BUTTERWORTH: Despite a more muted Vaisakhi celebration due to the ongoing Movement Control Order (MCO), Harpreet Kaur, 29, is more than thrilled to celebrate the religious festivity surrounded by her family members.
Since 9am today, the teacher joined her grandmother, parents, three siblings and brother-in-law in prayer at their family home in Jalan Siram here. All decked in their traditional attires, the celebration was broadcast live on social media.
After prayers, her homemaker mother, Harjeet Kaur, 55, then served the family with "degh" or homemade sweet delicacy, used as religious offering.
“Celebrating Vaisakhi at home this year, compared to previous years being in gurdwara, gives you a different feel. During the three-day celebration in the gurdwara, families and friends gather together to pray, provide helping hands and enjoy the food and delicacies prepared.
“However, we are very glad that we have access to the live streaming prayer that is being carried out by the priests in the gurdwara. This enables us to fulfil the prayer on Vaisakhi day with our dear ones to start off our year with divine blessings.
“Despite a more muted celebration due to the MCO, I am grateful that I am still able to celebrate Vaisakhi will all my family members. That is the most important thing," Harpreet told the New Straits Times.
The celebration was all the more meaningful for Harpreet as her sister and husband, from Kuala Lumpur, were also with her at home.
The couple had arrived in Penang on March 16 and was supposed to return to Kuala Lumpur on March 18, before the MCO came into force.
Vaisakhi, which marks the start of the Punjabi New Year, is also a day to celebrate the year when Sikhism was born as a collective faith. It is celebrated on April 13 or 14 every year.
It commemorates the inauguration of the "Khalsa" in the late 17th century, a term used for Sikhs who have been initiated or baptised.
Over the years, Vaisakhi has become a significant date on which Sikh's commemorate several historical events pertaining to the religion.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow also took to his official Facebook page to extend his wishes for Puthandu Naal Valthukal (Tamil New Year), Vaisakhi and Vishu Aashamsakal (for the Malayalees) to those celebrating the festivities.
“It is my hope that this new year will bring joy and prosperity to all.
“Use this MCO period to foster closer rapport with your loved ones. Continue to stay at home and adopt good hygiene practices and adopt social distancing," he added.