Vaisakhi

[soldier_khalistani]

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh

Vaisakhi is a time to reflect, learn and improve ourselves and the Panth. However, due to ignorance and the failings of Gurdwara Management Committees to cater for parchaar for the Sikh Youth effectively, youngsters have made celebrating Vaisakhi into a street carnival.

When our community leaders have failed to celebrate Vaisakhi in a productive Gurmat manner, then what should we expect from our youngsters? The large majority of Gurdwaras celebrate Vaisakhi by performing 'Akhand Paaths' (continuous non-stop reading of Guru Granth Sahib Ji). We blindly watch 5 or 10 Akhand Paaths happening one next to the other. What are our youngsters going to understand or learn? How will you inspire someone when we pay people to read Gurbani not to educate, not to inspire, not learn and not understand but just for the sake of doing an 'Akhand Paath'?

According to Panthic Sikh Rehat Maryada:

a) The non-stop reading of the Guru Granth is carried on at hard times or on occasions of elation or joy. It takes approximately forty-eight hours. The non-stop reading implies continuous, uninterrupted reading. The reading must be clear and correct. Reading too fast, so that the person listening in to it cannot follow the contents, amounts to irreverence to the Scriptures. The reading should be correct and clear, due care being bestowed on consonant and vowel, even though that takes a little longer to complete.

(b) Whichever family or congregation undertakes the non-stop reading should carry it out itself through its members, relatives, friends, etc., all together. The number of reciters is not prescribed. If a person, himself, cannot read, he should listen in to the reading by some competent reader. However, it should never be allowed to happen that the reader carries on the reading all by himself/herself and no member of the congregation or the family is listening in to the reading. The reader should be served with food and clothing to the best of the host's means...

Let us reflect upon this. Do we pay Granthis and Giani Jis to perform Akhand Paaths or does the local Sangat at the Gurdwara or the family seeking guidance or wishing to thank Guru Ji take it upon themselves to carefully, clearly and correctly read Gurbani?

Youngsters are disillusioned with Gurdwaras. When our Gurdwaras are not following the Panthic Rehat Maryada, when our Gurdwaras are not fulfilling the spiritual needs of the Sangat and when the Gurdwaras are ignoring the need to inspire and educate the Sikh youth then how do we expect people to celebrate Vaisakhi in the Gurmat manner?

It is hurtful to see youngsters with the Nishan Sahib in one hand and a cigarette in the other.

It is upsetting to see youngsters with a Nishan Sahib in one hand and a beer bottle in the other.

It is upsetting to see the Sikh symbols (e.g. Khanda) being abused, devalued and made so cheap that even people's pet dogs have rumaals with a Khanda printed on it wrapped around their heads.

How can we mark Vaisakhi this year? How can we celebrate Vaisakhi according to the Gurmat, the Guru's way? How can we make ourselves and our community stronger, better and closer to Guru Ji?

We need to involve youngsters in the Gurdwara. Give youngsters the opportunity to serve langar, do chaur sahib di sewa, sing shabads, and help to decorate the Gurdwara.

We need to inspire our youngsters by distributing literature which is easy to read, relevant to youth issues, and written on a level relating to youngsters. Gurdwaras cannot afford to not translate shabads, or translate Hukamnamas in English for the youngsters. If we wish to go down the road that youngsters should learn Panjabi and that Gurdwaras should not translate Gurbani, then why do we have Katha-vaachics? Why do Parchaarics translate Gurbani (written in Gurmukhi) into easy common Panjabi? Isn't the Gurdwara a place to understand and learn or to isolate and keep people in the dark?

During Vaisakhi Nagar Kirtans, lets prepare youngsters into groups to sing shabads. While walking in the Nagar Kirtan we should be hearing youngsters singing Gurbani, speaking on the stages with inspiring relevant messages and the elders supporting the younger ones.

Vaisakhi is about reflecting upon the fact that Guru Gobind Singh Ji is our Father and Mata Sahib Kaur Ji is our mother. How has our relationship with our Father? What positive changes do we have to make in our lives to become closer to our Father?

Vaisakhi is about changing our outlook to life. The Khalsa represents a high moral character with a truthful way of living. How close are we to living the values, morals and high moral character of the Khalsa?

