Doncaster Sikh temple celebrates major holy day with socially distanced celebration
It is normally one of the biggest events on the Sikh calendar in Doncaster – but a religious festival which normally attracts hundreds of people across three days has gone ahead with just a handful of people in attendance.
The religious festival at the town’s Sri Guru Kalgidhar Gurdwara normally attracts more than 350 people and takes place across three days every April.
But this year’s marking of the festival Vaisakhi went ahead at the temple this morning – with just five people in attendance.
Sikhs were seated more than 2m apart for the service which saw the gurdwarar’s gyani (priest) deliver a prayer for the entire world.
Spokesman Gurmail Vijay Swaly said: “Today we celebrate the birth of our religion.
“Normally we have a three day celebration which hundreds of people come to.
“With the current situation we had to do it as a one day thing with only a few people attending.
“We prayed for the entire world and the sick and for God to watch over everyone in this difficult time.”
Vaisakhi is usually celebrated on 13 or 14 April every year, and celebrates the start of the month of Vaisakha.
For Sikhs, the day commemorates the formation of Khalsa panth of warriors under Guru Gobind Singh in 1699.
On Vaisakhi, Gurdwaras are decorated and hold kirtans, Sikhs visit local Gurdwaras, community fairs and nagar kirtan processions are held, and people normally gather to socialise and share festive foods.