Tomorrow, Sikhs all over the world will be celebrating Vaisakhi.

Vaisakhi is the first day of the second month in the Sikh calendar, and it was on this day in 1699 that the tenth Guru, Guru Gobind Singh Jee, called all Sikhs to assemble at Anandpur Sahib. There he established the Khalsa (the collective Sikh nation) and thousands of Sikhs, including the Guru himself, were initiated into the Khalsa through a ceremony called an Amrit Sanchaar.

Every year the Sikhs of Bradford gather together and celebrate Vaisakhi by holding a Nagar Kirtan. Bradford’s Nagar Kirtan is a colourful, joyous, and atmospheric open-air celebration of the birth of the Khalsa. It is essentially a procession in which the Guru Granth Sahib Jee is taken to each of the Gurdwaras in Bradford while devotional hymns are sung and free food is distributed. It is lead by five Sikhs (the Panj Pyare) who represent the first five Sikhs to be initiated in 1699.

For me, Nagar Kirtans are a time to join with my community and share in an open and inclusive expression of faith and joy. My worries melt away and I feel spiritually recharged. The Panj Pyare inspire me to be confident in my identity, the melodious kirtan (devotional music) uplifts me and fills me with love for God, the volunteers serving free food to Sikhs and non-Sikhs alike remind me to be selfless and charitable towards all, and the atmosphere fills me with a beautiful sense of community and belonging.

This year the Nagar Kirtan was be held on Saturday, beginning at the Ramgharia Gurdwara on Bolton Road at 10.30am and passing through all the Gurdwaras in Bradford. Nagar Kirtans are open to everyone, so next year, if you find yourself stuck behind barriers during road closures, and you happen to catch a glimpse of the sea of orange and blue turbans and scarves, please do come and join us - grab a cup of tea and a samosa, join the procession, don’t hesitate to ask questions and come and share in our joy. You’re invited!

Amrit Kaur, President of the Sikh Society, the University of Bradford

Diary Dates:

April 16 - Yom Ha-Shoah (Holocaust Day) - A day of remembrance when Jewish people remember the six million Jews, including one and a half million children, who were victims of the Nazi Holocaust. Memorial candles are lit and special services are held. The date is chosen as the closest date (in the Jewish calendar) to the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising.