Baisakhi, Bohag Bihu, Vishu, Puthandu 2023: Spring festivals in India

Many communities, including Tamils, still adhere to this calendar and mark the first day of Chittirai as the New Year

Food is an important part of every celebration in India, which is why is also known as the land of agriculture. Farmers and harvests are important to our culture because our economy relies heavily on agriculture. For this reason, the spring harvest season is celebrated with extraordinary energy and is known by different names in various parts of the nation. 
Bihu in Assam, Lohri and Baisakhi in Punjab, Vishu in Kerala, and Puthandu in Tamil Nadu. During this time, individuals pray to god for the richness of the soil and celebrate the harvest. Therefore, this month will see the celebration of the Baisakhi, Bohag Bihu, Vishu, and Puthandu 2023 of the harvest festivals. Learn about some of the most widely celebrated spring harvest festivals in the country.

Baisakhi 2023

Every year in April, Baisakhi celebrates the founding of the Khalsa Panth of warriors under Guru Gobind Singh in 1699, the beginning of the Sikh New Year, and the beginning of spring in India. On April 14, 2023, a celebration takes place; especially in Punjab and North, it is celebrated with pomp. As a traditional offering, people make and distribute sugar, wheat flour, and ghee-based Kadha prasad. In addition, they attend Langar, pray, celebrate with Gidda performances, sing folk songs, and eat delicious food at Gurudwaras. 

Puthandu 2023

The Tamil New Year is celebrated with Puthandu, also known as Puthuvarudam. April 14, 2023, is the first day of the Tamil calendar. At the house entrance, the day's festivities begin with the creation of kolam, a design made of coloured rice flour. Families prepare Puthandu special dishes like Pongal and Mango Pachadi. Some people also sing songs of devotion.

 

Bohag Bihu 2023 and Bihu dance at Guinness World Records

One of Assam's most important festivals, Bohag Bihu, also known as Rongali Bihu, is celebrated as the Assamese New Year. It falls in the second week of April yearly, denoting the start of the harvest period. Bohag Bihu is observed from April 14 to April 20 this year. The celebration is praised for more than seven days with a different practice. The celebrations are dominated by song and dance.

This year a sum of 11,304 artists and performers played out Assam's Bihu dance at the Guwahati Stadium on April 13, 2023, to make two world records and take the traditional dance form to the world stage. At the Sarusajai Stadium, over 7,000 dancers, the majority of whom were girls, and over 3,000 "dhol" drummers and other musicians, who were selected from all districts in the state and trained over the past few weeks, gave a 15-minute performance.

A separate performance with drummers and other musicians took place after this. In two categories, the performers attempted to set world records: the biggest Bihu dance performance and the biggest performance by folk musicians that included traditional instruments like 'dhol', 'Pepa', 'gogona' and 'toka'.

Official certificates of the Guinness World Records will be given over to the Assam government, which coordinated the occasion, at the same performance to be held at a similar venue on Friday in front of PM Modi. 

Poila Baisakh 2023

This year, Poila Baisakh falls on April 15. The festival is celebrated in grand style each year. It marks the beginning of the Bengali New Year and is one of the community's most cherished celebrations. The day is spent with close friends, family, and other close friends. In addition, they visit temples and prepare Poila Baisakh-specific dishes at home.

Vishu 2023

In Kerala, the new year is celebrated on April 15 as Vishu. People wake up at dawn and begin their day by looking at Vishu Kani, so the celebrations begin at sunrise. The elder member prepares the Vishu Kani, which is a ceremonial placement in the puja area that includes, among other things, raw rice, flowers, coins, lemon, golden cucumber, jack fruit, a holy book, and a cotton dhoti. Uruli, a vessel shaped like a bell, holds these items. Alongside Uruli, the traditional metal lamp known as Nilavilakku is also lit.