Yesterday was the day the Gravesend Sikh community celebrated the festival of Vaisakhi with a Nagar Kirtan, which is a religious parade where we take the holy book around the town. Thousands of people follow the parade, and at the back there are trailers filled with adults and children from various clubs and associations, like the Punjabi School, sports clubs, and my Kid’s Bhangra and Drum class!
The last few years I have been either walking, or sitting with them on their trailer, and this year was no different. It was a glorious day, and we had great fun.
The end of the parade comes with prayers, and the Gurdwara set up a fair in their sports ground where there were stalls and rides, a stage with religious entertainment, including a famous Bhangra and religious singer, Sukhshinder Shinda.
And it was great to see my niece in her uniform, promoting the police force, and encouraging youngsters to join the police as a worthwhile career!
And there was a large ‘Sikh’ wondering around too for some reason!
The Nagar Kirtan is famous for the amount of people who come here, but the other thing is the food. It is known as ‘Seva’ when local businesses serve food, drinks and snacks for free, as part of their donations to the temple, and there was plenty on the route of the parade, Pizza, pakoras and samosa, fresh jalebis and masala chai, chickpea curry and bhature, crisps, popcorn and sweets, along with drinks. Then at the playing field there were marquees set up by local catering countries for more delicious delicacies, like masala dosa, curry and rice, bread pakora, and pizza again! Oh, and cake!!!
We had great weather, it was a lovely day! Ok, so the kids may have been bouncing off walls and ceilings from a sugar high, but hey, it’s Vaisakhi!!!
In fact when I unpacked my bag, this was what I came home with…
I had to dress for the occasion… obviously!
And even Sonu Singh joined in (at home!).
But I Smile Anyway... 
Apr 18, 2017 @ 01:23:26
What a fun day….and you looked beautiful in that color……loved the cat…his expression is priceless….xxkat
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Apr 18, 2017 @ 06:42:08
Thank you Kat. It is always a lovely day! And Sonu Singh, well you know him, he has to put up with me!!!
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Apr 17, 2017 @ 20:10:45
I saw footage on the local news of a similar event in Leeds this weekend, Ritu. It made me smile just watching all the happy faces. Where do I sign up for next year’s?
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Apr 17, 2017 @ 20:27:46
You don’t need to sign up! Welcome to just turn up to any of them! The Birmingham one is at the end if the month!
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Apr 17, 2017 @ 15:02:42
Looks like you had a wonderful time Sis. You looked great and so did little Sonu Singh! 🙂
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Apr 17, 2017 @ 15:29:45
Aw thanks sis! It’s always a lovely day 😊
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Apr 17, 2017 @ 14:08:31
Thank you for sharing, such a wonderful, beautiful and joyful day Sister!!
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Apr 17, 2017 @ 14:22:37
Glad you enjoyed it Brother!!
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Apr 17, 2017 @ 15:17:19
Yes, great pics Sister!!
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Apr 17, 2017 @ 10:42:40
Wow, looks like a huge festival and so much fun! Does it always go together with Easter? Or was it just this year?
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Apr 17, 2017 @ 12:47:09
It’s always the first weekend after the 13th April. Easter sometimes falls then!!! X
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Apr 17, 2017 @ 14:28:51
Ah, I see! Thank you!
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Apr 17, 2017 @ 15:27:14
😃😃😃
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Apr 17, 2017 @ 20:06:00
😁😁
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Apr 17, 2017 @ 06:59:09
Vaisakhi di lakh lakh vadaiyan 🙂
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Apr 17, 2017 @ 09:25:37
Thank you so much!!! 🙂
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Apr 17, 2017 @ 05:50:26
Somehow, it always seems strange to me, to see a large Indian community outside India celebrating Indian festivals!
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Apr 17, 2017 @ 09:25:16
And to do it with such Pomp! It is great. They hold Nagar Kirtans all round the country!
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Apr 17, 2017 @ 14:07:22
Wow. We don’t do that in India anymore! We just get sizzled and sozzled!
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Apr 17, 2017 @ 14:09:28
Sometimes the further away you are, the stronger the pull to remember your roots!
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Apr 17, 2017 @ 14:53:09
That is true. When we were in Shanghai, we did just that
Then, in Beijing, I celebrated Holi in the snow after which, I went off, with a coloured face to do some street photography.
I think that, even the way that all of you speak Punjabi and Hindi is very different from how we speak it. We mix H/P with English, often in the same sentence
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Apr 17, 2017 @ 15:28:58
Lol we do that too, mixing English slang into our punjabi. Plus the accents are different too!!!
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Apr 16, 2017 @ 23:54:26
That was so cool! What a wonderful merging of spirituality and fun. And now I have an enormous craving for Indian food which I will satisfy, one way or another, even though I live in Albuquerque, NM.
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Apr 17, 2017 @ 09:24:27
Lol! Well next year come over here, it’ll soon be satisfied!!!
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Apr 16, 2017 @ 23:23:45
Sounds like a beautiful and fun day! 🙂
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Apr 16, 2017 @ 23:35:10
It is always a wonderful day Tonya!!!
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Apr 16, 2017 @ 21:02:32
Sonu Singh does not look very impressed. It sounds like a great day, though.
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Apr 16, 2017 @ 22:08:55
April he is just used to me now… lol!!!
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Apr 16, 2017 @ 20:13:37
Glorious day, beautiful colours, fabulous food and everyone happy… what’s more to want?? ❤
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Apr 16, 2017 @ 22:07:17
It was a beautiful day sis xx
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