🔊 Buildings across the city tonight, including our civic buildings and city museum, will change their lights to orange this evening for the festival of Vaisakhi. The Vaisakhi Flag will also be flying at Civic Hall and Town Hall today and tomorrow.
Vaisakhi, also called Baisakhi, is an important date in the Sikh calendar. It’s a festival which celebrates the founding of the Sikh community, the Khalsa, in 1699.
Vaisakhi is also Punjab’s New Year, it falls on 13 April each year, although once every 36 years it falls on 14 April.
To celebrate Vaisakhi, Sikhs will visit Gurdwara’s (place of worship). A new Sikh flag (Nishaan Sahib) is put up and the flag pole is washed by everyone who attends. Gurdwara’s are especially decorated for the occasion. Many people enjoy parades and special processions through the streets called a Nagar Kirtan. The evening is then usually spent having a meal with family and friends.
Some of you may have seen or attended the annual procession in Leeds. The ceremony is tomorrow (15 April) this year and starts at The Sikh Temple. It includes music, chanting hymns as well as reading aloud scriptures.
