Best places to witness Baisakhi celebrations in India

Baisakhi 2018 is just around the corner as this year it is on April 14th. As most of us are aware, it is a festival which marks the beginning of a new year for the Sikh community. Not only the onset of a new year, but Vaisakhi also has a lot of significance in the farmer community of Punjab, as it marks the onset of the spring harvest season. Apart from that, it is also considered to be the day of the founding of the Panth Khalsa sect by Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth and last of the revered Sikh gurus. People travel from all parts to see, and experience the Baisakhi celebrations as people are seen dancing to soulful folk tunes, while there are amazing local and traditional delicacies available all around. In case you feel like experience the Baisakhi celebrations this time, we have compiled a list of the best places to witness Baisakhi in India.

Read more: Baisakhi: festival that marks the birth of Khalsa Panth
Amritsar
We all know that Amritsar is home to the most revered site of the Sikh community, the Harmandir Sahib Gurudwara, or what is popularly known as the Golden Temple. No doughnuts for guessing, this is the reason why this city is one of the best places for Baisakhi celebrations. While there’s a congregation of massive proportions as devotees come to offer their prayers at the gurudwara, the area around the Golden Temple doubles up into a fair of sorts with plenty of stalls selling various articles, and delicious food.

Chandigarh


Chandigarh is one of those places where one can actually witness people of all ages being enthusiastic about the festival, and coming out in the traditional attire for the celebrations. They start their day early, visit the gurudwara with family and eat delicious traditional food at home. While special prayers are offered, celebratory hymns are also sung by the people in praise of their god. The real celebrations take place in the evening as people enjoy the festival with their traditional dance and music out on the streets.
Jalandhar

Being one of the ancient cities in Punjab, the Baisakhi celebrations in Jalandhar are considered more important than most other parts of the state. Grand celebrations are held in the villages, as people celebrate the onset of the harvest season. All the community centres and key meeting points across the city are filled with residents, as they together take part in the celebrations of the day. The celebrations are done through the combination of dance, music, shopping, and eating. In the villages, people are seen dancing to the tunes of Punjabi folk music, and enjoying the festival in a free-spirited manner.

Pinjore

This small town in Haryana’s Panchkula district celebrates the occasion of Baisakhi in a grand manner. In fact, the state tourism department organises the Baisakhi Mela, which is a fair hosted at the Pinjore Gardens. The fair attracts not only the locals, but travellers from all parts. Available at the Baisakhi Mela are delicious local food, celebratory sweets, local handicrafts, handloom, and a lot more. Besides, there is a strong presence of Punjabi folk music and dance numbers at all times. In order to keep the visitors engaged at all times, the fair has a lot of competitions, including that of drawing and mehandi, along with the cultural dance, and singing programmes held during the evenings.