Fête de Vaisakhi 2024: a grand parade this weekend in Bobigny

Celebrated every year in April, the Vaisakhi festival, also known as the Vasakhi festival, returns to Bobigny in Seine-Saint-Denis this Sunday, April 14, 2024.

Considered an essential part of the Sikh calendar, Vaisakhi is a traditional festival originating in Punjab, a region in north-western India. This event traditionally corresponds to the harvest festival and the celebration of the arrival of spring. Since 1699, it has also been a religious festival for the Sikhs. According to the inventory of intangible cultural heritage published by the Ministry of Culture, the Vaisakhi festival corresponds more precisely to the anniversary of the institution of the " Amrit Sanskar ", i.e. Sikh " baptism ", and the " Khalsa ", the " order of the pure ", created by Gobind Singh (1666-1708), the tenth and last Guru.

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On the famous festival of Vaisakhi, Sikhs perform various rituals, including processions called " Nagar Kirtan ". In France, Sikhs from the diaspora have been celebrating Vaisakhi publicly since 1988. In Île-de-France, the first " Nagar Kirtan " was held in the Porte de Bagnolet area of Paris. Today, the most important celebration is held every year in Bobigny, Seine-Saint-Denis. According to the French Ministry of Culture, the Franco-Sikh community in the Île-de-France region numbers between 10,000 and 15,000 people.

On April 14, the Sikhs of Ile-de-France will gather in Bobigny for the traditional Vaisakhi festival parade. It's an opportunity for Sikhs to renew their religious vows, but also to present their culture to as many people as possible.

What's on the program? A " Nagar Kirtan " parade through the streets of Bobigny throughout the day. The procession will start at around 12:30 p.m. from the Gurdwara Singh Sabha temple, considered to be the first Sikh temple in France. On its website, the city of Bobigny indicates that the parade will then pass by the Stade Henri Wallon and cross the Place Rabin and Arafat before joining the Avenue Paul Vaillant Couturier, the Place Escadrille Normandie Niemen and returning to the Rue de la Ferme. There will also be demonstrations of the Sikh martial art " Gatka ".