Southall Vaisakhi celebrations 2023
Thu 13 Apr 2023
Vaisakhi is celebrated every year on the 13th or 14th of April to mark the birth of the Khalsa, a collective body of committed initiated Sikhs. It also coincides with the harvest festival in the Panjab region.
It occurs on the first day of Vaisakhi, which is the second month in the Nanakshahi calendar followed by Sikhs.
The day is marked by various religious and cultural activities, including the reading of the Sikh holy scripture, singing of hymns, and parades or processions known as Nagar Kirtans.
In the UK, the Nagar Kirtan does not take place on the actual Vaisakhi day. To comply with legal requirements, Nagar Kirtans can take place weeks prior to or after the actual date, and they typically take place on Sundays to ensure maximum participation.
The Vaisakhi nagar kirtan (procession/parade) in Southall took place 2 April 2023, with tens of thousands of people in attendance.
The Vaisakhi nagar kirtan in Nottingham takes place on 15th April 2023.
The Vaisakhi nagar kirtan in Leicester will take place on 30th April 2023.
In Southall, there are displays of Sikh martial arts at the front of the procession through the town.
The procession is led by five initiated Sikhs (Panj Pyare) and the Sikh scriptures (Guru Granth Sahib Ji) on a float is the main focus of the procession.
There is a Vaisakhi Mini Mela event happening at at Southall Town Hall on Friday.
This year John Lewis have decided to participate with an amazing Vaisakhi display in their store in Leicester.
This is amazing!!! Thank you, @JohnLewisRetail #vaisakhi pic.twitter.com/VGczEgT3z7
— Jas (@Jaski_kaur) April 12, 2023
Happy Vaisakhi
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