History of Baisakhi

Baisakhi or Vaisakhi Festival is celebrated as the Sikh New Year and the founding of the Khalsa Panth. History of Baisakhi traces its origin from the Baisakhi Day celebrations of 1699 organized by the Tenth Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh to form Khalsa - Brotherhood of Saint Soldiers to fight against tyranny and oppression.

Story of Baisakhi
The story of Baisakhi Festival began with the martyrdom of Guru Teg Bahadur, the ninth Sikh Guru who was publicly beheaded by the Aurungzeb, the Mughal ruler. Aurungzeb wanted to spread Islam in India and Guru Tegh Bahadur stood up for the rights of Hindus and Sikhs and the Mughals therefore saw him as a threat.

After the death of Guru Teg Bahadur, his son, Guru Gobind Singh became the next Guru of the Sikhs. Guru Gobind Singh wished to instill courage and strength to sacrifice among his fellow men. To fulfil his dream, Guru Gobind Singh called on the historic Baisakhi Day congregation of Sikhs at Keshgarh Sahib near Anandpur on March 30, 1699.

When thousands of people assembled for Guru’s blessing, Guru Gobind Singh came out of the tent carrying an unsheathed sword. He gave a powerful speech to infuse courage amongst fellowmen. At the end of the speech he said that every great deed was preceded by equally great sacrifice and demanded that anyone prepared to give his life come forward. On the Guru’s third call, a young man offered himself. The Guru took the man inside a tent and reappeared alone with a bloodied sword. Guru Gobind Singh asked for another volunteer. This was repeated another four times until a total of five Sikhs had gone into the tent with the Guru. Everyone present was worried and though that Guru Gobind Singh has killed five Sikhs. At this point Guru presented all the five men before the people. Every one present was surprised to see all five men alive and wearing turbans and saffron-coloured garments.

These five men were called Panj Piara or 'Beloved Five' by the Guru. The Guru blessed them with a Pahul ceremony. In an iron vessel, the Guru stirred with a sword called Khanda Sahib, the batasha that his wife, Mata Sundari Ji had put into water. The congregation recited verses from scriptures as the Guru performed the sacred ceremony. The water was now considered the sacred nectar of immortality called amrit. It was first given to the five volunteers, then drunk by the guru and later distributed amongst the crowd. With this ceremony, all those present, irrespective of caste or creed, became members of the Khalsa Pantha (the Order of the Pure Ones).

The Guru regarded the Panch Piaras as the first members of the Khalsa and the embodiment of the Guru himself. With the constitution of the Panj Pyare the high and low castes were amalgamated into one as among the original Panj Pyare, there was one Khatri, shopkeeper; one Jat, farmer; one Chhimba, calico printer; one Ghumar, water-carrier; and one Nai, a barber. The Guru gave the surname of Singh (Lion) to every Sikh and also took the name for himself. From Guru Gobind Rai he became Guru Gobind Singh. This was seen as a great step in national integration because society at that time was divided on the basis of religion, caste and social status.

Guru Gobind Singh also bestowed on Khalsa, the unique Sikh identity. He directed Sikhs to wear five K's:

• Kesh or long hair,
  
• Kangha or comb,
  
• Kripan or dagger,
  
• Kachha or shorts and a
  
• Kara or bracelet.

Guru Gobind Singh also discontinued the tradition of Gurus and asked all Sikhs to accept the Grantha Sahib as their eternal guide. He urged them to come to him with their hair and beard unshorn to get baptized by the sword.


Birth of Khalsa
The day of Baisakhi marks the birth of Khalsa Panth and therefore holds tremendous significance for the Sikhs. It was on the Baisakhi Day meeting organized at Anandpur Sahib, in 1699, that the tenth Guru of Sikhs, Guru Gobind Sigh laid the foundation of Khalsa Panth and called on the Sikhs to sacrifice themselves for their community.

Besides, it was on the Baisakhi Day that Guru Gobind Singh administered amrit (nectar) to his first batch of five disciples, the Panj Piaras making them Singhs, a martial community. After the Baisakhi Day in 1699 the tradition of gurus was discontinued, and the Granth Sahib - the Holy book of the Sikhs was declared the eternal guide of the Sikhs.

