
love and respect.
Vaisakhi is both sacred and secular, which
encourages everyone to
congregate, meet and mix amid festivity and
pageantry. The Vaisakhi is, at its
simplest, a time to rise above prejudices
and join in the unique celebration of
life. It embodies, at a deeper level,
the concept of cyclical regeneration as
in all harvest festivals. In Punjab,
(where Sikhism originated) in India,
Vaisakhi celebrates the bringing in of
the wheat crop with songs and dances.

May we all be aware of the love and blessings of Waheguru this year!

And

May we all live forever under the care and protection of our beloved father,
Guru Gobind Singh Ji!

Supreme Primal Power
Photo of Khanda by simmal tree

Used with permission

I do not know who to credit with the painting of Guru Gobind Singh taking amrit from the Pyare Panj, although I have tried. I have seen this picture on several sites. If anyone has information, please let me know.