Vaisakhi
Vaisakhi is a spring harvest festival which happens on the 13 or 14 April every year.
It marks the start of the Punjabi New Year, but it is also a day to celebrate 1699 - the year when Sikhism was born as a collective faith.
Sikhs around the world and across Canada are gathering to mark Vaisakhi or the founding of the Khalsa.
Also spelled Baisakhi, the holiday is one of the most important festivals in the Sikh faith and is marked by the millions of Sikhs in India and around the world.
On Vaisakhi Day in 1699, Guru Gobind Singh created the order of the Khalsa. The Khalsa are those Sikhs who have accepted the Sikh initiation or “khande kee paahul” and commit to live their lives in the spirit of service to all, equality and compassion. The founding of the Khalsa was a seminal event in Sikh history which gave the Sikh faith its final form.
For Canadian Sikhs, Vaisakhi is a special time to celebrate and share their faith with their friends and neighbours. It's a time to celebrate the well over a century of Sikh history here in Canada and the accomplishments of Sikh Canadians in every facet of society.
Vaisakhi is also a time to reflect on the teachings of the Gurus and the values of sharing.
Read more:
https://www.worldsikh.org/so_what_is_vaisakhi_in_canada_all_about