What Is The National Festival For Sikhs?

[JasSinghKhalsa]

Today, I feel very happy when I see my Hindu friends celebrating Diwali in India and abroad, I also feel very happy when I see Muslim friends celebrating Id in Islamic nations and abroad. I am also pleased when I see Christian's decorating shopping malls for Christmas and celebrating Christmas ---

BUT ---

Then, I start feeling very dissapointed as to what our National Festival is??? Surely, it is not Diwali/Id/Christmas???

• Bandi Chod Diwas - I don't think so? We have a reason for celebrating this day, but is it a national day for us?
  
• Vaisakhi??? Is it recognised the same way as Diwali/Id throughout the Globe? Do schools tell the importance of Vaisakhi to children in schools?
  
• Guru Nanak Purab??? Is it recognised the same way as Diwali/Id throughout the Globe? Do schools tell the importance of Guru Nanak Purab to children in schools?
  

Or any other day?

So, I have 2 basic questions -

• Have we defined a Sikh National Festival Day - 1 day out of 100s/200s we have, which is advertised globally???
  
• Do we advertise it globally and is it recognised globally, the same way Diwali/Id/Christmas is taught in the national curicullum in schools?
  

If not, Is this purely because we are homeless??? We don't have our nation, even if it is a small 50 mile radius nation, so we don't have any recognition and importance?

If we agree on a National Festival day, then this day should be the one to distribute sweets to friends/families - not any other day (Ideal view but the effort has to start somewhere).

Atleast, I have made a resolution, I am going to distribute sweets to my friends/families on Guru Nanak Dev Jee's Gurupurab only and consider that as the day of celebration from my point of view and not any other day until and unless I hear another decision from a responsible JatheBandi ...

WJKK WJKF.

[SinghSabha]

Vaisakhi is our major holiday. Bandi chod divas is up there too, but Vaisakhi is the birth of the Khalsa. That's big.

In the meantime, I agree that we should form a league of JatheBandi to sit around a table and decide what is the right day to distribute sweets to our family and friends. We can only pick one day, because more than that would be silly. We should also decide on what sweets will be distributed. Ladoos? Jalebees? Burfi??? Such pressing matters should be attended to immediately!

[GuptUnknown]

Vaisakhi. Birth of Khalsa.

[JasSinghKhalsa]

In the meantime, I agree that we should form a league of JatheBandi to sit around a table and decide what is the right day to distribute sweets to our family and friends. We can only pick one day, because more than that would be silly. We should also decide on what sweets will be distributed. Ladoos? Jalebees? Burfi??? Such pressing matters should be attended to immediately!

I am not too worried about which sweet, but surely on publicising/advertising our 1 National Festival Day through out the global community, so that English/American/French/German/Afrian/Chinese/Japanese all recognise this is the National Sikh Festival Day, Sikhs celebrate this day because of this reason and they distribute sweets to families/friends/neighbourhood/office on this auspicious day.

[SantLUCIFER]

Where are you from? have you not heard of Basaikhi? the same amount of celebrations that are conducted upon this day as you'd see for Eid, Christmas, Diwali? we have a whole month of Nagar Kirtans [Processions] dedicated to it!

[JasSinghKhalsa]

Is the importance of Vaisakhi taught in Schools worldwide the same way importance and significance of Diwali/Eid/Christmas is taught? Yes, I know Vaisakhi, I myself have taken Khande Baate di Pahul, we (JUST WE) know Vaisakhi, but have we told the world about ourself? Check the British Curicullum and which festival days are covered ... My kids were asked to bring flowers/Diyas on the day of Diwali for Diwali celebration in school ... Why should education not be there for Vaisakhi???

[SantLUCIFER]

Is the importance of Vaisakhi taught in Schools worldwide the same way importance and significance of Diwali/Eid/Christmas is taught? Yes, I know Vaisakhi, I myself have taken Khande Baate di Pahul, we (JUST WE) know Vaisakhi, but have we told the world about ourself? Check the British Curicullum and which festival days are covered ... My kids were asked to bring flowers/Diyas on the day of Diwali for Diwali celebration in school ... Why should education not be there for Vaisakhi???

You'll find Basakhi is recognised by people in USA, UK. Obama and even Dubya have in the past wished Sikhs a Happy Basakhi as has Gordon Brown, not sure if 'Call me Dave' has :s