Reporter staff
The Sikh community celebrated Vaisakhi Day or Vaisakhi – a religious and colorful festival filled with music, prayer, food, exhibits and a parade – at a sun-splashed ShoWare Center last Saturday.
Every spring millions of Sikhs worldwide celebrate Vaisakhi Day, marking the new year for the community. It is considered one of the most important festivals in the Sikh calendar.
Vaisakhi is historically the festival of spring harvest in Punjab, India.
Washington has about 50,000 Sikhs, with the majority residing in Kent and Renton.
The day’s main focus is the Nagar Kirtan, the parade, in which thousands of people proceeded through the streets of Kent, singing hymns from a sacred book of worship known as Guru Granth Sahib Ji, the Sikhs’ most ultimate holy scripture.
The festival also recognized individuals and organizations, including Kent Mayor Suzette Cooke for her leadership and support of the Sikh community.
Inside the ShoWare Center, the Darbar Sahib (main prayer hall) was set up with elegance and detail.
The celebration, presented by the Gurdwara Singh Sabha of Washington in Renton, drew between 12,000 and 15,000 people.
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