According to Standard Freeholder “ This year’s Vaisakhi celebration in Cornwall broke new ground and helped people make new connections
On April 13, some 350 Sikhs and their guests celebrated Vaisakhi (also known as Baisakhi) in the hall-cum-gymnasium of St. John’s Presbyterian Church on Second Street East. The month of April is also recognized in both Ontario and Canada as Sikh Heritage Month.
A traditional harvest festival in the Punjab region of India, Vaisakhi is celebrated by Sikhs to mark the day in 1699 when the 10th Sikh guru, Gobind Singh, founded the Khalsa Panth (pure path), a group of dedicated Sikhs charged with defending and protecting the faith.
With some 25 million adherents worldwide making it numerically the fifth-largest religion in the world after Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism, Sikhism originated in India in the late 15th century at a time of religious conflict between Muslims and Hindus.
The faith’s founder Guru Nanak famously said: “There is neither Hindu nor Muslim, but only man. So, whose path shall I follow? I shall follow God’s path.”
While the Sikh gurudwara (place of worship) in Cornwall is undergoing renovations, the local Sikh community is using other venues for its activities.
The five-hour-long Cornwall event included prayers, music, and call-and-response chanting, followed by a community meal known as langar. The centrepiece on the stage was the Sikh holy book – the Granth Sahib (Living Guru)
The main speaker was Shamsher Singh from Ottawa, who gave extensive historical background to Vaisakhi and the creation of the Khalsa Panth. Music was provided by Joginder Singh Khalsa on harmonium and his son, Jaipreet Singh, on classical Indian drums known as tabla.
Most of the Sikhs in attendance sat cross-legged on sheets on the floor throughout the proceedings in a striking demonstration of discipline and gender equality.
This year’s event broke new ground with the presence of Cornwall Mayor Justin Towndale, Cornwall Police Service equity, diversity and inclusion co-ordinator Farhana Meghji, and three police constables.
In his remarks, Towndale commended those present for choosing Cornwall as their place of residence and highlighted the city’s rapidly increasing ethnic diversity.
Joginder, well-known in Cornwall for his many years of service as the Ramada Inn’s head chef, noted that when he first arrived in Cornwall some 35 years ago, there were very few Sikhs like him who wore a turban. Today there are hundreds. In honour of Sikh Heritage Month, two attendees were presented with certificates of appreciation – Singh for “your remarkable achievement as the first Sikh bus driver for the City of Cornwall… your contribution stands as a meaningful milestone in our city’s journey toward greater inclusion and representation” and Khalsa for “your many years of dedication to the community, your outstanding service and positive representation of the Sikh community, and your commitment to fostering understanding, inclusion and pride (that) uplifts not only the Sikh community, but our entire city.”
In her remarks, which she opened and closed with two well-known Sikh expressions in Punjabi – “Sat Sri Akal” (God is truth), and “Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh” (the Khalsa belongs to God, victory belongs to God), Meghji paid special tribute to certain virtues respected by Sikhs that police officers also endeavour to practise:
“Vaisakhi, of course, marks the birth of the Khalsa — a moment that symbolizes courage, unity, and the deep responsibility of serving others. That spirit of selfless service, or seva, is something we at Cornwall Police deeply admire and strive to reflect in our own work,” said Meghji.
“In policing, we talk often about public service, about protecting and supporting those around us — but when we look to the Sikh community, we see those principles embodied not just in words, but in action: from feeding thousands through langar, to volunteering during crises, to standing up for justice and inclusion…
“Events like today give us the opportunity to learn from one another, to celebrate culture and identity, and to continue moving forward together.”
To mark Sikh Heritage Month in Cornwall, the local Sikh community is organizing a food drive of non-perishable items for the Agapè Centre—at the Everest Fresh Supermarket on Vincent Massey Drive.
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