Avid LINK Reader Takes Issue With Promod Puri’s Article And Says Vaisakhi Is Not A Hindu Festival

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Dear Editor:

Avid LINK reader Ashwini Kumar took issue with LINK founder and former publisher Promod Puri’s article on Vaisakhi by stressing that Vaisakhi is not a Hindu festival.

Here is what Kumar wrote:

I am offering corrections to your article which appeared in the Link newspaper of April 15, 2017:

1) Vaisakhi is NOT a Hindu festival. It traces its origin to Guru Gobind Singh of the Sikh religion in 1699. It always falls on April 13 on the Gregorian calendar, not on the Hindu calendar.

2) Hindu New Year is on the 1st day of bright half of month of Chaitra, not Vaisakh.

3) Arya Samaj was founded on the 5th day of bright half of month of Chaitra, again not in Vaisakh.

4) Dayanand Saraswati, founder of Arya Samaj, should be referred to as Rishi or Maharishi due to his achievements instead of Swami.

5) Arya Samaj is a society to propagate teachings of Vedas. It is not a sect in Hinduism. Rishi Dayanand clearly stated he did not start a new religion, sect or creed.

Looking forward to seeing these corrections in future edition of the Link newspaper.

Dhanyavaad

Ashwini Kumar

Vancouver, BC