Sunday, December 15, 2024
Sunday, February 12, 2023
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:
"Basant Raga" - A classical composition in raga Basant, this is performed during Basant to welcome the arrival of spring.
"Jhini Jhini Bini Chadariya" - This praises the glory of the Guru and the power of the Sikh faith.
"Hari Bhajan Bina" - This is a devotional hymn that emphasizes the importance of meditation and devotion to the Guru in Sikhism.
"Aukhi Ghari Dekhi Naal Mili" - This shabad encourages Sikhs to seek the guidance of the Guru in their daily lives.
"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.
Sunday, February 5, 2023
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)
Monday, April 13, 2020
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!
Tuesday, February 18, 2020
Be Positive
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| Image copyright-Sona@About Punjab (mostly) |
