Vaisakhi: Stay home, stay safe

On this day, 13th April, millions of Sikhs across the globe like myself, will celebrate Vaisakhi. This day marks a very special event in the calendar of so many of us.

What is Vaisakhi

The Sikh faith was started by Guru Nanak Dev Ji in the 16th century. Based on simple principles, he preached the message One God. After leaving his body for heavenly abode, nine Guru’s succeeded thereafter, each shaping the very core of Sikhism to what it is today. The 10th and final human form Guru, Guru Gobind Singh Ji created the Khalsa on 13th April 1699 through an initiation ceremony. If you’ve met a Sikh before you may have noticed a Turban and unshaved hair. These are just two of the five symbols that were gifted to the faithful. This era was besot with war and oppression, and so the vision behind this historic event was to create a mindset amongst Sikhs of Saint and Soldier. Guru Gobind Singh ji insisted that a Sikh must be able to remain calm, negotiate and show diplomacy in all strands of life. However a Sikh must also be ready to defend themselves and those being oppressed, regardless of race and background. And so we celebrate this turning point in our faith each year. Guru Gobind Singh Ji was a great visionary, a poet, skilled in art of war and tactics and ahead of his time.

A procession

Normal practice proceeds that the weekend that follows 13th April, communities across the world partake in a street procession. I live in Kent (UK) and have been attending the procession since I was a kid. It’s grown in numbers, last year around 5000 people attended, maybe more. It is also well attended by other non Sikh communities.

Procession starting from my local Sikh Temple (image: ITV.com)

Procession moving through our local town centre (image: Kent Online)

Stay home for now

For the first time in our local history, and probably elsewhere, there will be no street procession. But in the safety of everyone this is the right thing to do. While we will all remain in our homes, technology will play a huge role. Anyone wishing to be part of the event will be able to view live streaming from our local temple, and will also include Vaisakhi messages from all. The key thing is to keep everyone involved and be safe.

Wishing everyone a Happy Vaisakhi!