World of Vaisakhi

History has been created with the first ever Vaisakhi celebrations in Canadian parliament, topped by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's announcement that he would apologize for the Komagata Maru incident on May 18. At the other end of the globe, New Zealand parliament held celebrations on April 12, with PM John Key, key politicians and the first turbaned New Zealand MP Kanwaljit Singh Bakshi attending the event. A Vaisakhi parade was held for the first time in the Austrian city of Linz. In fact, the Vaisakhi celebrations across the globe herald the rising clout of the Punjabi diaspora. The Vaisakhi Parade or Khalsa Day as it is called abroad figures in the official calendar of events in many countries. On Saturday, a Nagar Kirtan was taken out in Vancouver. The Khalsa Day Parade in Surrey, which is considered to be the biggest procession of Sikhs outside India, is scheduled for April 23.The organizers of this parade had urged Sikhs to bring in their non-Sikh neighbours so that they could learn more about Sikh identity. They also asked the participants to don Kesri turbans or dupattas. "Wearing this colour gives a distinct look to the parade," said Canada resident Gurpreet Singh.In US, the Nagar Kirtan in Manhattan area is the biggest gathering of Sikhs. The Sikh Day Parade this time is on April 23. "Around 50,000 people participate in it," said Manjit Singh Dasuya, an NRI whose family also runs a business in New York.The iconic Times Square in New York was seeped in the colours of the Sikh culture as thousands of community members gathered on Saturday to celebrate Vaisakhi and educate fellow Americans about Sikhism in the wake of growing incidents of hate crimes and discrimination against them.Hundreds of excited tourists and children queued up at the popular city destination to get turbans tied.In Australia, while a Nagar Kirtan was earlier organized in Melbourne area, Sikh Heritage Day is also being organized on April 23 to mark Vaisakhi. "In Sydney, a Nagar Kirtan remains confined to a suburb for the last five years," said Melbourne based Sarvinder Singh."In UK, several religious processions are taken out in different areas on different weekends of April as gurudwaras coordinate with one another. In Gravesend, a Nagar Kirtan was taken out on April 17," said UK-based Jaspal Singh Dhesi, former president of Gurdwara Guru Nanak Darbar Gravesend, the biggest gurdwara in UK.Mayor of London also organized a Vaisakhi event with an afternoon of indoor and outdoor activities at the City Hall. These included shabad kirtan (spiritual music), langar (food), turban tying, folk music, martial arts, children's activities.Ranjit G Singh, a French Sikh Representative in Paris says," We celebrate Vaisakhi by organizing a Nagar Kirtan in the cities of Bobigny and Drancy. The parade is being held for the last 30 years."Even French people took part in the celebrations.Turbaned bikers grab eyeballsTurbaned bikers were the biggest attraction at the Ross St Nagar Kirtan in Vancouver on April 16. Members of Sikh Motorcycle Club were told to wear Kesri turban, black leather vest-jacket with club's logo on the back and a small one in front, black pants and black riding boots red shirt with collars.Blood sewa in ParisAs part of a blood donation camp at Hospital Avicennes at Bobigny, 30-40 Sikhs gave blood. The hospital staff was happy with this sewa as part of Vaisakhi celebrations. Harvinder Singh, member of Sikhs De France, Paris, said, "Hospitals organize these sessions and Gurdwara Singh Sabha issues an appeal for donation."Political stageDuring the Vancouver Nagar Kirtan on Saturday, the AAP unit put up a stall where several of its volunteers and office-bearers were wearing AAP T-shirts and Basanti turbans against the backdrop of AAP banners. The hoardings with political messages in Punjabi dotted the route. AAP Canada president Jaskeerat Mann's Facebook wall announced that it was a grand success.