On 18th April, members of the Deloitte Sikh Network (DSN) will be hosting a Vaisakhi event in Central Square from 12 noon until 2:00pm and will be treating members of the Brindleyplace community to a selection of delicious food and snacks.
The aim of the event is not only to provide a range of lunchtime goodies, but has the greater goal of educating people on the meaning of Sikhism and the beliefs of Sikhs around the world and also forging long term friendships and relationships amongst people of all religions and beliefs the estate over.
As pointed out by Matt Long, Senior Asset Manager, at the end of last year:
“Brindleyplace starts and ends with ‘community’ and 2023 has seen us refresh and enhance our workspaces and our relationships with each other and the wider Birmingham business, leisure and charitable communities.”
He goes on to note that:
“These are all areas that the estate looks to build upon in 2024 and as such we’re pleased to be hosting the first DSN Vaisakhi event that will bring together not only members of the network from Deloitte’s but, it is hoped, will open up the network to the wider Brindley community and forge deeper understandings and relationships across the estate”.
For Sikhs, Vaisakhi holds immense importance as it marks the establishment of the Khalsa Panth by Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Sikh Guru, in 1699. On Vaisakhi Day of that year, Guru Gobind Singh gathered Sikhs in Anandpur Sahib and publicly initiated a group of devoted followers into the Khalsa, a community of baptized Sikhs committed to upholding the principles of Sikhism. This event is known as the Birth of the Khalsa or the Khalsa Sirjana Divas.
Traditionally, Vaisakhi is an ancient Sikh harvest festival marking the beginning of the new harvest season. It is one of the most significant holidays in the Sikh calendar. On Vaisakhi, many Sikhs go to the temple (Gurdwara) to pray and religious services are held. After prayer, Sikhs tend to wear colourful traditional Indian clothes and take part in parades through the streets. There is singing, dancing and chanting of hymns. Here at Brindleyplace there promises to be lots of eating (of mainly Indian foods).
The DSN is working to increase its presence around Birmingham with the aim of educating people of all backgrounds on Sikhism, and the beliefs held by those that practice the religion and they hope that by holding events such as this one, they will help raise their profile and that of their religion in the Brindleyplace community and beyond.
Everyone is welcome to this inaugural event!
The DSN would love for as many people as possible to attend and join in the celebrations along with learning more about what Vaisakhi means to those of the Sikh faith.
