In Pictures

Features|Religion

Sikhs celebrate harvest festival of Baisakhi, marking new year

Sikhs the world over wear yellow and other bright colours symbolising the spring harvest and the new year.

A Sikh devotee bathes in the holy sarovar (water tank) on the occasion of 'Baisakhi' a spring harvest festival, at the Golden Temple in Amritsar on April 13
A Sikh devotee bathes in the holy sarovar (water tank) on Baisakhi, a spring harvest festival that also marks the Sikh new year, at the Golden Temple in Amritsar, India, on Saturday [Narinder Nanu/AFP]
Published On 13 Apr 2024

Baisakhi is an ancient festival symbolising the new harvest season and the beginning of the solar new year.

In gurdwaras, or Sikh temples, people participate in congregational singing, eat communal meals and reflect on the tenets of their faith that revolve around “seva,” or serving fellow human beings and seeking to build a just society while living a simple life.

The Sikh religion, with its line of 10 gurus, is traced back to the time of Guru Nanak, the first guru. He was born in a village in present-day Pakistan in the northern state of Punjab in 1469.

He rejected the prevalent unequal caste system, which determined and fixed the status of people by birth. Instead, he looked upon humanity as one and encouraged his followers to work hard and perform acts of charity.

The spirit of Baisakhi is reminiscent of the ideals of the gurus.

Sikh devotees pay respects on the occasion of 'Baisakhi', a spring harvest festival, at the Golden Temple in Amritsar on April 13
Sikh devotees pay their respects at the Golden Temple in Amritsar, their holiest shrine. [Narinder Nanu/AFP]
Sikh pilgrims board a bus as they leave for Pakistan to celebrate 'Baisakhi', a spring harvest festival, in Amritsar on April 13
Sikh pilgrims board a bus as they leave to celebrate Baisakhi, a spring harvest festival, in Amritsar. [Narinder Nanu/AFP]
Sikh pilgrims chant slogans as they leave for Pakistan to celebrate 'Baisakhi', a spring harvest festival, in Amritsar on April 13
Sikh pilgrims chant slogans as they prepare to celebrate Baisakhi. [Narinder Nanu/AFP]
Sikh devotees pay their respects on the occasion of 'Baisakhi', a spring harvest festival, at the Golden Temple in Amritsar on April 13
Sikh devotees worship at the Golden Temple in Amritsar. [Narinder Nanu/AFP]
A Sikh devotee takes a dip in the sacred pond at the Golden Temple, Sikhism's holiest shrine, on the occasion of 'Baisakhi', a spring harvest festival for Sikhs and Hindus, in Amritsar, India, Saturday, April 13
A Sikh devotee takes a dip in the sacred pond at the Golden Temple, Sikhism's holiest shrine. [Prabhjot Gill/AP Photo]
Sikh devotees pay their respects on the occasion of 'Baisakhi', a spring harvest festival, at the Golden Temple in Amritsar on April 13
Sikhs pay their respects on Baisakhi, which also marks the start of the solar new year. [Narinder Nanu/AFP]
Sikh devotees bath in the holy sarovar (water tank) on the occasion of 'Baisakhi', a spring harvest festival, at the Golden Temple in Amritsar on April 13
Sikh devotees bathe in the holy sarovar (water tank) on Baisakhi. [Narinder Nanu/AFP]
Sikh pilgrims check their passports at the Golden Temple in Amritsar on April 12
Sikh pilgrims at the Golden Temple in Amritsar. [Narinder Nanu/AFP]