VAISAKHI, IN CELEBRATION OF HARVEST
Vaisakhi, also known as Baisakhi is a festival celebrated widely in almost
every country in the world. Vaisakhi festival falls on 14th April every year and
is celebrated by the Punjabi-Sikhs, also known as the Khalsa. Although
Vaisakhi is not a public holiday in Malaysia, nevertheless civil servants are
allowed to take unrecorded leave as stipulated in the Public Services
Department circular.
The Vaisakhi festival traditionally symbolises the harvest season whereby
harvesters will rejoice and celebrate the harvested crops and the coming of
the New Year. This festival was introduced by the tenth Guru of the Sikh
community, Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji in 1699. It is also known as the birth of
Khalsa.
Brief History of Vaisakhi
Vaisakhi is a long established harvest festival in the Punjab. It had been
celebrated long before it gained an added dimension for Sikhs. In 1699 the
tenth guru, Guru Gobind Singh, chose Vaisakhi as the occasion to transform
the Sikhs into a family of soldier saints, known as the Khalsa Panth. Guru
Gobind Singh founded the Khalsa in front of thousands at Anandpur Sahib.
During the Vaisakhi festival, Guru Gobind Singh came out of a tent asking for
a volunteer to sacrifice his life. He challenged any Sikh who was prepared to
give his life to come into the tent.
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The Guru then returned alone with his sword covered in blood. He then
requested for another volunteer and repeated the same action four times until
five men had disappeared into the tent. The crowd was very concerned until
they saw the five men finally return together with the Guru, with their hair
wrapped in turban cloth.
These five men became known as the Panj Piare, or 'Beloved Five'. The men
were then baptised into the Khalsa by the Guru. He sprinkled them with Amrit
(holy water) and chanted prayers. The Guru proclaimed that the Panj Pyare
would be the embodiment of the Guru himself: "Where there are the Panj
Pyare, there I am. When the Five meet, they are the holiest of the holy."
What the Sikh Community Does During Vaisakhi
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Early morning, the Sikh community will visit the Gurdwara (temple)
to seek forgiveness and blessings from the Almighty
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Holy offerings (Deg) will be given to the devotees to begin their new
year with sweet delicacies.
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Priests in the temple will chant the ‘Kirtan’ in remembrance of Sri
Guru Granth Sahib Ji, the Sikh holy scripture. Kirtan is a term
meaning the singing of hymns from Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji.
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An authentic vegetarian lunch of traditional favourites will be served
in the temple for devotees to eat before leaving back home.
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Programmes in the temple will continue till the end of the festival.
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In the evening, communal activities may be conducted in the
nearest field.
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At night, there is a celebration of music, dance and laughter where
everyone comes together in harmony. The men will usually dance
‘Bhangra’ and the women will dance ‘gidda’.
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Malaysia Vaisakhi Festival 2015
In conjunction with the Vaisakhi celebrations this year, the Malaysian Punjabi
Chambers of Commerce and Industry will be organising a 3-day event called
‘My Vaisakhi Fest’ at MaTic Kuala Lumpur. During this event, there will be
several interesting activities for everyone to experience this unique culture
and join in the memorable celebrations.
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Miss & Mr Punjabi Pageant
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Sikh Historical & Cultural Exhibition
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Authentic Punjabi Foods and Sweets
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Bollywood Songs and Dance Performers
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Punjabi Gathka and Self Defence Performance
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Punjabi Folk Singers and Dancers (Bhangra & Giddha)
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Stalls available for merchandise and display
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Punjabi movies premiere
So do not miss the chance to indulge in the exotic allure of the-Sikhs through
their colourful Vaisakhi festival.
Come and experience this exciting atmosphere for 3 consecutive days. This
event will be commencing on 10 April 2015 and ends on 12 April 2015. This is
the chance whereby you will be exposed to this very interesting culture, which
just one of the interesting ethnic diversities and traditions in Malaysia, Truly
Asia.
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For more information or enquiries, please contact Visit Malaysia Year
Secretariat, at 03-8891 7000 or log on to www.myfest2015.com.my.
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