We all know the coming New Year is the beginning of a new year for all the people all over the world. But according to the Hindu calendar, every caste has its own celebration of their New Year. For us in Hyderabad Pongal is the New Year.

Moving towards North, the state of jovial and fun-loving people – Punjab, celebrates its New Year in April. Baisakhi is the name given to their New Year. Baisakhi is celebrated at the end of months of hard labour that have gone into the production of the Rabi crop, the first harvest of the year. The festival comes as a welcome relief to farmers after their crops have been sold off in the markets, leaving them free to join in the revelries.

According to the solar calendar, 14th April is celebrated as Baisakhi every year. By this festival, farmers thank the god for his blessings in the form of good harvest.

The day of the festival usually starts with people taking bath in the rivers and huge water tanks. However, this is not possible in the cities. The idea of having bath in the rivers is absolutely refreshing. After the bath, men and women dress traditionally and visit the Guruduwara, a place of worship of Sikhs, with sweets and one-tenth of their earnings served to the Lord. After taking the Prasad, Langar – community lunch is organized at the Guruduwara.

As a festival, Baisakhi is of great religious significance for the Sikhs. The panch piyara (the five loved ones) of the Sikh religion was initiated by Guru Gobind Singh (the tenth and last Sikh guru) on Baisakhi. The holy book of the Sikhs – Khalsa was established on this very day and from then it is decorated on every Baisakhi. As in Hindus, a bath in the river Ganga washes away all the sins of a person; similarly Sikhs take ritual bath in the Sarovar Lake in Amritsar to purify the body and soul on the day of Baisakhi.

A number of fairs are organized at this time of the year. Cattle fairs are held all over the place. Mouth-watering delicacies like ice cream, flossy sugar lollipops and chaat are consumed in large quantities by the young and old alike with great relish. Quaint wooden and clay toys vie with exquisite handicrafts and mundane household goods for shelf space are put up in the fairs. Processions are taken out, at the head of which are the panch piyara. Mock duels and bands playing religious tunes are part of the processions. Children also enthusiastically take part in them. People come from far and wide to attend these annual fairs and join in the general hustle and bustle of the day.

On this day a lot of charity is done and children are also taught to help the poor and needy. The saying “Charity begins at home” is given importance here. Whole day the people are in a festive mood. Traditional dances are done in the fairs with youngsters joining the folk groups and having a gala time dancing with them. Men perform the vigorous Bhangra dance with energetic steps to the beat of dholak (traditional drum) while women perform Gidda dance with great fervour and rhythmic steps. Typical Punjabi food is served everywhere that is relished by each and everyone.

On a very cheery note the festival ends with huge family gatherings and picnics. Baisakhi is one of the biggest festivals of Punjabi and is grandly celebrated in villages.