26-05-2025
Hundreds attend Vaisakhi event hosted by West Midlands Police
Hundreds of people gathered in Birmingham over the weekend for an event organised by police to celebrate the Sikh festival of West Midlands Police Sikh Association hosted the event at the force's Tally Ho! training centre in Edgbaston on Saturday, along with local gurdawaras and in Birmingham, Wolverhampton, Dudley and Walsall contributed to a Langar, a community kitchen open to everyone who attended for also called Baisakhi, is a festival that celebrates the founding of the Sikh community, the Khalsa, in 1699.
It was originally a harvest festival in the Punjab region of India until it became the Sikh community's most important takes place in mid-April each year, and various events have been held across the West Midlands to mark it in recent weeks.
Saturday's event started with the raising of the Nishaan Sahib, a sacred flag, and a small also included sports activities such as kabaddi and weightlifting, as well as arts and crafts for children. Sundeep Kaur Cheema, from the Sikh Association, said: "The event, seamlessly blending tradition with education and joyous celebration, undoubtedly left a lasting impact on all who attended, showcasing the profound strength and vibrant spirit of the community."
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