Coming together: Sikh women performing a special prayer to mark Vaisakhi at Gudwara Sahib in Petaling Jaya. — AZHAR MAHFOF/The Star
PETALING JAYA: The Gurdwara Sahib Taiping in Perak was abuzz with activity as devotees from the Sikh community came together to celebrate Vaisakhi.
In the kitchen, a dedicated team worked tirelessly to ensure everything was ready for the celebration yesterday.
“We started cooking in advance for the big day. It was a lot of hard work, but it was worth it,” said Balraaj Singh, president of the Taiping gurdwara.
“Preparations for the 80kg rijma saag (stewed vegetables paste) involved various types of ingredients, and our kitchen was able to serve up to 400 people, just as we do every year,” he said.
Vaisakhi commemmorates the birth of the Khalsa order in the year 1699. It was on this day that Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Sikh guru, created the Khalsa order through the Amrit Sanchaar (baptism) ceremony after which Sikh men began using “Singh” (lion) with their names while the women used “Kaur” (princess).
This, among others, was to fight tyranny and oppression, put an end to caste discrimination and promote equality.
Vaisakhi, which marks the first day of the month of Vaisakh, is observed on April 13 or 14 as a spring harvest celebration primarily in Punjab and northern India.
From early in the morning, the aroma of traditional dishes like dhal and sweet treats like kheer (sweet vermicelli) filled the air.
“The spirit of Vaisakhi is about community and giving. At the temple, there is no charge for meals; contributions are made based on goodwill.
“We are thankful to have continued this tradition,” said Balraaj, who also expressed hope for smaller Sikh communities in the country.
“I feel that gurdwaras in small towns are seeing fewer members. Some couldn’t celebrate Vaisakhi because there weren’t enough people to help with the preparations.
“I hope those from smaller towns will go back to their hometowns to make the event merrier,” he said.
For the Sikh community at Gurdwara Sahib Petaling Jaya, Vaisakhi was also a testament to unity, devotion and resilience.
As the festival approached, humanitarian consultant Rajender Singh, 52, had been clocking in at the temple to help cook for more than 2,000 visitors daily.
“The celebration started early morning Friday.
“I was there by 4am, and we prepared various vegetarian dishes, like chapati, dhal, mango pickle, yogurt and traditional sweets like jelebi, parfi and the Punjabi cha (tea).
“I have been volunteering here for more than 30 years. It’s a devotion that I find spiritually refreshing,” he said.
