Today Sikhs all over the world celebrate Chet the Sikh New Year often mistaken as Vaisakhi.
Vaisakhi is a festival to celebrate the birth of the Khalsa. Often it is misrepresented as a harvest festival or even the Sikh new year but this article should help understand the differences between Chet and Vaisakhi.
Sikhs across the world have their own universal calendar, entitled Nanakshahi Calendar. It starts with the month of Chet. The epoch of this calendar is the Parkash (birth) of the first Sikh Guru, who was born in 1469 and the Nanakshahi year commenced on the first of Chet. Sikhs see the adoption of this new calendar as a big step in their identity and one that will help dispel any assumptions that Sikhism is a branch of another religion.
The Sikh community across the world will be going to their local Gurdwara to mark the occasion today.
In the Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, Guru Nanak Sahib and Guru Arjan Sahib wrote Gurbani “Barah Maha” in which both Gurus described the twelve months of the year.
Both acknowledges ‘Chet’ as the first month of the year and ‘phalgun’ as the last month of the year, attaching values to each month.
In the month of Chet the lovely spring comes, and the bumble bees hum with joy. *Sri Guru Nanak Sahib Ji: SGGS Ji: Ang – 1107
In the month of Chet, by meditating on the Lord of the Universe, a deep and profound joy arises. *Sri Guru Arjan Sahib Ji: SGGS Ji: Ang – 133
This month coincides with March – April of the Western/Georgian/Julian Calendar and is 31 days long. The month starts on 14 March and ends on 13 April. On 14 April starts the second month of the Sikh year called Vaisakh. During Chet the season in Punjab, the land of the Sikh Gurus is spring and the climate moderate with good sunshine during the day. The winter cold have truly been unlifted. Many tourists from western countries visit north India during Chet to join in the festivities of the New year.
The Sikh Nanakshahi calendar
The Nanakshahi Calendar is one of the newest calendars in the world. It refers to the historical dates belonging to Sikh history more accurately in comparison to Bikrami Samvat (Hindu calendar).
The calendar takes its name from Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the founder of Sikhi and it was created to make life much easier for Sikhs as their holy days no longer move about the calendar from year to year.
Gurpurabs (celebrations devoted to particular Gurus) now are always marked on the same date, and occur once in every year. The epoch of this calendar is the birth of the first Sikh Guru, Guru Nanak Dev Ji in 1469 and the New Year’s Day falls annually on what is 14 March in the Gregorian Western calendar.
Not all Sikh festivals are fixed according to the Nanakshahi Calendar though. Some festivals which are similar to Hindu religious events, such as Diwali and Holla Mahalla, still have their dates set by the Bikrami calendar.
14 March 2023 holds immense significance as it is the day of Gurgaddi of Sri Guru Har Rai Sahib Ji, the seventh Sikh Guru. This day is celebrated with great reverence as it marks the appointment of Guru Har Rai Sahib Ji as the successor of Guru Har Krishan Sahib Ji.
The Nanakshahi calendar comprises of 12 months, it is based on Gurbani (compositions of the Sikh Gurus) and the names of the months (below) are taken from Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji (Sikh scripture, 11th guru).
The calendar was approved by the Akal Takht (one of the 5 Takhts – seats of power – and it is located in Darbar Sahib, Amritsar) in 2003.
How do Sikh celebrate the Sikh New Year
Sikhs usually celebrate the beginning of the new year by going to their local gurdwara today. Lots of different programmes will take place today to mark the occasion.
Gurdwaras in the UK will also be celebrating Vaisakhi soon next month, a festival to celebrate the birth of the Khalsa. Vaisakhi is, mistakenly, often called the Sikh new year and this causes a lot of confusion, but the two are very different festivals.
Vaisakhi, the festival celebrating of the creation of the Khalsa in April, is often mistaken as the Sikh New Year. This falls on 13/14 April and is one of the biggest Sikh celebrations.
In April 1699, Guru Gobind Singh Ji (the 10th Sikh Guru) tested the commitment of thousands of Sikhs and the first five to pass his test, were initiated into a new order, called the Khalsa. The five men are known as the Panj Pyare (five beloved).
Wishing all of the Sikh community across the world a happy and healthy New Year to you and your families.
