Vaisakhi Parade

Thousands pack CN Centre for Vaisakhi Parade

May 21, 2022 | 5:17 PM

Prince George- It was a massive turnout at the Sikh Temple in College Heights to celebrate and see the Vaisakhi parade.

A festival celebrated in the Sikh religion, it marks the Sikh new year and commemorates the formation of the Khalsa Panth of warriors under the Guru.

“It is a big day,” says Malkiat singh hoonjan of the Legendary Sikh Riders. ” Usually, it is celebrated in April, but because we live in Prince George and the weather isn’t the greatest in April, they kicked it up to May.”

The Parade was kicked off with a display of Sikh Martial Arts. They were making the four-kilometre journey from the temple to the CN Centre. All cultures are welcome to the event, to learn about the Sikh religion, enjoy ethnic food and a beautiful day in Prince George.

With a crowd of thousands on hand at the CN Centre, this year’s celebration was just that much more special as the Sikh temple received a one-of-a-kind gift. A palki was built by hand by the legendary Sikh riders for the Gurdwara Sahib Guru Nanak Darbar Temple as a part of their expansions made on the building recently.

” It is a very honourable thing, and it’s one of those things that you don’t get a chance to do very often. Not everybody gets the chance to do it.” Said hoonjan on building the palki. ” So you to have the skills and ability to make it, you have to have the vision and got to have the love for the Guru and how you present it.”

A palki is a wooden platform which is highly decorated, enhancing the Guru’s seeding.