Come down to the School Library to find out more about Sikhs, Sikhism, and the history and ongoing contributions of Sikhs in Canada.
April is Sikh Heritage Month
Tag: Sikhism
Vaisakhi
April 13 is Vaisakhi. Vaisakhi is a major festival on the Sikh calendar, and one of the most important days of the year. Sikhs in Canada, India, and around the world will celebrate the founding of the Khalsa, or the worldwide body of Sikhs, as established by Guru Gobind Singh in 1699. Sometimes Vaisakhi is referred to as Khalsa Day.
Vaisakhi, or Baisakhi, was traditionally a spring harvest festival, and for some, a New Year’s Day. All across northern India, particularly in the Punjab, many different groups will celebrate Vaisakhi for these various reasons, including Hindus and other non-Sikhs. Vaisakhi is traditionally observed on April 13 or 14, but may be celebrated on different days in different places. Vancouver will hold its Vaisakhi Parade on April 13, while Surrey will hold its parade, one of the largest in the world, on April 20.
The overwhelming majority of Indo-Canadians (people of South Asian origin) in our school and in our neighbourhoods are Sikhs. As such, Vaisakhi is a major holiday here in Surrey and other cities in British Columbia with concentrated populations of Sikhs, such as Vancouver and Abbotsford.
Join with us in your School Library as we celebrate Sikh Heritage Month by learning more about Vaisakhi and other aspects of Sikh culture and history.
Find out more:
Sikh Heritage Month
April is Sikh Heritage Month in Canada
Visit us this month in the School Library as we celebrate Sikh Heritage Month. Find out more about Sikhs, Sikhism and the history of the Sikh people in Canada. Visit us in person to check out our display of books and DVDs, and visit us online to learn more about Sikh Heritage Month.
Find out more:
Guru Gobind Singh
On January 17, 2024, Sikhs in Canada and around the world celebrate Guru Gobind Singh Jayanti, a chance to observe and celebrate the birth of Guru Gobind Singh. The Guru was born in 1666 in Patna, India. He was the 10th and last of the (human) Gurus of Sikhism. He established the Khalsa, the organization of men and women baptized into the Sikh faith. He also established the Guru Granth Sahib, the holy book of Sikhism, as the final Guru for the Sikh people.
For more on Guru Gobind Singh and the Sikh faith, check out:
Guru Nanak Dev Ji Gurpurab
The founder of the Sikh religion, Guru Nanak, was born in 1469 in the north-west of India, (what is now Pakistan.) He would go on to become the first of the Ten Gurus of Sikhism. In 2023 the celebration of the birth of Guru Nanak is November 27. The day is also referred to as Guru Nanak’s Prakash Utsav and Guru Nanak Jayanti.
Most Canadians of Indian heritage who live in Canada are Sikhs, including many students at Lord Tweedsmuir, and in communities throughout Surrey and Greater Vancouver. If you are not Sikh, learn more about Guru Nanak, Sikhism, and the Sikh community. What a great way to better understand your friends, neighbours and fellow Canadians.
Find out more:
Vaisakhi
April 14 is Vaisakhi. Vaisakhi is a major festival on the Sikh calendar, and one of the most important days of the year. Sikhs in Canada, India, and around the world will celebrate the founding of the Khalsa, or the worldwide body of Sikhs, as established by Guru Gobind Singh in 1699. Sometimes Vaisakhi is referred to as Khalsa Day.
Vaisakhi, or Baisakhi, was traditionally a spring harvest festival, and for some, a New Year’s Day. All across northern India, particularly in the Punjab, many different groups will celebrate Vaisakhi for these various reasons, including Hindus and other non-Sikhs. Vaisakhi is traditionally observed on April 13 or 14, but may be celebrated on different days in different places. Vancouver will hold its Vaisakhi Parade on April 15, while Surrey will hold its parade, one of the largest in the world, on April 22.
The overwhelming majority of Indo-Canadians ( people of South Asian origin) in our school and in our neighbourhoods are Sikhs. As such, Vaisakhi is a major holiday in British Columbia, and especially in cities with concentrated populations of Sikhs, such as Surrey and Abbotsford.
Join with us in your School Library as we celebrate Sikh Heritage Month by learning more about Vaisakhi and other aspects of Sikh culture and history.
Find out more:
Sikh Heritage Month
April is Sikh Heritage Month in Canada. Celebrate with us in your School Library as we learn more about the history and culture of the Sikhs, and the ongoing contributions and achievements of Sikhs in Canada.
Find out more:
Maghi
On this day Sikhs in Canada, India and around the world celebrate Maghi. This is a holy day for Sikhs in honour of the Chali Mukte, the “Forty Liberated Ones,” who died in defence of the 10th Guru of the Sikh Faith, Guru Gobind Singh. In 2023 Maghi is celebrated on Sunday, January 14.
For more information on Sikhism, check out some of the following links:
Guru Gobind Singh
On January 5, Sikhs in Canada and around the world celebrate Guru Gobind Singh Jayanti, a chance to observe and celebrate the birth of Guru Gobind Singh. The Guru was born in 1666 in Patna, India. He was the 10th and last of the (human) Gurus of Sikhism. He established the Khalsa, the organization of men and women baptized into the Sikh faith. He also established the Guru Granth Sahib, the holy book of Sikhism, as the final Guru for the Sikh people.
For more on Guru Gobind Singh and the Sikh faith, check out:
Guru Nanak Dev Ji Gurpurab
The founder of the Sikh religion, Guru Nanak, was born in 1469 in the north-west of India, (what is now Pakistan.) He would go on to become the first of the Ten Gurus of Sikhism. In 2022 the celebration of the birth of Guru Nanak is November 8. The day is also referred to as Guru Nanak’s Prakash Utsav and Guru Nanak Jayanti.
Most Canadians of Indian heritage who live in Canada are Sikhs, including many students at Lord Tweedsmuir, and communities throughout Surrey and Greater Vancouver. If you are not Sikh, learn more about Guru Nanak, Sikhism, and the Sikh community. What a great way to better understand your friends, neighbours and fellow Canadians.
Find out more:
Vaisakhi
April 14 is Vaisakhi. Vaisakhi is a major festival on the Sikh calendar, and one of the most important days of the year. Sikhs in Canada, India, and around the world will celebrate the founding of the Khalsa, or the worldwide body of Sikhs, as established by Guru Gobind Singh in 1699.
Vaisakhi was traditionally a spring harvest festival, and for some, a New Year’s Day. All across northern India, particularly in the Punjab, many different groups will celebrate Vaisakhi for these various reasons, including Hindus and other non-Sikhs.
The overwhelming majority of Indo-Canadians ( people of South Asian origin) in our school and in our neighbourhoods are Sikhs. As such, Vaisakhi is a major holiday in these parts and a significant event that is coming up in just a few days.
Join with us in your School Library as we celebrate Sikh Heritage Month by learning more about Vaisakhi and other aspects of Sikh culture and history.
Find out more:
Sikhs & Sikhism
Come down to the School Library and check out our display of books related to Sikhs and Sikhism. Join with us as we celebrate Sikh Heritage Month in Canada.
Lord Tweedsmuir Secondary School Library 