Day to Receive Guru’s Blessings for Sikhs
According to a popular legend in Sikhism, it was on the day of Baisakhi in 1567 that Guru Amar Das had first institutionalized Baisakhi as one of the special days when all Sikhs would gather to receive the guru's blessings at Goindwal.

Source : baisakhifestival.com

Baisakhi Festival, Date of Baisakhi, Baisakhi Celebrations, Celebrations by Farmers

Baisakhi is one of the major festivals of Sikhs and is celebrated with lot of enthusiasm and gaiety in the state of Punjab and all throughout the world where there is a significant Sikh population. For the large farming community of Punjab, Baisakhi Festival marks the time for harvest of rabi crops and they celebrate the day by performing joyful bhangra and gidda dance. For the Sikh community, Baisakhi Festival has tremendous religious significance as it was on a Baisakhi Day in 1699, that Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Sikh Guru laid the foundation of Panth Khalsa-the Order of the Pure Ones.


Date of Baisakhi
Baisakhi Festival falls on the first day of Vaisakh month (April-May) according to Nanakshahi or Sikh Calendar. For this reason, Baisakhi is also popularly known as Vaisakhi. According to English calendar, the date of Baisakhi corresponds to April 13 every year and April 14 once in every 36 years. This difference in Baisakhi dates is due to the fact that day of Baisakhi is reckoned according to solar calendar and not the lunar calendar. The auspicious date of Baisakhi is celebrated all over India under different names and different set of rituals and celebrations. Baisakhi date coincides with 'Rongali Bihu' in Assam, 'Naba Barsha' in Bengal, Puthandu in Tamil Nadu and 'Pooram Vishu' in Kerala.

Baisakhi Celebrations
People of Punjab celebrate the festival of Baisakhi with exuberance and devotion. As the festival has tremendous importance in Sikh religion, major activities of the day are organized in Gurdwaras. People wake up early to prepare for the day. Many also take bath in the holy river to mark the auspicious occasion. After getting ready people pay a visit to their neighbourdood gurdwara and take part in the special prayer meeting organized for the day. At the end of the Baisakhi ardas, congregates receive specially prepared Kara prasad or sweetened semolina. This is followed by a guru ka langar or community lunch.

Later, during the day people of Sikh faith take out a Baisakhi procession under the leadership of Panj piaras. The procession moves through the major localities of the city amidst the rendition of devotional songs by the participating men, women and children. Mock duels, bhangra and gidda performances make the procession joyous and colourful.


Celebrations by Farmers
For the large farming community of Punjab and Haryana, Baisakhi marks a New Year’s time as it is time to harvest rabi crop. On Baisakhi, farmers thank god for the bountiful crop and pray for good times ahead. People buy new clothes and make merry by singing, dancing and enjoying the best of festive food.

Cries of "Jatta aai Baisakhi", rent the skies as gaily men and women break into the bhangra and gidda dance to express their joy. Everyday farming scenes of sowing, harvesting, winnowing and gathering of crops are expressed through zestful movements of the body to the accompaniment of ballads and dhol music.

In several villages of Punjab Baisakhi Fairs are organized where besides other recreational activities, wrestling bouts are also held.

Source: baisakhifestival.com

What is Adhik Mas, Purushottam Mas, Extra Month in Hindu Calendar 2010

Adhik Mas or Purushottam Mas or Extra Month in Hindu Calenar.

Hindu calendar is based on Lunisolar system.

There are basically 12 months in Hindu Calendar. They are

There are twelve lunar month names:

1. Kartik
2. Margshirsha ( Agrahayana )
3. Paush
4. Magh
5. Phalgun ( Fagun )
   
6. Chaitra
7. Vaishaka
8. Jyaishtha ( Jeth )
9. Ashadha
   
10. Sharana
    
11. Bhadrapad (Bhaadra or Bhadarvo)
12. Ashwin (Asho)
    

When a new moon occurs before sunrise on a day, that day is said to be the first day of the lunar month. So it is evident that the end of the lunar month will coincide with a new moon. A lunar month has 29 or 30 days (according to the movement of the moon).

