Forums Organized to Shed Light on Sikh Celebration of Vaisakhi

City officials, law enforcement personnel, public school employees, local residents, business owners and others are encouraged to come out and meet with Sikhs to express their opinions and ask questions about the significance of this Vaisakhi. The celebration is historically a harvest festival in Punjab and, importantly for the Sikhs, marks the day that the Khalsa was inaugurated by Guru Gobind Singh.

The Khalsa formalized the call to Sikhs everywhere to fight against injustice, caste discrimination, sexism and patriarchal hegemony. It is a day of great joy for Sikhs as they revitalize their commitment to break down prejudice and hostility, and to join with others—Sikh and non-Sikh—in a renewed call to work together toward healthier local and global communities.

“It's unfortunate that, despite being one of the largest minorities, the Canadian population in general understands very little about the Sikh religion,” said Dr. Shalinder Singh Bhullar, a volunteer for SRIC and one of the chief organizers of the events. “Every year, thousands of people take part in the celebration of Vaisakhi, including politicians, but because of a lack of awareness of elements of the Sikh faith, often negative stereotypes and controversy cast a shadow over the celebration. We hope to educate people about the Sikh identity, their history, and to create a space people feel free to ask questions in.”

On 14 April “Understanding Vaisakhi,” will be held at the Grand Taj from 2-4 pm. This is a special session for public officials, leaders in the school districts, police officers and politicians who SRIC is inviting specifically. Harinder Singh, chief programming officer for Sikh Research Institute, will provide the historical background of the celebration in the Sikh tradition, and relate that to the contemporary importance of Vaisakhi to the Sikh community. There will also be a general overview of Sikhi, and a time for attendees to ask questions or raise issues for discussion regarding the relationship of city government and public organizations to the Sikh community of Vancouver. OMNI TV will be covering the first forum.

The second forum will be held at the Enver Creek Auditorium from 7:30-9pm on 14 April, and is open to the public. This forum, titled “Vaisakhi: From Panjabi Festival to Sikh Ideals,” will serve as a quick course in the basics of Sikhi, and will provide an opportunity for people to ask any questions they may have about Sikhi in general, or the Vaisakhi celebration. Harinder Singh will lead this discussion as well, and a portion of the presentation will cover information about the Nagar Kirtan, which typically takes place a week after Vaisakhi.

Sikh Research Institute will also be hosting two events on 16 April designed especially for the Sikh community and related to the topic of Vaisakhi. “Punjabi Festival to Sikh Ideals,” a Liv webinar, scheduled for 12-1:30pm EST. Inderpreet Singh, a board member for Sikh Research Institute, will lead the presentation, which will explore the ideological context of the Khalsa inauguration (1699) beyond the Punjabi cultural tradition. The webinar is available globally to anyone with an internet connection. A community development session, Saneha, will also be held on 16 April from 11-5pm at the Surrey Newton Library in B.C. Registration cost is $10 for an engaging afternoon of presentations, discussions and activities exploring “Guru Khalsa Panth.” The three-part workshop will cover the history, inspiration and revolution of the Khalsa and will be presented by Inderpreet Singh and Harinder Singh.