More than 200 people from all backgrounds came together in Williams Lake Saturday to enjoy and take part in Vaisakhi Day, a traditional Sikh celebration held every April.
The colourful occasion was marked with prayer, delicious sweets and treats for all, a flag raising ceremony and a traditional vegetarian dinner.
“It went very well,” said Williams Lake mayor Surinderpal Rathor, who welcomed visitors to the Guru Nanak Sikh Temple. “I was surprised. I never expected that many people. It was nice to see.”
Rathor, who moved to Williams Lake from India in 1974, is the only Sikh Punjabi mayor in B.C., and one of only two in Canada.
Always a champion for Williams Lake, he uses his platform to encourage everyone, including immigrants, to build a life in the lakecity instead of the Lower Mainland, where last weekend 500,000 Sikhs celebrated Vaisakhi Day.
“There’s hardly a day I don’t receive phone calls of people wanting advice on how to move here.”
Rathor has worked to bring a more collaborative approach to city council, which was evident in the representation from city council at Vaisakhi Day, along with Williams Lake First Nation Chief Willie Sellars and his family, who attend every year.
“Living in harmony amongst all the people is our philosophy,” said Rathor of the Sikh religion. “We believe we are all created equal, regardless of race, culture, gender. That’s why (at Vaisakhi Day) you see everybody sitting at the same table, at the same level.”
Jit Saini and his wife Harbhajan didn’t let the fact that they are over 80 years old stop them from making the trip from Richmond back to Williams Lake for a visit.
With Masters degrees in education and geography, Jit moved to Williams Lake from India as a young man the same time as Rathor in 1974. At Vaisakhi Day he reminisced about the wonderful life they had raising their family in the close-knit community for more than 40 years.
He got his steam engine ticket and enjoyed a successful career at one of the local mills, where he never once in all his years missed a day of work.
“Good job, good neighbours, it was an excellent life,” he told the Tribune, noting many of the families who retired to the Lower Mainland still keep in touch.
Food for Vaisakhi Day celebrations was graciously donated by Davinder and Madhu Bhalru.
READ MORE: OUR HOMETOWN: From humble beginnings