Vaisakhi is about thinking about giving our head to the Guru and realizing how the Guru has done so much for us. Are we willing to live for the Guru? What one step can I take this year to become one step closer to the Guru?

"Take one step towards the Guru, and the True Guru will take millions of steps forward to welcome you" (Bhai Gurdaas Ji)

A CALL TO SIKH YOUTH

In recent years Southall and Handsworth, amongst other areas, have become places where `Sikh'

youth have gathered to celebrate Vaisakhi. At some point over the years it became `acceptable' to partake in very anti-Sikh activities on such an auspicious occasion.

Drinking and smoking whilst waving a Nishan Sahib have become commonplace. Such activities, are totally against the fundamental principles of Sikhi.

This is an appeal to all Sikhs whether they be amritdhari, turbaned or non turbaned, to consider the

implications of what they are doing.

Many non-Sikhs now attend Southall because Vaisakhi has become a type of street carnival. Our sacred Khanda is worn by many non-Sikhs whilst they openly smoke, drink, ridicule and harass our sisters. They adorn their cars with our Khanda and taunt young girls, however, they go unnoticed because our brothers are doing the same! The non-Sikhs attending the ‘celebrations' are aware that their actions are detrimental to Sikhism, so why do we as Sikhs not realize the magnitude of our actions?

We should be stopping non-Sikhs from making a mockery of Vaisakhi rather than doing the same ourselves.

Our religion is so rich - let us not forget that and give it the respect that it deserves for today,

Vaisakhi and always.

In short, this is a plea to all Sikh brothers and sisters to refrain from drinking, smoking and dancing

in the streets at Vaisakhi. For at least one day a year lets stand together and actually stand up against

non-Sikhs who infiltrate us on such days and make a mockery of our history and religion.

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh

[Pheena]

Very Intersting Day:

From the Religin Aspect you are correct, but Vaisakhi has been celebreated long before the Formation of the Khalsa Panth. I think the issue is that the day has lost the Religious importence and gained more Cultural influence in the general youth population.

http://www.indiaprofile.com/fairs-festivals/baisakhi.htm

Baisakhi, also called Vaisakhi, is a harvest festival which is celebrated on the thirteenth of April according to the solar calendar. It is celebrated in North India, particularly in Punjab, when the rabi crop is ready for harvesting. This tough agricultural operation is rendered into a lighter occupation by merry community festivities such as the Bhangra dance by men, who pound the ground with vigorous steps accompanied with singing. Women too, break into a revelry of dances principally the Gidda dance, executed with fervour and rhythmic exactitude. On these occasions, men and women adorn themselves with gay coloured clothes and traditional jewellery. Generally, the sites of these festivities are on the banks of the rivers which have their sacred import with myths and legends woven around their origin and names.

Baisakhi has a special meaning for the Sikhs. On this day in 1699, their tenth Guru Gobind Singh organized the order of the Khalsa. On this day also, Guru Arjan Das was martyred by the Muslim rulers who, in barbaric cruelty, threw him alive into a cauldron of boiling oil. Again, on this day in 1875, Swami Dayanand Saraswati founded the Arya Samaj—a reformed sect of Hindus who are devoted to the Vedas for spiritual guidance and have discarded idol worship. This day is once again of immense religious import to the Buddhists because Gautama Buddha attained enlightenment and Nirvana on this auspicious day.

Baisakhi day is observed as the Naba Barsha (New Year) in Bengal. On 14th April, the people take a ritual bath in the River Ganga or any other river or a nearby tank and bedeck their houses with rangoli (floral patterns) drawn on the entrance floor of their homes with a paste made of rice powder.

Baishakhi festival is celebrated twice a year in Himachal Pradesh in honour of Goddess Jwalamukhi. This happens in the months of Vaishakha (April-May) and Kartika (November). A temple near the hot springs is dedicated to the Goddess. Her image is so fabricated that a jet of flames issues forth from the mouth of the deity. This flame is held sacred and is worshipped. The neighbouring hot springs are a popular place for a holy dip by thousands of pilgrims on the days when the fairs are held.