SHIVIN NARANG : As I am a Punjabi, Baisakhi, for us is the new year. It is also the time when Khalsa was established. So, it’s an auspicious day in everyway. I don’t celebrate it, but I wish my family and friends. And as Baisakhi is also an important day for harvesting, we pray to god and thank him for providing food to us. I try to contribute for our farmers well-being in whatever capacity I can as they work really hard , they give us food but are not given their due and are facing bad times and committing suicides. As for memories, for my last show Veera, a Baisakhi mela was set up on the sets, with food and other entertainment stalls. There was a lot of bhangra and dance that happened there. We all really enjoyed shooting in that set up.
MEGHNA MALIK : Sikhs celebrate their New Year as Baisakhi on 13 April, it’s also a harvesting festival for the farming community of Punjab and Haryana. I remember one such celebration years ago, when I visited a Punjab village. It was celebrated with gusto and gaiety amidst gidda and bhangra. The whole experience was transcendental because of surroundings, festivity and simplicity of the villagers. This Baisakhi, I will be shooting for the serial Dahleez. I shall try to get the boys to do a bhangra and the girls, a bit of gidda.
MOHAMMAD NAZIM: For anyone who’s from Punjab, they can’t miss out on the new year celebration of Baisakhi. While it’s auspicious for the Sikhs as it is also the birth of Khalsa, for the farmers, it’s time to celebrate harvesting. I have attended a couple of close friends Baisakhi celebrations and it has been very grand with some bhangra dancing, gidda and food. I have not seen it being celebrated on that scale in Mumbai. I hope to catch up on it again, in the near future.
VISHAL SINGH: Baisakhi, as I know, is the Punjabi’s New Year. It’s also a harvesting festival celebrated by farmers. Together, the images that crop up in front of being robust dancing and golden fields. I have attended some Baisakhi celebrations at my friends’ places – it’s high on energy, masti, dancing and food. It’s around this time that I first attempted to learn bhangra. It’s fun.
SARGUN MEHTA: How can I not know Baisakhi? I have vivid memories of Baisakhi celebrations in Punjab. It was a huge family affair as it was the New Year. And since it is Punjab, even the neighbourhood buzzed in a celebration, including colour and food. There was a lot of dancing and festivity in the area. I loved to take part in the bhangra and gidda that took place that day. We even gulped down glassed of kachhi lassi to our heart’s content. Baisakhi in Mumbai is very subdued.
MAHIKA SHARMA: Baisakhi is quite similar to Bihu. I remember Assamese and Sikh as all together enjoys the glory of festival at assam. The farmering culture of India is the highlights of the festive. Its a new year which also is enjoyed with festiv music, dance and foods.
