Sikh community to celebrate Baisakhi, Khalsa festivals on Tuesday

Pilgrims from India will not be able to participate in the festival due to coronavirus lockdown

LAHORE: The Sikh community living in Pakistan will celebrate 321st anniversary of Khalsa Janam Din (the righteous Sikh brotherhood) on Tuesday, while the traditional festival of Baisakhi would also be commemorated on the same day.

In general, both are joyful festivals but due to the prevailing coronavirus crisis in the country, the two festivities would be celebrated in a simpler manner.

A ceremony of Khalsa and Baisakhi will be held at Gurdwara Panja Sahib — considered to be particularly important as the handprint of the founder of Sikhism, Guru Nanak, is believed to be imprinted on a boulder at the Gurdwara — in Hasan Abdal in Attock district of Punjab.



This year, pilgrims from India and other parts of the world would not be able to participate in the festival as the country is under lockdown – imposed to stem the spread of COVID-19.

Sardar Satwant Singh, president of the Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee Pakistan (SGPCP), told The Express Tribune that in 1699, the 10th Guru of the Sikhs founded the Sikh Panth. "He gave Amrit to his five loved ones and gave an identity and name to those who believed in the Guru Nanak."

The people of Punjab also celebrate Baisakhi — a traditional harvest festival — on the same day. Therefore, both festivals are celebrated together.



Satwant Singh said that three thousand pilgrims come from India, Canada, UK, Australia, the US and other parts of the world to attend the Baisakhi festival and Khalsa anniversary. "We also invited them this year, but due to coronavirus lockdown, they could not attend."

Hundreds of pilgrims from India also wanted to participate in the Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur on the occasion but that event has also been cancelled.

Sikh leader Sardar Bushan Singh said that he had finalised the arrangements of food, security and accommodation for thousands of pilgrims that were due to arrive from India and other countries but all preparations have been cancelled due to the current situation.

Baisakhi was celebrated on April 13 in India but in Pakistan, it is celebrated on April 14, as per the Nanak Shahi calendar.