1712718-blog

[1712718-blog]

Vaisakhi Mela 2019

Vaisakhi is the biggest celebration in the Sikh calendar, it is an historical and religious Sikh festival. It is always celebrated on 13 or 14thApril every year. It commemorates the year in 1699 when Guru Gobind Singh a sikh leader and warrior formed a religious group called the khalsa.

The Sikhs believed that Guru Gobind Singh gathered all sikh to the Indian city called the Anandpur Sahib, Punjab. Guru Gobind Singh asked the crowd “who is prepared to die for their faith” Five men out of the crowd stepped forward and were taken into a tent separetly. The Guru re-appeared with a blooded sword in his hand and the five men were beside the guru. Guru Gobind singh were so proud of them and he decided to call the five men “ Panj Pyare” which mean five loved ones, and this was the birth of khalsa.

The event took place in Birmingham Handsworth park where two procession also known as the Nagar Kirtan took place- one from hockley, the other from smethick heading towards handsworth park. The procession is led by the “panj pyare” who are followed by the guru granth sahib, the holy sikh scripture which is placed on a float that is decorated with flowers. There were also elderly women singing sikh hyms to celebrate the joyful day and they were accommodated on a open truck.

Atleast 100,000 people attended the event from different race, there was also a funfair for children, exhibtions, charity stand and food stalls. The food was also prepared by the sikh gudwaras across the black country called the langar. There was also a marquee tent in the middle of the part event for all the Sikhs to worship called the Darbar, that was open to all communities to visit and understand the Sikh faith. The marquee was decorated in night blue and white drapes, ahead was achient swords that were used by sikh warriors in the 1600s- one of them were Guru Gobind Singh Swords.

On the other half of the Darbar Hal,  there were three men were singing hyms which is called the Sangat. There accompanied with three religious instrument, one is called the vaja which is a wind instrument and the second instrument is called the tabla which is similar to drums however they play the instrument by hands. Thousand of people donated money at the Sangat for charity which would go towards Homeless Shelters and the Elderly homes in the Midlands. 

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