The Panj Piyare in saffron robes walk with kirpan (swords) held up on a Hounslow street during the Vaisakhi procession
Vaisakhi celebrations at the Sri Guru Singh Sabha, Alice Way, Hounslow, England. Vaisakhi celebrates the day in 1699 when the 10th Sikh Guru initiated five faithful Sikhs to become the first Khalsa or Pure. These original Khalsa are represented in the event by the Five Beloved Ones (Panj Pyare) in saffron robes carrying ceremonial swords. The 10th Guru also appointed the teaching in the Sikh scriptures, the Guru Granth Sahib, as the eternal spiritual guide (Guru) for Sikhs, and it occupies a position of great respect both during the ceremonies in the worship hall and on a throne in the decorated lorry which travels behind the Panj Pyare in the procession. This is followed by a large crowd of the Sikh congregation, probably more than a thousand in the Hounslow procession, which goes around the town to visit a second Gurdwara before returning to the larger Sri Guru Singh Sabha. As usual there is free food for all who need it in the Gurdwara, and there were also stalls along the route giving away free meals. The various Gurdwara in the London area celebrate Vaisahki on different days, so it is possible to attend the Hounslow is in outer London, a couple of miles south of Southall, the main centre of Sikh settlement in London
Size: 5040px × 3347px
Location: Sri Guru Singh Sabha, Alice Way, Hounslow, England, UK
Photo credit: © Peter Marshall / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: baisakhi, beloved, celebration, granth, gurdwara, guru, hounslow, khalsa, kirpan, panj, piyare, procession, pure, pyare, religious, robes, sabha, saffron, sahib, scarves, sikh, sikhism, singh, sri, swords, temple, vaisakhi, white
