Thousands of Aucklanders came together to participate in the city's biggest celebration of Vaisakhi, also known as Khalsa Sajna Diwas.
The April 16, 2023, event at Gurudwara Sri Kalgidhar Sahib in Takanini was a momentous occasion as it was the first time gurudwara management committees from across New Zealand celebrated Vaisakhi together at the same venue.
It was organised by New Zealand Central Sikh Association (NZCSA), which represents about 70,000 Sikhs in the country. It is a national body that brings together 25 gurdwaras, Sikh sports clubs, Sikh associations and other bodies spread across the country under one umbrella. It endeavours to unite the Sikh community in New Zealand on a common platform to address issues concerning their people and seek solutions.
Politicians cutting across party lines attended the event through the day. National Party leaders like Christopher Luxon, Judith Collins, Erica Stanford and Kanwaljit Singh Bakshi attended the celebration from 12pm to 1.30pm.
Sharing his experience, Luxon said, “Vaisakhi marks the start of a new year, and it is an opportunity for reflection, reconnection and revival. Vaisakhi is also an opportunity for all New Zealanders to recognise and celebrate our Indian and South Asian communities, and how these communities make our country such a richer and better place. I enjoyed spending time with many Indian-Kiwis at the Takanini Gurdwara Sri Kalgidhar Sahib and wished them a very happy Vaisakhi.”
Labour politicians, including minister Michael Wood and parliamentarians Anahila KS and Dr Anae Neru Leavasa, attended the event from 3pm to 4.30pm. They held a meeting with the wider community to discuss immigration policies that directly imact ethnic communities.
ACT Party leaders were busy at a meeting in Queenstown that day, and they sent Rahul Chopra as their representative to attend the gala.
Several Hindu and Muslim community leaders and members also attended the event and celebrated Vaisakhi with the Sikh community.
During the event, 67 people became ‘Amritdhari’, a Sikh who has taken part in the ‘Amrit’ ceremonial or initiation into the Khalsa. NZCSA President Daljit Singh said nearly 1,000 kilograms of rice, curry and chapatti each were served at the langar, or the community kitchen, besides 1,500 pizzas and 300kg of jalebi among other items. More than 100 volunteers reportedly helped in the kitchen.
Talking to The Indian Weekender, Singh said, “Vaisakhi is the biggest event we celebrate in the gurdwara. This year was all the more special as we launched NZCSA and saw all gurdwaras join together to celebrate the festival in one place. Thousands of people attended, and the cars of devotees were seen parked two kilometres away from Gurdwara Sahib. We sincerely thank Ragis, Dhadhi, Granthi, volunteers, sewadars, sponsors, sangat and political leaders for their presence at the event.”
Players from India, Australia and Canada among others participated in a youth sporting event that was also organised the same day at New Zealand Sikh Sports Complex Takanini inside the gurudwara premises.
The devotees were thrilled to be a part of the grand event.
Manjeet Kaur, who travelled to Takanini from Pukekohe with her family, said, "As a Sikh, it was great to see Vaisakhi being celebrated at such a grand scale by all the gurudwaras in one place. Importantly, it was not just Sikhs but people of different faiths who attended it in full support, and that, for me, symbolises the multiculturalism of New Zealand."