Vaisakhi The Story Of The Beloved 5

By Mina Cheemaminacheema.gdnm.org

“These Friends are united and will not be seperated again,

They have been united by the creator

lord himself ” -Guru Gobind Singh Ji

Vaisakhi(Vaaa-Saaa-Ki)

A festival celebrated across India celebrating the birth of Khalsa

Khalsa(Kaaal-saa)

An order of the sikh religion where you must obtain the 5 k’s- Kesh, Kanga, Kara, Kirpan and Kachera. Khalsa was founded by Guru Gobind Singh Ji, the 10th sikh

guru.

Also known as Baisakhi, Vaisakhi is a festival in which sikhs come together to celebrate the birth of the sikh religion. This day falls of the 13th April during the year and is celebrated all around the world. Vaisakhi holds a huge significance for sikhs as this is the day the 10th Guru Ji created the Panth khal-sa which is the order of the ‘true ones’.

Vaisakhi first started in 1699. Sikhs also celebrate this day for the begininng of harvest and the farmers thank and pray to god for prosperity.

Guru Gobind Singh ji founded Khalsa at Anand Pur Sahib in Punjab, India. Sikhs came from all over India and gathered together to celebrate the harvest festival Vaisakhi. Guru Gobind singh ji appeared outside his tent carrying a sharp Kirpan. He asked for a volunteer from the crowd, someone who would sacrifice his life for khalsa. The crowd became speechless at to what the Guru Ji had commanded. Finally a young man raised his hand and volunteered to go into the tent and give up his life for his religion. The young man and Guru Ji disapeared into the tent and after a short period of time the Guru Ji reapeared alone and his sword was covered in blood. He asked again for another volunteer. The people of punjab were shocked and stunned at to what might have happened to the young man. Guru Gobind Singh asked a further four times and four young men went inside the tent with the Guru Ji. The crowd waiting anxiously for news and waited to see what the Guru Ji had been doing. Guru Gobind Singh Ji came outside his tent with five alive young men wearing turbans. These young five became the Panj Piare. Guru Ji had baptised these men with Holy Amrit and bap-tised them into Khalsa. This event then became the day of Vaisakhi and these became the first five members of the Khalsa.

Guru Gobind Singh ji founded Khalsa at Anand Pur Sahib in Punjab, India. Sikhs came from all over India and gathered together to celebrate the harvest festival Vaisakhi. Guru Gobind singh ji appeared outside his tent carrying a sharp Kirpan. He asked for a volunteer from the crowd, someone who would sacrifice his life for khalsa. The crowd became speechless at to what the Guru Ji had commanded. Finally a young man raised his hand and volunteered to go into the tent and give up his life for his religion. The young man and Guru Ji disapeared into the tent and after a short period of time the Guru Ji reapeared alone and his sword was covered in blood. He asked again for another volunteer. The people of punjab were shocked and stunned at to what might have happened to the young man. Guru Gobind Singh asked a further four times and four young men went inside the tent with the Guru Ji. The crowd waiting anxiously for news and waited to see what the Guru Ji had been doing. Guru Gobind Singh Ji came outside his tent with five alive young men wearing turbans. These young five became the Panj Piare. Guru Ji had baptised these men with Holy Amrit and bap-tised them into Khalsa. This event then became the day of Vaisakhi and these became the first five members of the Khalsa.

Guru Gobind Singh Ji was the tenth sikh Guru and was born on January 5th 1666 in Patna, India.He taught the sikh religion about strength and the Khalsa. He spoke of bravery and stood up for peace and justice. He is Son of Guru Tegh Bahadur, the grandson of Guru Hargobind and the great-grandson of Guru Arjan.Guru Ji wrote the eleventh Guru Granth Sahib which contains his Shabads such as japji sahib. He wrote in many forms of the indian language and also in Persain.Amrit Sanchar is a religious ceremony in which the sacred holy water is prepared in a bowl made of iron and given to the people whom have taken Khalsa into their lives. After Guru Gobind Singh revealed the holy five men he then gave them palmfuls of amrit to bless them. The Panj Piare kneeled down and drank the holy water and repeated ‘Wahe-guru ji ka khalsa, waheguru ji ki Fateh’. This means “Khalsa belongs to god and triumph to his name”. Guru Gobind singh gave them the surnames of Singh which means Lion and Kaur to any female whom joined the Khalsa which means Princess. Baba Ji then gave the five young Singhs five important things which represented and symbolized siki. The Kara which is a steel bracelet shaped strongly in a circle which represents ‘one’ and the ‘circle of life’ This means that life always goes on and god is forever. He also gave them The kirpan which is not to be used in wrong contexts of violence, however to protect and conote the bravery and strength being a true Sikh is. The Kachera which is undergarments to be worn to represent cultural loyalty, The Kesh which is un shaven hair which represents natural beauty and form and the Kanga which is a comb for the hair. The Panj Piare names where Dharam Das, Mohkam Chand, Daya Ram, Himmat Chand and Sahib Chand all of which became the first Singhs within Sikhisim.

Sikhs come together on vaisakhi dressed in tradiotional indian suits in bright colours and patterns. They attend the gurdwara with flowers and natural foods such as milk and sugar for use in the langar hall. Sikhs do a prayer early in the morning. Many people celebrate this day with joy and dance to bhangra which is a traditional folk dance and performance which tells stories of events in the harvest and celebrates everyone uniting and coming as one.Sikhs then have some langar, which is roti and may vibrant and exotic dishes offered by the gurdwara. Vaisakhi is a beautiful and colourful ceremony which depending on the location and country that is celebrating they spend the whole day doing seva - which is volunteer work at the gurdwara to help with cooking in the langar hall and cleaning.

Guru Gobind Singh Ji founded Khalsa however the birth of sikihism orginated from the beggin-ing of the ten sikh gurus. Each Guru has taught the sikh religion about many important morals and how to live life as a good human being and according to god. During Vaisakhi, there are prayers said and hymns sung to celebrate Khalsa and the unity of sikhs with no caste, no differenc-es and to express one love. The ten Gurus each represented a moral.

Guru Nanak Dev Ji (1469-1539- HumilityGuru Angad Dev Ji (1504-1581)- ObedienceGuru Amar Das Ji (1479-1574)- EqualityGuru Ram Das Ji (1534-1581) - Service (Seva)Guru Arjan Dev Ji (1563-1606)- Self SacrificeGuru Hargobind Ji (1595-1644) - JusticeGuru Har Rai Ji (1630-1661)- MercyGuru Har Krishan Ji (1656-1664) - PurityGuru Tegh Bahadur Ji (1621-1675)- TranquilityGuru Gobind Singh Ji (1666- 1708)- Royal Courage

Through the Guru, I have obtained the Lord's spiritual wisdom. I have obtained the Sublime Essence of the Lord. My mind is imbued with the Love of the Lord; I drink in the Sublime Essence of the Lord.

- Guru Granth Sahib