Vaisakhi as a day of celebration was recognized at the time of Guru Nanak. As some Sikh texts record, Guru Nanak ) was born on the day of Vaisakhi. However, history played unfair games with this day.

Traditions continue celebrating Guru Nanak's birthday not the day he was born but on the day when the Almighty bestowed on him the Guruship, or ordained him as the prophet in the terms understood today. The story goes that, on the full-moon day in the month of katric, Guru Nanak was ordained with his commission in the House of the Eternal One to preach the mission assigned to him. So, this day acquired the significance of the birth of the Guru.

Guru Nanak's birthplace, the Mecca of the Sikhs, Janam Asthan Sri Nankana Sahib, was declared an evacuee property by the Government of Pakistan in conspiracy with the Government of India inspite of Sikh protests.

Fascinatingly, the first reference to Vaisakhi in the Sikh scriptures was composed by Guru Nanak himself and is recorded in Sri Guru Granth Sahib. While referring to the celebration of Vaisakhi, Guru Nanak outlined its spirit, which is greeted and cherished by God. Guru Nanak's sermon in raag tukhari is given below:

Sri Guru Granth Sahib, M1, p. 1108.

Guru Amar Das ) formalized the celebration of Vaisakhi in the year 1569 at the suggestion of Sikhs led by Param Hans Bhai Paro, and started an annual congregational fair at Goindval on the occasion of Vaisakhi. The Guru had earlier set up 22 dioceses corresponding to the 22 States of the Mughal Emperor and appointed 94 men and 52 women as well trained missionaries, called Masands.

Masands were (1) trained to teach and inspire seekers of truth, prepare and initiate them into Guru's Sangat, and (2) instructed to lead a simple and exemplary life, and to serve people with humility without exploiting their devotion and piety in any way.

Bhai Paro Julka was among Guru Amar Das' prominent missionaries. Besides, he had acquired an exalted spiritual state in the Guru's congregation. He maintained so high a moral and spiritual rank by virtue of his character and inner illumination, that Guru Amar Das addressed him as paramhansa, meaning the supreme purified.

Paramhans Paro Julka suggested that Sikhs from all over the world should come to the Guru on a particular day for the initiation of Guru's charan pahul, and this auspicious day should be an occasion for national-cultural gathering.

The Guru accepted this suggestion and set out Vaisakhi (New Year Day) to be the day of his international congregation. Since that time, the Vaisakhi has been celebrated by the Sikhs all over the world.

Until 1699, Vaisakhi remained historically significant among Sikhs because: firstly, the Sikhs from all over the world came to the Guru and congregated at one place. Secondly, the Guru himself initiated novices and new devotees on this day. Thirdly, it was an opportunity to meet the Guru in person, seek his personal guidance on problems that troubled their minds. Fourthly, people from different states, races, castes, creeds, color, languages, religions and cultures that were bitterly antagonistic to each other, mingled with each other in one all-embracing kinship to experience spirituality in their divine worship.

The Masands served as organizers of the pilgrimages and acted as guides for these gatherings.

In 1699, Guru Gobind Singh used this important gathering of Vaisakhi to initiate the baptism of sword to replace the charan pahul as the latter could not be administered after the last Guru had left his human body for heavenly abode. On this day, he also designated Khalsa Panth as Guru's corporal successor. From that time onward, the Sikhs everywhere celebrate Vaisakhi as the day of the coronation of the Khalsa.

Dr. (Bhai) Harbans Lal is a distinguished Pharmacologist and a recognised and honoured scholar of Sikhism. Professor Lal has been published in all the major Sikh journals. His present interests lie in promoting Sikh Studies in North America.