What is Baisakhi?
Baisakhi is the spring harvest festival of Punjab and, since 1699, the anniversary of the founding of the Khalsa. It is a solar festival — the Sun’s entry into Mesha (Aries) — which is why it holds to 13 or 14 April rather than drifting with the Moon.
How it is observed
Gurdwaras hold nagar kirtan processions and the day is danced with bhangra and gidda. The same solar moment opens the new year as Vishu in Kerala, Puthandu in Tamil Nadu and Pohela Boishakh in Bengal.