In declaring April as Sikh Heritage Month in B.C. the provincial government also added 15 South Asian historic places to the B.C. Register of Historic Places.
Among them are the Punjabi Market in Vancouver, the Golden Sikh Temple in Golden, and the Topaz Street Sikh Gurdwara in Victoria.
Williams Lake has two Sikh temples which will celebrate Viasakhi Day on separate weekends during April and May. Vaisakhi marks the new year and spring harvest in India and the creation of the Sikh religion with the formation of the Sikh faith and Khalsa panth of warriors under Guru Gobind Singh in 1699.
The Gurdwara Western Singh Sabha Temple on Pine Street will celebrate Vaisakhi on Friday, April 28, Saturday, April 29 and Sunday, April 30.
Reading of the Sikh holy book the Sri-Gur Granth Sahib begins at 9:30 a.m. Friday morning. The holy book is read continuously by members of the temple during the three day celebration until Bhog (or finishing) at 9:30 a.m. on Sunday morning.
The flag raising ceremony will take place at 4 p.m. on Saturday, April 29.
The temple extends an open invitation to everyone in the community to visit the temple during the celebrations, says Gurdwara Western Singh Sabha Temple president Kishan S. Parmar.
Throughout the three-day celebration hot vegetarian breakfasts, lunches and dinners will be held in the temple’s community kitchen for visitors and guests.
The reading of the Holy Book Guru Granth and Vaisakhi celebrations conclude at noon on Sunday with a special luncheon following ceremonies in the temple hall.
For more information contact Gurdwara Western Singh Sabha Temple president Kishan S. Parmar at 250-392-2401.
The Guru Nanak Sikh Temple on Mackenzie Avenue will celebrate Vaisakhi on Friday, May 5, Saturday, May 6, and Sunday, May 7.
The celebration will begin with prayers at 8 a.m. Friday morning followed by the reading of the Holy script at 9 a.m. and continuing until Bhog on conclusion at 9 a.m. on Sunday morning.
The flag raising ceremony takes place Saturday, May 6 starting with tea and refreshments from 4 to 5 p.m. in the temple kitchen and the flag raising starting at 5 p.m. The flag raising will be followed by a vegetarian dinner starting at 6:30 p.m. in the temple’s community kitchen.
Three priests from India will be participating in the ceremonies and will be leading prayers, singing and music each evening at the temple during the week prior to Vaisakhi.
Sikh Priests Baljinder Singh, Kalvinder Singh and Jagir Sing will lead evening prayers at the temple May 1 to 4 starting at 4:30 p.m. followed by hymn singing and music from 5:45 to 7 p.m. The hymn singing will be followed each evening by a vegetarian dinner in the temple’s community kitchen starting at 7 p.m.
Guru Nanak Sikh Temple president Dalvinder S. Galsian invites the whole community to visit the temple during the Viasakhi celebrations which will also include vegetarian breakfasts, lunches and dinners served during the three-day reading of the holy book.
A special luncheon concludes the celebrations at noon on Sunday morning, May 7, after ceremonies in the temple hall.
It is noted that heads are covered (scarves are provided) and shoes are removed when entering the Sikh temples for worship. Alcohol and tobacco are not permitted and all meals are vegetarian.
For more information contact Guru Nanak Temple president Dalvinder S. Galsian at 250-392-5352.