The tithi at sunrise of a day is the only label of the day. There is no running day number from the first day to the last day of the month.

Determining which name a lunar month takes is somewhat indirect. It is based on the rāshi into which the sun transits within a lunar month, i.e. before the new moon ending the month.

There are twelve rāshi names, there are twelve lunar month names. When the sun transits into Vrishabha, then the lunar month is Vaishākh. So on. When the sun transits into the Mesha rāshiChaitra.
in a lunar month, then the name of the lunar month is

The lunar months are split into two set of 15 days called paksha. The first is called shuklapaksha ( light half ) and the second paksha called the krishnapaksha ( dark half ). There are two different systems for making the lunar calendar:

• amavasyanta or mukhya mana system - a month begins with a new moon, mostly followed in the southern states
• purnimanta or gauna mana system - a month begins with a full moon, followed more in the North.

Adhik Mas, Purushottam Mas, Extra months

When the sun does not at all transit into any rāshi but simply keeps moving within a rāshi in a lunar month (i.e. before a new moon), then that lunar month will be named according to the first upcoming transit. It will also take the epithet of adhik or "extra". For example, if a lunar month elapsed without a solar transit and the next transit is into Mesha, then this month without transit is labeled adhik Chaitra. The next month will be labeled according to its transit as usual and will get the epithet nija ("original") or shuddha ("clean"). [Note that an adhik māsa (month) is the first of two whereas an adhika tithi is the second of two.]

Extra Month, or adhik mas māsa (mas = lunar month) falls every 32.5 months. It is also known as purushottam mas, so as to give it a devotional name. Thus 12 Hindu mas (māsa) is equal to approximate 356 days, while solar year have 365 or 366 (in leap year) which create differece of 9 to 10 days, which is offset every 3rd year. No adhik mas falls during Kartik to Magh.

Story Behind Adhik Mas or Purushottama Mas

As mentioned before, Adhik Mas is also know as Purushottam Mas. There is a nice store about the naming of Purushottam mas. According to lunar year there were only 12 months. Each of the month was assigned a god. Now the lunar and solar year do not get out of step with days and seasons the extra month (Adhik Mas) was added. But one problem stil remains. Each month was assigned a god but the 13th month was not assigned to any god. So Adhik Mas felt sad and approched to Load Vishnu and said that no god was assigned to him and because of that importance of Adhik mas will not be there. Adhik mas further spoke to Lord Vishnu "I am filled with anxiety and I have therefore come to seek your refuge and help.".

Lord Vishnu took pity on him and he himself agreed to be the god of the Adhik Mas. As because of this Adhik mas is also called as Purushottam Mas.

Adhik Maas as per North Indian calendars in 2010 is from March 30 to April 28. In Maharashtra, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, it is from April 15 to May 14.

Source : Wikipedia, Hindunet

Festivals Of India 2009 - 2010

This is the list of popular festivals and important days in Indian calendar for year 2009 - 2010


October - 2009
Vikram Sanvat 2066 - 19/10/09
Bhaiduj - 19/10/09
Shri Jalaram Jayanti - 25/10/09
Prabodhini Ekadashi - 29/10/09
Bhagwad Geeta Jayanti - 28/10/09

November - 2009
Bakri Eid (Eid-ul-Adhaa) - 28/11/09

December - 2009
Christmas - 25/12/09
Muharram - 27/12/09

January - 2010
New Year - 01/01/10
Makarsankrnti (Uttarayan) - 14/01/10
Indian Republic Day - 26/01/10

February - 2010
Maha Shivratri - 12/02/10
Chatripathi Shivaji Jayanti - 19/02/10
Holi - 28/02/10

March - 2010
Dhuleti - 01/03/10
Rangpanchmi - 05/03/10
Gudi padavo - 16/03/10
Ram navami - 24/03/10
Swaminarayan Jayanti - 24/03/10
Mahavir Jayanti - 28/03/10
Shri Hanuman Jayanti - 30/03/10

