News Desk: Baisakhi also known as Vaisakhi is an ancient harvest festival is being celebrated across the northern parts of India especially in Punjab on Friday with much fun and fervor.


The day has been given special importance in the Hindu calendar of events as agriculture is the backbone of the country and majority of people used to depend on the farming.


The festival also holds religious significance apart from being a harvest festival. People especially Sikh community celebrates the festival as the New Year Day. They celebrate it as the day of formation of the Khalsa (purity).


On this day, Sikh Guru Gobind Singh had established the Khalsa and eliminated the differences between high and low saying all human beings are equal.


After the Vaisakhi day in 1699, the tradition of Gurus in Sikh religion was ended. Later Guru Granth Sahib was declared as their eternal guide and Holy Book by Guru Gobind Singh, who is the tenth Sikh Guru.


There is another story about Baisakhi. Guru Ram Das in 1567 had celebrated the day as a very special day when all the Sikgs would assemble to seek blessings from Guru at Goindwal. Even many Sikhs beileve that Guru Ram Das had become martyr on this day as he was dumped into boiling oil by the Muslim rulers.


For many Hindus, Baisakhi is the begining of the New Year. It is celebrated with bathing, prayer, worshipping. In Assam, the festival is called 'Bohag Bihu', and the community organizes massive feasts, music and dancing.


Many people believe that Goddess Ganga had descended to earth on this day. Therefore, many people gather at the bank of the river for ritual baths.


People in Odisha celebrate the day as 'Maha Vishuva Sankranti' or 'Pana Sankranti' consuming 'pana' - a sweet drink - with great pleasure. It is also celebrated as the Odia New Year.

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