Baisakhi and Vishu are spring harvest and New Year festivals celebrated on April 13 or 14, coinciding with the solar new year in several Indian regional calendars. While Baisakhi is primarily associated with Punjab and Sikh tradition, and Vishu with Kerala, both festivals share the common themes of new beginnings, gratitude for the harvest, and joyful celebration of nature's bounty. The date is astronomically fixed as the day the sun enters the zodiac sign of Mesha (Aries).
Baisakhi holds immense significance for Sikhs as the day in 1699 when Guru Gobind Singh established the Khalsa - the collective body of initiated Sikhs - at Anandpur Sahib. On this day, the Guru asked for volunteers willing to sacrifice their lives, and five men (the Panj Pyare, or Five Beloved Ones) stepped forward, demonstrating supreme faith. They were baptized with Amrit (holy water) and became the foundation of the Khalsa. For Hindus in Punjab and North India, Baisakhi marks the first day of the harvest, when the golden wheat crop is cut, and farmers celebrate their labor's fruit with Bhangra and Gidda dances, communal meals, and visits to the Gurdwara.
In Kerala, Vishu is the astrological New Year and one of the most cherished festivals. The highlight is the Vishukkani - an auspicious arrangement of items including rice, linen, golden cucumber, jackfruit, betel leaves, coins, and a Krishna idol in a brass vessel, viewed first thing in the morning as the most auspicious sight of the new year. Elders give Vishukaineetam (monetary gifts) to younger family members. A grand feast called Vishu Sadya is prepared, and firecrackers are burst throughout the day.
In other parts of India, this date is celebrated as Puthandu (Tamil New Year) in Tamil Nadu and Bohag Bihu in Assam, each with their own unique customs. Puthandu features the Panchangam reading, viewing of the Kanni (auspicious tray), and preparation of Maanga Pachadi (raw mango chutney with six tastes). Bohag Bihu marks the Assamese New Year with week-long celebrations including Bihu dance, feast preparations, and games, making mid-April one of the most festival-dense periods in India.
