The Editor,
Canada is blessed with an impressive array of diverse cultures. People from more than 200 communities call Canada their home.
Festivals and celebrations representing these cultures have made Canada very rich. In this context, the Vaisakhi celebration is a great asset to the Canadian Mosaic.
Vaisakhi is celebrated around mid-April every year throughout the world. It is one of the South Asian community's biggest celebrations. It signifies the beginning of the harvesting season in India.
It is also a celebration of the birth of the Khalsa (the Pure One) more than 413 years ago. It was in 1699 that the last of the 10 gurus of Sikh faith, Guru Gobind Singh Ji, baptized five Sikhs and gave them a distinct identity. Today, more than 25 million Sikhs, including around 700,000 in Canada are spread out in some 160 countries around the globe.
In Metro Vancouver, Vaisakhi is celebrated in different communities. These include two major religious colourful parades (Nagar Kirtans) in Vancouver and Surrey. They attract tens of thousands of people from all over. This year, the Nagar Kirtan in Vancouver will take place on Saturday, April 14.
Here in Richmond, East Richmond Community Association (Cambie) and South Arm Community Association will be jointly celebrating Vaisakhi on Monday, April 16 at East Richmond Community Hall from 1 to 3 p.m. Similarly, Richmond Multicultural Community Services (RMCS) will be celebrating Vaisakhi on Wednesday, April 18 at Caring Place (foyer) from 12 to 2 p.m.
In addition to that, India Cultural Centre of Canada (Nanak Niwas Gurdwara on # 5 Road) will be celebrating Vaisakhi on April 15.
These celebrations go a long way in creating more awareness and understanding about the cultural and religious significance of Vaisakhi.
I would like to wish your staff and readers a very happy Vaisakhi.
Balwant Sanghera Richmond
