Skip to main content
Story

Happy Vaisakhi

A calendar with a shape over 14 April that reads 'Vaisakhi''
  • Written byStudent Communications
  • Published date 10 April 2025
A calendar with a shape over 14 April that reads 'Vaisakhi''
UAL Community Calendar | UAL Creative

Taking place on Monday 14 April this year, we wish those celebrating a happy Vaisakhi.

What is Vaisakhi?

In the Punjab region and Northern India, Vaisakhi marks the beginning of harvest. For Sikhs, it is a major festival of significance as it represents the birth of the Khalsa. The Khalsa is the body of fully initiated Sikhs. Whilst not all Sikhs are fully initiated or practising, it is very common for Sikhs to celebrate Vaisakhi. You may also encounter people refer to the festival as Baisakhi – both spellings are valid and stem from the evolution of the Sanskrit word "Vaishākhī" and the Indian month of Vaishakha.

How is it celebrated?

Many Sikhs will visit places of worship called Gudwaras, which are decorated for the occasion. They may attend parades and special processions through the streets called ‘Nagar Kirtans’. 'Nagar' means town and 'Kirtan' means the singing of hymns from the Guru Granth Sahib, which is the Sikh holy book. Vaisakhi is a popular day to choose to be baptised into the Khalsa. Many Sikhs use Vaisakhi to reflect on the teachings of their Gurus and reaffirm their commitment to their faith.

A common greeting used throughout the festival is "Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh" which translates to "The Khalsa belongs to God, and all victory belongs to God".

Celebrating at UAL

There are several student societies at UAL who may be celebrating Vaisakhi: