This Sunday Londoners will have a chance to celebrate the Sikh festival of Vaisakhi (or Baisakhi) with an afternoon of live music and dance from DJs and artists from Asian radio stations Sunrise Radio and Buzz Asia.
The festival marks the Sikh new year and commemorates the foundation of Sikhism in 1699 by Guru Gobind Singh as a family of 'soldier saints' and is usually celebrated on 12 or 13 April.
From 12 noon, Sunrise’s Deepa Rai and Buzz Asia’s Bob B will host festivities with live performances from Bollywood dancers, musicians and dhol players including Asli Baharan Punjab Diyan, Foji, Sham D, Chan Has, Juggy D and The Phat Kat Koalition. The celebrations will start with prayers and messages for peace.
The event, now in its ninth year, is organised by London Mayor Boris Johnson, who is inviting 'all Londoners and visitors to share in this special occasion'. He continued:
"The Sikh New Year message is one of friendship, equality, generosity, mutual respect and tolerance and encapsulates the ethos of this great city of ours. London's Sikh community also brings dynamism, creativity and entrepreneurship to the capital and thus plays an important role in the capital’s cultural life and economy. I would like to say Happy Vaisakhi to all Sikhs and wish everyone a fantastic day at Trafalgar Square."
The Vaisakhi celebration is a free event in Trafalgar Square on Sunday 15 May, 12 noon - 6pm
