Please join us for the SBMTA and all trader’s Vaisakhi celebration – 26th April 2025

The SBMTA, all traders and the SBM Management team cordially invite you to join us with your families for the Vaisakhi Celebration.

One of the holiest days in the Sikh calendar and the time of the Harvest Festival in Punjab; we would love you to join us for Langar – the serving of free food and drinks.

Vaisakhi, a significant festival for Sikhs, commemorates the founding of the Khalsa in 1699 by Guru Gobind Singh. Before this, Vaisakhi was a harvest festival in the Punjab region of India. 

Key Events:

• 1699:

Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Sikh Guru, initiated the Khalsa Panth, a community of committed Sikhs, during the Vaisakhi festival. 

• The Panj Pyare:

Five Sikhs volunteered to be the first members of the Khalsa. Guru Gobind Singh tested their commitment by asking them to enter a tent carrying a sword. The five emerged alive, wearing turbans, and were baptized with Amrit (sweetened water). 

• Khalsa Initiation:

The Panj Pyare were the first Sikhs to undergo the Amrit Sanskar, the Sikh baptism ceremony. 

Significance:

Religious Commemoration: It is a time for Sikhs to reflect on the values of the Khalsa and their commitment to their faith. 

Founding of the Khalsa: Vaisakhi marks the beginning of the Khalsa, a community dedicated to fighting oppression and upholding righteousness. 

Harvest Festival: The festival also celebrates the spring harvest in Punjab and North India. 

Sikh New Year: Vaisakhi is considered the Sikh New Year. 

Religious Commemoration: It is a time for Sikhs to reflect on the values of the Khalsa and their commitment to their faith.