Hundreds of thousands of Sikhs will congregate in Vancouver and Surrey over the next few weeks to celebrate Vaisakhi, which will be highlighted by two Khalsa Day Parades that are massive shows of diversity and inclusion in British Columbia.

The parades or Nagar Kirtan will be a lively celebration to mark the Sikh New Year, pay tribute to the harvest and commemorate one of the most important days in the Sikh calendar - the creation of the Khalsa.

The Khalsa, was founded in 1699 as a Sikh brotherhood and sisterhood to fight adversity and continues to be at the heart of Sikhism.

From here the Sikh nation grew with a renewed identity and as a collective faith underlined by the principles of sewa or sacrifice for their fellow human beings.

This year’s celebrations come amidst a time of strained Canada-India relations, triggered by Indian concerns that the Liberal Government tolerates Sikh separatism by not openly speaking out against it.

This issue gained prominence during Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s visit to India last month, when he was apparently snubbed by the Indian government in the initial days of the trip for being seen as soft on radical Sikh groups, Indian media said.

But for most Sikhs, the Vaisakhi celebrations are about a message of peace, equality, and freedom of religion regardless of caste or creed, not about dwelling in the schisms in Sikhism.

“The values of Sikhism will wash over the streets of B.C. this month,” said newspaper publisher Harbinder Singh Sewak, who has over the last decade, been a key player in the Nagar Kirtan parade in Surrey, considered the largest outside India.

“These are events promote cultural exchange by bringing together people to mark one of the most important days for the Sikh community,” said Sewak, who was instrumental in bringing the Canadian Armed Forces to be part of the festivities and who founded Canada’s first Sikh Cadet regiment, known locally as the Surrey Sikh Cadets.

“We once again expect record numbers to turnout for the parades,” he said.

Last year more than 400,000 people attended the Surrey parade while about 150,000 took part in the parade in Vancouver.

This year’s Vancouver Vaisakhi parade will be held on Saturday Apr 14th from about 11 am to 5 pm. It begins at the KDS Ross Sikh Temple at 8000 Ross Street in East Vancouver and winds it way through the Paunjab Market on Main Street.

The Surrey Nagar Kirtan takes place on Saturday, April 21st.

Beginning at the Gurdwara Dashmesh Darbar Temple, at 12885 85th Avenue in Surrey, the procession heads south each year along 128th Street and then west at the BC Hydro (Newton) Railway line. From there it heads south down 124th Street, west back to 128th Street via 75th and 76th Avenues, and then back to the Temple.

Most years the parade starts at about 9 or 9:30 am, with events finishing back at the Temple by around 4 pm or so.

In Surrey an economic study based on the 2014 Surrey Vaisaskhi Parade showed the event generated close to $30 million in spending by visitors from out of town.

The study which was commissioned by Sewak, publisher of The South Asian Post, has also found that the 2014 parade is estimated to have contributed between $6.6 million and $12.3 million in GDP for the provincial economy, supported between 116 and 215 Full Time Equivalent jobs, and contributed between $2.3 million and $4.4 million in tax revenues for federal, provincial and municipal governments.

Based on the estimates of the parade, between $2.6 million to $4.5 million worth of food and beverages were served; The average length of stay was 7 days for visitors from the rest of BC, 15 days for visitors from the rest of Canada, 15 days for visitors from the US, and 30 days for other international visitors.

Vaisakhi Q&A

Q: What are the origins of Vaisakhi?

A: Although Vaisakhi has traditionally been a harvest festival in Punjab and across South Asia for centuries, the day has a very special significance for Sikhs. On Vaisakhi Day in 1699, Guru Gobind Singh created the Order of the Khalsa. The Khalsa are those Sikhs who have accepted the Sikh initiation or “khande kee paahul” and commit to live their lives in the service of humanity and the spirit of equality and compassion. The founding of the Khalsa was a seminal event in Sikh history which gave the Sikh faith its final form.

Q: What is a Nagar Kirtan?

A: The word nagar means town and kirtan is singing of hymns. A nagar kirtan refers to a Sikh parade that is led by the Punj Pyare (the five beloved ones, who represent the first five Sikh to have been initiated) and the Sri Guru Granth Sahib or the Sikh scripture, which is placed in a decorated float. The congregation follows the parade while singing hymns and verses from the Sri Guru Granth Sahib, along with displays of the Sikh martial art gatka and distributing free food (langar). The nagar kirtan begins and concludes with a religious service and the serving of langar.

Q: What is the significance of the orange and yellow colours?

A: Yellow and orange are the traditional colours of Vaisakhi. They represent the spirit of rebirth and sacrifice of the Punj Pyare but are also a colour of joy and celebration. When Vaisakhi is celebrated in Punjab, the golden yellow wheat fields are ready to be harvested.

Q: Who can participate in Vaisakhi celebrations?

A: Everyone. The Sikh faith considers all persons to be equal, regardless of gender, race, nationality or class. Sikh gurdwaras are open to all people. The langar or community meal is also offered to both Sikhs and non-Sikhs alike.

Q: Is there any special dress I should wear?

A: The only requirements to visit a Sikh gurdwara are that visitors take off their shoes and cover their heads. Any intoxicants such as tobacco products or liquor are also not permitted on the premises. – World Sikh Organisation of Canada