April - 2010
Good Friday - 02/04/2010
Easter - 04/04/2010
Shri Vallabhacharya Jayanti - 10/04/10

May - 2010
May Day (Gujarat - Maharastra Day ) - 01/05/10
Akshya Tritiya (Akhatrij) - 16/05/10
Buddha Purnima - 27/05/10

July - 2010
Ratha Yatra (Puri Yatra) - 13/07/10

August - 2010
Indian Independence Day - 15/08/10
Pateti (Parsi New Year) - 19/08/10
Raksha Bandhan (Naryeli Punam) - 24/08/10

September - 2010
Shri Krishna Jayanti - 01/09/10
Janamastmi (Dahi Handi) - 02/09/10
Ramzan Eid - 10/09/10
Shri Ganesh Chaturthi - 11/09/10
Ananth Chaturthi - 22/09/10

October - 2010
Mahatma Gandhi Jayanti - 02/10/10
Dashera - 17/10/10
Sardar Patel Jayanti - 31/10/10

November - 2010
Dhanteras - 04/11/10
Diwali ( Lakshmi Pujan ) - 06/11/10
Hindu New Year (Vikram Savant - 2067) - 07/11/10

Diwali 2009 - Festival of Lights

Diwali is celebrated over a number of days. The festival of light takes place in the latter half of the last month of the Hindu year.

Each Hindu month is split into 15 day cycles. The second half being the darker as the Hindu calendar is based on lunar cycles. Hindus generally start doing pooja (offering prayers) on the 10th day of the second half of the month. On the 11th day which is called Ekadashi. People tend to fast and offer prayers to Vishnu and Krishna , followed by Vagh Baras when the goddess of power, Durga Maa is worshipped with various poojas and “abhishek”. (Abhishek means the bathing of a deity by constant flow of water). Five days of celebrations begin thereafter.

DAY 1 - Dhun Teras (13th Day)
Dhun means money or wealth. Traditionally people would wash their money on this day. In their homes, people literally wash coins in milk and water and worship Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth. It can also be said that to give or distribute money to the poor and needy, is a way of ¡washing your wealth¢.

DAY 2 - Kali Chaudas (14th Day)
Some say that those who are into tantra, learn their ¡mantras¢ on this day. Alternatively, people offer Nived (food) to the goddess that is local to where they are originally from. This goddess is called their ¡Kul Devi¢, in order to cast off evil spirits. Some families also offer food to their forefathers on this day.

DAY 3 - Diwali (15th Day)
Diwali is the last day of the Hindu year and thus also the end of the Hindu financial year. Many businessmen close their account books and do rituals to open their new account books for the next financial year, in order to gain prosperity in the next financial year. In the Ramayana Rama, Sita and Lakshmana returned to the kingdom of Ayodhya on this day as it was the last day of the last year of their 14 year banishment. As it was so dark, the subjects of the kingdom, lit ¡divas¢ (little wicks doused in ghee) to light the path. The lights are seen as a triumph of good over evil, light over dark, happiness (the homecoming) over sadness (the banishment).

DAY 4 - New Year's Day (1st Day)
The new cycle of days now starts with Bestu Varush or New Year¢s Day. Everybody greets each other with good wishes and a happy new year, 'Saal Mubarak¢. The young bow down and touch the feet of their elders to gain blessings. Money or gifts of clothes are also given. At the temples 56 different foods are offered to the deities, this is known as Annakut Darshan, the food is blessed and offered as prashad to the people who come to worship at the temple and to the poor and needy.

DAY 5 - Bhai Bhij or Bhai Duuj (2nd Day)
Sisters call their brothers and his family to their homes for a meal. Brothers normally take a gift or leave money under their plates when they have finished their meal. Traditionally this was so that the brother could check that all was well with his sister in her marital home.

That brings Happiness in our life.

Diwali is festival of Light,

That brings Hope in our life.

