Sponsored by
Communities unite to celebrate Sikh festival
IT is a toe-tapping music that makes it impossible to sit still, no matter what your dancing ability.
IT is a toe-tapping music that makes it impossible to sit still, no matter what your dancing ability.Even the deputy mayor of Peterborough Pat Nash, city council chief executive Gillian Beasley and Werrington North Councillor Judy Fox found the bhangra beat hard to resist.
They joined hundreds of people from communities across the city, including city councillor John Fox and deputy mayoress Trudie Meadows to celebrate the Sikh harvest festival of Vaisakhi during an evening of colour, culture and music.
The Vaisakhi dinner and dance, organised by the Punjabi Indian Community Association, saw about 400 people come together and enjoy some spectacular drum and dance displays at the city’s Cressett, in Bretton.
Vaisakhi (or Baisakhi) is one of the most important dates in the Sikh calendar. It is the Sikh new year festival and also commemorates 1699, the year Sikhism was born as a collective faith.
Vaisakhi is also a long established harvest festival in the Punjab which had been celebrated long before it gained an added dimension for Sikhs.
In 1699 the 10th guru, Guru Gobind Singh, chose Vaisakhi as the occasion to transform the Sikhs into a family of soldier saints, known as the Khalsa Panth.
President of the Punjabi Indian Community Association Ram Singh Kalra said: “It was an excellent evening.
“We are trying to integrate the culture of India into Peterborough. The festival was part of a national integration, welcoming people from all communities in the city to enjoy tranquillity, peace and harmony.”
Year 4 pupil at Holmes School Victoria Cater (9) was among the bhangra dance troupe. She said: “I learned to dance at school last year. I love it because its really fun. It’s a very colourful festival.”
Jessica Baxter (7) a Year 3 William De Yaxley pupil, was also in the line-up and learnt the art at after-school club. She said: “I like it because it is a lot of exercise and fun.”
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Peterborough
Friday 25 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 11 C to 24 C
Wind Speed: 20 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 11 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 21 mph
Wind direction: East
Your view
Please sign in to be able to comment on this story.