Vaisakhi 2023 Sikh festival: Southall to welcome thousands for celebrations

The London Borough of Southall, otherwise known as ‘Little India’ is expected to welcome thousands of people this weekend to celebrate the holy Sikh festival of Vaisakhi.

Vaisakhi celebrates the birth of the Khalsa - the day Sikhism was born as a collective faith.

The festival is usually celebrated on April 13 or 14 and is seen as a celebration of spring harvest primarily in Northern India.

On Sunday (April 2), Southall will host its annual Vaisakhi procession (Nagar Kirtan) from the Guru Nanak Road (Havelock Road) Gurdwara to the Park Avenue Gurdwara.

Tens of thousands of people are expected to attend the parade through the streets of Southall.

There will be free food stalls all along the procession route.

Transport for London (TfL) has warned that increased traffic and large crowds are expected in the area.

King Street, The Green and South Road will be closed for most of the day. No traffic will be allowed from the side roads.

When the procession turns into High street around 4pm, traffic from Southall Broadway, Lady Margaret road and Uxbridge road will also be blocked for at least an hour.

Vaisakhi commemorates the inauguration of the Khalsa in the late 17th century, a term used for Sikhs who have been initiated or baptised.

The inaugural Khalsa was formed in order to take a stand against the religious oppression Sikhs were facing at the time.

The first baptism of the Khalsa, a ceremony called Amrit Sanchar, took place in 1699 during Vaisakhi under the guidance of Guru Gobind Singh, the 10th Sikh guru.

During Vaisakhi, processions called Nagar Keertan are led by five Khalsa.

The Guru Granth Sahib, the holy book, is carried along the procession.

The Southall Vaisakhi procession will take place between 11.30am and 6pm on Sunday, starting at the Havelock Road Gurdwara.