Diwali is Festival of Colors,

That brings Beauty in Our life.

And Diwali is Festival of Traditions,

That shows Culture of Society.

Wish You and Your Family Very HAPPY DIWALI

Vardayini Maa Palli Rupal Village - Festival of Ghee

Rupal Village located near to Ghandhinagar about 40 Km from Ahmedabad. This village celebrates unique festival on the ninth day of the great festival Navratri ( Indian Festival of Praying 9 different Godess and Dandiya Dance ).

On the night of ninth day, a "Rath" of Mata Vardayini is taken out from the middle of the villlage and reach to the main temple in about 4 hours. This year the festival celebrated on 27th Sept. 2009.

People of the village say that, This festival has been started by the "Pandavs" since the time of Mahabharat. People come to the village and do prayer for their family and mainly their small children.

The "Palli" is a made from the wood of tree "khijada" on the same day itself. Its a wooden frame of about 8-9 feet height with stand to lift it. Holy fire (Akand Jyoth) kept at 5 places on the frame, one at the top and other at the four corners of the Palli.

People of village take out the Palli from the middle of the village and palli stops at 27 spots in the village. Each spot is having tons of Pure Ghee or Clarified Butter kept ready to pour on the "Palli" Rath. This tons of Pure Ghee is donated by the millions of people who come to this small village to visit the Palli and take blassings of Mata Vardayini.

This year about 700, 000 people visited a small village to have a gimps of the palli. When you see from the top of any home, you do not see anything other then heads of the people. Now each person who visit the village, put some amount of Pure Ghee on the drums kept on each spot.

I bet, no person has ever seen or imagined the amount of ghee collected at one place and poured on the Palli in just few minutes.


This year about more then 600,000 kg of Ghee poured on the Palli. You can see the Ghee collected in the oil drums in this picture. To believe it, you need to visit it personally.






After the Palli leave from one place, you can see the small river of Ghee flowing from that place. To leave that spot, you need to walk out from that small river of Ghee. Even after a months of the festival, smell of Pure Ghee comes out of the streets of the village.

People visits every year and day by day the popularity of the festival is increasing and more and more people visits the place.



Its great experience of the life to see the festival. Do visit once in you life and receive the blassing from the Mata Vardayini.

Jay Vardayini Mata.

Ambaji Padyatri Seva - Bhadarvi Punam Seva

"Jai Ambe", "Jai Mata Ji". This the main slogan that you heard now a days in the road that lead to Ambaji in the month of Badrapad according to Indian Calendar (Comes between August and September). Every year about 40 to 50 lakh (4 to 5 million) devotee's walk to a temple Ambaji (about 180 Kms from Ahmedabad near to Rajesthan bordar). Most people walk this journey in 5 days but a people in masses takes about 15 days reach the temple on purnima (Full Moon).

Gujarat State Transport also provide special help to devotee's by putting extra 1500 buses for their transportation. Gorvenment takes extra precautions by keeping a medical camps at various places during this days and distribute free drugs. But government cannot help out single handed to this many number people. As this situation people come out from various villages to help the devotee by providing free food, free medical.

Lots of big companies also close their working for these days and put all their office staff to help out the devotees. Lots of small group of people provide help like providing water, shelter for night stay with all other basic needs.

We are also doing small amount of help by providing a small packet of "Chana" which is a very healthy food and people can eat that while walking or while resting for a while. Chana give them a good strength and also a good time pass while a long walk to temple Ambaji. We are providing this service since last 10 years and our fund and people to help out in this service increases day by day which is a blassing from a Mata Amba and we will continue this service as long as we can.

Usually temple are closed after 8:00 PM IST and during afternoon, its closed from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM. (Timing changes according to the season so please confirm the timing from the temple site). But during this days temple is closed only for an hour of time during a day and kept open for the darshan of the Maa Ambe for devotees walking to Ambaji.

People once visit this place during this season wish to come next year no matter what the condition to the blessing from the Maa Amba. Its saying that if you come here with a wish full faith in Maa Ambe then your wish will get fulfilled thats for sure.