Baisakhi

Baisakhi, also spelled Vaisakhi, is an Indian harvest festival that’s of special significance to Sikhs. Celebrations are becoming increasingly popular in the UK. So what’s the festival about? And which foods are part of the celebration?

Celebrating Baisakhi

Sikh girls at flagpole ceremonyVibrant clothes in all colours of the rainbow (to mark the end of winter and beginning of spring), glittering jewellery, raucous singing, dancing and music-making characterise the way that Baisakhi is celebrated throughout the world – a festival that’s truly a feast for the senses. For centuries, Baisakhi has been observed as a harvest festival in India. It’s most popular in the agricultural northern state of Punjab, but is also marked in Assam, Bengal, Bangladesh and Kerala, where it’s known by various different names by Hindus and Buddhists.

Baisakhi is particularly important for Sikhs, however, for whom it’s the anniversary of the founding of Khalsa (the Sikh brotherhood) in 1699 and New Year’s Day combined. It usually falls on 13 or 14 April according to the Sikh solar calendar, and celebrations take place throughout April and May.

In the UK, Sikhism is the fourth-largest religion according to the Office of National Statistics, and festivities take place in gurdwaras (Sikh places of worship) and community centres. Areas with large Sikh populations such as Southall, Slough and Glasgow host lively street processions and Baisakhi melas (fairs).

From : http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/news_and_events/events_baisakhi.shtml