Baisakhi is an ancient festival symbolizing the new harvest season and the start of the new solar year.
In gurdwaras, or Sikh temples, people participate in communal chanting, eat communal meals, and reflect on the tenets of their faith that revolve around “seva,” or serving their fellow human beings and seeking to build a just society while leading a simple life.
The Sikh religion, with its lineage of 10 gurus, dates back to the time of Guru Nanak, the first guru. He was born in a village in what is now Pakistan, in the northern state of Punjab, in 1469.
He rejected the prevailing unequal caste system, which determined and fixed the status of people by birth. Instead, he viewed humanity as one and encouraged his followers to work hard and perform acts of charity.
The spirit of Baisakhi recalls the ideals of the gurus.
