KUALA LUMPUR: After two years of muted celebrations due to Covid-19 restrictions, the Sikh community welcomes the Vaisakhi festival in a big way this time around.
The Vaisakhi festival, which is often referred to as an appreciation for harvested crops, is one of the most significant festivals in the Sikh community calendar year.
The festival also carries a spiritual meaning for the Sikh community as it signifies the creation of a new order, the Khalsa (which means "pure"), by the 10th Guru Gobind Singh.
Following a three-day celebration which culminates today, the New Straits Times team paid a visit to the Gurdwara Sahib Sentul, a place of worship where the Sikh community hosts Vaisakhi celebrations in the area.
Gurdwara Sahib Sentul president Datuk Rajpal Singh said Vaisakhi this time around had attracted the biggest congregation so far after pandemic restrictions were lifted.
"The celebration is very grand this year as we have also just finished completing the renovation of the gurdwara and many people have been waiting for this.
"It has been a very busy period during the last three weeks since the launch of the new wing in the gurdwara.
"The gurdwara, which has been around for 94 years has been extended to several new wings to cater to huge crowds and Sikh families nationwide," he said when met by reporters ahead of the celebration, this morning.
It was also estimated that about 5,000 devotees attended today to pay their respects to the 10th Guru, he said.
At the same time, one of the key events during the three-day festival is the Nishan Sahib, the changing of flag on a pole within the gurdwara compound.
The Chola Sahib – a cloth in yellow and gold hues mounted on the long steel pole – will be replaced with a new one and cleaned with milk and water to signify the start of the celebration following the completion of the recital of 1,430 pages holy scripture Akhand Paath within 48 hours.
Meanwhile, Rajpal said the pole would also act as a sign to welcome those in dire need and troubled to the premises.
"This is why every gurdwara has the flag sign and this indicates that our door is always open for every individual, regardless of race and religion.
"Food will always be served at all times and you will never go hungry," he said.