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Sikhs mark Vaisakhi in Reading with
Nagar Kirtan
Young children lead the procession and spread cheer amongst
onlookers
WSN Network
READING:
More than
1,000 worshippers joined together for the end of celebrations to
mark Vaisakhi – the holiest day in the Sikh calendar.
On Sunday Sikhs
in
Reading,
Wokingham and
West Berkshire
walked through the town for about four hours in the form of a Nagar
Kirtan.
The procession
started at the Sri Guru Singh Sabha Gurdwara in Cumberland Road at
11am and followed a route through Wokingham Road and Church Road.
It stopped off
at
Reading's
other Sikh shrine, the Ramgarhia Sabha Gurdwara, on
London Road
before it finished back at Cumberland Road at 3pm. For the first
time, this year's Nagar Kirtan,
Reading's
seventh, was led by young children.
Lines of boys
and girls guided the procession through Reading. Meanwhile, the
Sikh's holy scripture, Sri Guru Granth Sahib, was carried on a
decorated float. Sikhs sang divine hymns as they walked.
Parminder Singh,
who helped organise this year's event, said it went fantastically.
The Evening Post quoted him as saying: "The procession this year was
much larger than the previous six years and we had Sikh communities
from outside Reading and Wokingham attending as well. "The fire
brigade and Thames Valley Police joined in as well as Reading East
MP Rob Wilson who accompanied the procession."
Overall about
1,500 people joined the procession wearing gold, orange or yellow to
create a colourful reminder of their religious roots.
Representatives
of the community walked barefoot as they carried out a ceremonial
sweeping with brooms and rose water. Others clutched ceremonial
swords and flags as they marched through the streets.
7
May,
2008
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