VAISAKHI FEATURE
Has the real message of Vaisakhi been lost? By Mehak Dhaliwal
For many centuries, April has been the month when farmers in Punjab harvest their wheat crop and celebrate their earnings. The excitement of the hustle and bustle of transporting and selling the crop runs high. Without a good harvest, communities would perish, as wheat is one of the main sources of food and income in Punjab. The spring harvest has always been an important and decisive time in the region. So there was always great joy when a 24
2022 VAISAKHI
good harvest resulted at Vaisakhi time. Since 1699, Sikhs have had a further reason to celebrate on this day. On April 14, 1699, the tenth Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh ji, initiated the Khalsa Panth. The day signifies the transformation of ordinary individuals into a disciplined and responsible army of pure and fearless people, ready to protect the helpless and defenseless. For centuries, the citizens of India had been living under constant
fear and oppression of invaders and tyrant rulers. They had been continuously exploited and forced to adopt the religion of the people in power. During the Vaisakhi of 1699, Guru Gobind Singh ji, gave people the option to create their own destinies by standing up against the rulers of the day. Guru Gobind Singh ji institutionalized the sixth Guru, Guru Hargobind Singh ji’s, concept of Sant-Sipai, or Saint-Soldiers.
