A group of Sikh bikers taking part in the Vaisakhi Parade
Vaisakhi also called Baisakhi, is the season of harvest in Punjab and Northern part of India. Also, it is the one of the most important festival for Sikhs, as it marks the establishment of Khalsa by the tenth Guru of Sikhs, Guru Gobind Singh on April 13, 1699. Khalsa Panth is the name given to the Sikhs who have been baptized.
Vaisakhi is celebrated by the Sikh and Punjabi community all over the world. Even in countries outside India, it is celebrated by conducting parades in nations like the US, UK, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada. In the same manner the Punjabi community conducts an annual parade in Calgary in the month of April-May. It is called Nagar Kirtan in Punjabi, ‘Nagar’ meaning town and ‘Kirtan’ meaning reciting religious hymns from Guru Granth Sahib, the holy book of Sikhs. The religious procession starts from the Dashmesh Culture Centre in Northeast and then the procession takes round trip, it passes through Castleridge, Falconridge.
The Prairie Winds Park attracts nearly 100,000 people every year. Dozens of food stalls are installed in the park, which distributes free food items to everyone, irrespective of their race, religion, caste. The event is attended by people from all over Calgary. Also, people from all over Canada join the procession. Free food is distributed following the ideology of Guru Nanak, the first guru of Sikhs, he emphasized the principle of equality among all. In 1481, he established ‘Langar’ which means free community kitchen that serves food to anyone regardless of their religious beliefs. At Golden Temple in Amritsar, India approximately 100,000 people are served free meal, making it the largest community kitchen in the world. At the Prairie Winds Park, the food stalls include Indian dishes like, Rajma Chawal, Aloo Paranthas, Samosas etc. Western food items like Pizzas, Burgers, Pastas etc. are also served. Food stalls also include several beverages that serve pop, milkshakes, Indian Tea, coffee, milk badam etc. These all-food items are enjoyed by everyone attending the parade.
During the procession, Gatka is performed by the Nihang Singhs, also called ‘Guru ki Ladli Fauj’. Nihang Singhs are armed Sikh warriors originating in the Northern Indian sub-continent. Gatka is an ancient martial art; sword is the main weapon, and many other weapons are made available to the Gatka master. The martial art skill is applauded by the crowd. The parade also features the motorcycle rally, in which Sikhs showcase their custom bikes, many of them install the Khalsa flag in their bikes., making it a treat for the eye for the attendees of the parade.
The parade is enjoyed by people from all ages, including senior citizens. Thana Khosa, a senior citizen and attendee of the parade expressed his delight for the parade by saying, “I have been living in Calgary for the past 15 years and this was my 15th time in the parade, each time it feels new and refreshing.” On being asked about the best aspect of the parade, he replied, “It definitely has to be the atmosphere that is built during the parade and the feeling of oneness and unity.”
The parade has several volunteers, who volunteer at food stalls, cleaning the ground and more. Jaspreet Singh is one of them. He volunteered at cleaning the ground. On being asked about how he feels about the parade and the community work he volunteers for, he replied. “It is an honor to be honest, the parade is once a year and getting a chance to volunteer here and flow with the atmosphere and vibe feels absolutely amazing”.
Dashmesh Culture Centre sponsors the free City of Calgary transit service from 7 a.m. to 7p.m. According to them, it is done to provide a safe way for families, individuals to join the parade. The parade starts at 10 a.m. and goes up until 4 p.m. Everyone is welcome at the parade irrespective of their age, religion, race, caste, creed.