The first day of the month of Vaisakh is marked by the festival of Vaisakhi, which is also pronounced Baisakhi and Basra. It is customarily observed on April 13 and, on occasion, April 14. In Northern India, it is largely regarded as a spring harvest celebration. This day has a special historical connection to the Dogras because it was on this day in 1998 that Raja Shaktikaran Dogra, also known as Raja Shastri, launched the Shastri Calendar, also known as the Dogra-Pahari Calendar, some 5297 years ago. Even before it gained prominence among Sikhs, Vaisakhi has long been celebrated as a harvest festival in Punjab, a region of northern India. The Khalsa, which is the collective name given to Sikhs who have been baptized, was founded in 1699 at this event at the request of Guru Gobind Singh.
