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Thousands Gather for Vaisakhi Celebrations

Sikh festival  Vaisakhi brings local community together in celebration.

By Kaitlyn Guy

Vaisakhi celebrations transformed West Park, Wolverhampton last Sunday into a kaleidoscope of colour and culture. The festival marks the year 1699 where Sikhism was officially birthed as a collective religion.

Festivities commenced between 12:00-17:00 BST, the park filled with entertainment, local stalls, and plenty of smiling faces.

The Guru Nanak Satsang Gurdwara on Cannock Road to West Park, held a parade beforehand starting at 08:30 BST, filling the streets with members of the Sikh community, dhol drums and vibrant flags.

Pictured: Harry Jones Company Funfair and arial view of West Park.

While celebrated by members of the Sikh faith worldwide, the event welcomed people of all ethnicities and religions, a celebration encouraging the local community to come together with musicians, fairgrounds and an array of food stalls. One attendee, Adam Saul-Braddock shared, “It was a great day out with the fun fair and all the musicians, but it was really interesting to learn more about another culture that I don’t know much about.” He continued to say, “My favourite part was the fun fair even though it was a bit expensive it was still a really fun day.”

Throughout the day different musicians played on stage, with singers and performers with dhol drums playing traditional music that got the crowds of people singing and dancing along, as well as individuals giving speeches to the crowd that listened carefully. Many set up picnic blankets across the field to enjoy the day with good food, music and their families.

Pictured: Performers on stage singing and playing traditional music.

The Story of Vaisakhi

In 1699, Sikhs from all over the Punjab region gathered together to celebrate the local spring harvest festival, Vaisakhi. The tenth guru, Guru Gobind Singh, came out of a tent carrying a sword, where he asked anyone who was willing to give their life for their region to step forward.

A young man had stepped forward and went into the tent with Guru Gobind Singh. Walking out of the tent alone with a sword covered in blood, Guru Gobind Singh asked for another volunteer. He did this until five volunteers went into the tent.

After the fifth volunteer everyone was concerned and confused, yet the Guru returned with all five of the volunteers, all safe. He called them the Panj Piare or 'Beloved Five' and the first Khalsa in the Sikh tradition.

The title of Khalsa refers to the people whose spirit and life is not property of any king, dictator or messenger of the creator, but to the one Universal Creator. The Sikh faith was founded on the idea that there is only one Universal Creator, therefore meaning that everyone, regardless of their religion, gender, ethnicity, race or other attributes, are equal.

Pictured: A group of people enjoying a set up book stall.

Vaisakhi’s traditional colours are yellow and orange, reflecting the spirit of rebirth and the being the colours of joy and festivities. When celebrated in the Punjab region, the wheat fields are bright yellow and are ready for harvest. Wolverhampton’s festivities were no exception to this tradition, with an array of orange flags painting the streets during the morning parade and being a noticeable element of the celebrations throughout the day continuing.

Pictured: Harry Jones Company Fun Fair.

I asked another local attendee for their thoughts on the celebrations. Molly Turner, a young Wolverhampton local shared: “I came to the park for the fair for the Easter holidays and didn’t know about the other events happening today, but it’s been good to try some new food and see so many people because usually Wolves is really quiet and nothing is going on.”

Local events like this are evidently important to build a culturally rich community within Wolverhampton, celebrating a religious festival and bringing people from all backgrounds together with good food, music and conversation.

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