Phagan / Basant

Phagan di Sangrand is a Sikh festival that is celebrated on the first day of the month of Phagan in the Nanakshahi calendar which typically falls in mid February. This year it is on Febraruy 13th.

 Basant is a festival which marks the arrival of spring and falls during the month of Phagan or February-March. It is considered a religious and cultural celebration, and is an occasion for Sikhs to come together to celebrate and reflect on their faith. During Basant, Sikhs usually hold special religious services and perform hymns and prayers, and also engage in cultural activities such as singing, dancing, and playing musical instruments.

Here are a few shabads that are commonly sung to commemorate Basant:

1. "Basant Raga" - A classical composition in raga Basant, this is performed during Basant to welcome the arrival of spring.

2. "Jhini Jhini Bini Chadariya" - This praises the glory of the Guru and the power of the Sikh faith.

3. "Hari Bhajan Bina" - This is a devotional hymn that emphasizes the importance of meditation and devotion to the Guru in Sikhism.

4. "Aukhi Ghari Dekhi Naal Mili" - This shabad encourages Sikhs to seek the guidance of the Guru in their daily lives.

5. "Jin Prem Kiyo Tin Hi Prabh Paayo" - This shabad emphasizes the importance of love and devotion in achieving a connection with the Guru.

    

   Basant is also a time when many flowers begin to bloom after the winter season. The sight of brightly colored flowers in full bloom is considered a symbol of the arrival of spring and the renewal of life. In India, some of the most common flowers associated with the festival include marigolds, jasmine, and roses. These flowers are often used to decorate homes and public spaces, and are also used to make garlands and flower arrangements. Overall, the blooming of flowers during Basant is an important part of the festival and is a source of joy and celebration for many people. It symbolizes the arrival of spring and the renewal of life, and serves as a reminder of the beauty and wonder of nature.

    

   
   
   

   A popular and cultural tradition of Basant is kite-flying. People fly colorful kites to symbolize the arrival of spring and the joy that comes with it.It is enjoyed by people of all ages and it is common to see large crowds of people gathered on rooftops and open spaces, flying kites and competing to see who can keep their kite flying the longest.

    

   
   
    
   
   

 

 

Months of the Year in Punjabi-Nanakshahi Calendar

The Nanakshahi calendar is a calendar used by the Sikhs to commemorate the birthdays of the Sikh Gurus and other important events in Sikh history. It was introduced as an alternative to the traditional Bikrami calendar, which is based on Hindu lunar calculations.

Nanakshahi Calendar-- Names of the month are taken from Gurbani 

First 5 months have 31 days

Last 7 months have 30 days

1          Chet                 ਚੇਤ     14 March – 13 April                    Basant (Spring)

2          Vaisakh            ਵੈਸਾਖ    14 April – 14 May                     Basant (Spring)

3          Jeth                  ਜੇਠ      15 May – 14 June                       Garikham (Summer)

4          Harh                ਹਾੜ      15 June – 15 July                       Garisham (Summer)

5          Sawan              ਸਾਵਣ   16 July – 15 August                    Rut Baras (Rainy season)

6          Bhadon            ਭਾਦੋਂ     16 August – 14 September         Rut Baras (Rainy season)

7          Assu                 ਅੱਸੂ     15 September – 14 October        Sard (Autumn)

8          Kattak              ਕੱਤਕ   15 October – 13 November         Sard (Autumn)

9          Maghar            ਮੱਘਰ   14 November – 13 December      Sisiar (Winter)

10        Poh                   ਪੋਹ     14 December – 12 January          Sisiar (Winter)

11        Magh                ਮਾਘ    13 January – 11 February            Himkar (late Winter/early Spring)

12        Phaggan           ਫੱਗਣ   12 February – 13 March              Himkar (late Winter/early Spring)

 (source:wikipedia)

 

Vaisakhi 2020

Wishes for a healthy and happy vaisakhi to all!

This year is the year that we are facing an unprecedented threat to humans-the COVID19 disease. This disease is  caused by a microscopic particle , smaller than the width of your hair but so powerful in its impact that it has brought the entire world to a screeching halt. Aeroplanes, schools, colleges, industries, entire economies are at a stand-still. Hundreds of thousands of people have been infected worldwide and a high cost has already been paid by the human race in terms of the lives that have been lost. It is a matter of time before we will get the better of this microorganism and  sooner or later we will have a vaccine for it (thankfully) that will help save millions of lives from it. But we should be aware that this is not the last virus to challenge our existence, as we continue to overwhelm nature and keep tilting the natural balance more and more in our favor, we will come across many more such challenges. We need to take this moment to roll back on our unhindered consumerism, our unending quest to fulfill our perceived needs, the empty showcasing of our economic status and proofs of our "coolness". Going forward, let's try to lead more meaningful lives in which we balance our acts, as much as possible, with nature, put less demands on natural resources, reconnect with our immediate surroundings, our families and neighbors. If you think about it, that's what we have been forced to do with the almost universal stay-at-home orders, let's learn our lessons while we still have time- stop mistreating our real home--"the earth" and our neighbors--"animals, birds, plants, microbes"  or soon enough we could face a virus or a disease in which we may not even be safe at home!

Be Positive

ਤੁਹਾਨੂੰ ਕੀ ਲੋੜ ਹੈ ਕਿਸੇ ਨਾਲ ਮੁਕਾਬਲਾ ਕਰਨ ਦੀ, ਫੁੱਲਾਂ ਵਾਂਗ ਅਸੀਂ ਸਭ ਇੱਕ ਦੂਸਰੇ ਤੋਂ ਵਖਰੇ ਹਾਂ ਤੇ ਆਪਣੇ ਤਰੀਕੇ ਨਾਲ਼ ਸੋਹਣੇ ਹਾਂ

Translation: You don't need to compare yourself to anyone else, like flowers we are all different from each other and beautiful in our own way.

Image copyright-Sona@About Punjab (mostly)

Harmandir Sahib, Hussainiwala,Punjab 2018

Har boli sikho, sikhni vi chahidi, par pucci vekh ke kachi nahin dhahidi-Gurdas Maan

Such a great artist..reflects and focuses on all that is good about Punjabi culture- secularism; loyalty; importance of hard-work; humility; respect for parents, teachers , culture, women; love in all its forms and of course the awesome music! 

Here he is singing Challa and Heer during a live performance that I was lucky enough to get to attend. The first video is a little shaky in the beginning but stabilizes after that.

Challa:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6rcG8UC1DDA

Heer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4OM0JB3MNw

Enjoy!

Dinanagar

Dawn of a sad and tragic day in Dinanagar/Punjab..hope that the hard wrought peace is not lost..

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-33671593