Faith

Vaisakhi is the holiest day in the Sikh calendar and is marked annually on April 13. This is the day when, in 1699, the Khalsa (the pure ones) were born and Sikhs were given a clear identity and a code of conduct to live by.

See Vaisakhi Nagar Kirtan photos here:

Vaisakhi Nagar Kirtan

Sikhism, a relatively new religion at 310-years-old, means "a way of life".

"It's like a birthday of Sikhism," says Rajinder Sandhu from Slough on Vaisakhi, "it didn't just happen in one day, 13th April 1699, it took nearly two centuries (before that day) to finish a product of Sikhism.

"On Vaisakhi day the Sikhs were baptised after all those years with ten gurus working to making it a perfect religion, finishing it on this day."

A few weeks later the Sikh communities embark on the colourful celebratory procession called Nagar Kirtan, which means 'neighbourhood divine-hymn singing' in Punjabi.

The concept is to bring the message of God to the doorstep of the community.

Festival of Vaisakhi, later in the year

Slough - Sunday 19 April 2009

In Slough the celebration has been running for eight years and attracts up to 8000 people.

Taking place on Sunday 19 April 2009 the procession will see Slough awash with colour as thousands wearing bright orange will take to the streets, walking from the Gurdwara Sri Guru Singh Sabha in Sheehy Way, Slough, to the Ramgarhia Sikh Gurdwara in Woodland Avenue in Slough.

Slough roads closed to vehicles during the procession, which starts at 10am, will be Sheehy Way, The Firth, Knolton Way, Wexham Road, Shaggy Calf Lane,  Elliman Avenue, turning left into Stoke Poges Lane and west into Baylis Road, finishing at Woodland Avenue at around 1.30pm.

Most men wear orange turbans and women wear the orange-coloured scarves. The Panj Piare (five beloved of the Guru) normally lead the Nagar Kirtan procession. This is followed by a float lorry which carries the holy book of Sikh scriptures, called Sri Guru Granth Sahib.

Vaisakhi Nagar Kirtan

The emphasis always is to enjoy yourself and embrace all other communities as way of celebrating life in general.

"We have two parts," says Swaran Singh Bal from the Siri Guru Singh Sabha Gurdwara in Reading, "in the Sikh temple we read the holy book and it takes about 48 hours to complete, and when it's completed then we pray for everyone.

"After that five beloved ones get ready with a colourful uniform and then they come outside on the road."

The celebration is not only a festive occasion for Sikhs but is also viewed as the beginning of the harvest season, indicating a time of happiness.

Vaisakhi Nagar Kirtan procession

Food also plays an important part in the celebrations. Dishes are prepared by the congregation for free at the Gurdwaras but also given away on route of the procession.

Swaran Singh Bal tells BBC Berkshire: "In the early morning they first serve tea with pakoras and then later on when the Nagar Kirtan is finished then the congregation comes back to the Gurdwara to have lunch, made up of vegetables, dahl, small beans, raita, chapatis, some salad, some pickles and any other sweet dish."

Reading - Sunday 10 May 2009

The Reading Nagar Kirtin, which attracts around 1000 people, is not until Sunday 10 May due to the roadworks at Three Tuns along the route, restricting access for the holy book float.

The procession will start at the Sikh temple, Siri Guru Singh Sabha Gurdwara, in Cumberland Road at 11am and will go along Wokingham Road and Church Road, stopping off at Reading’s other Sikh temple, Ramgarhia Sabha Gurdwara, in London Road before finishnig back at Cumberland Road at around 3pm.