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Hundreds expected at Vaisakhi celebrations

Alice Cullinane
BBC News, West Midlands
Iqbal Singh Kular The gurdwara is painted orange and white. There are flags hanging from the ceiling of the gurdwara and a blue sky can be seen in the background. Iqbal Singh Kular
Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara said Vaisakhi brought together different generations

Hundreds of people are expected to attend Vaisakhi celebrations over the weekend in a Shropshire town, a gurdwara said.

Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara in Hadley, believed to be the first Sikh temple in the town, has spent days cleaning and decorating for the three days of festivities.

Vaisakhi is a huge annual event for Sikhs around the world, which commemorates the founding of the Sikh community, the Khalsa, in 1699.

Events in Hadley started on Friday morning with recitations of holy scriptures before the Nishan Sahib ceremony on Saturday, where a flag was changed.

"The event brings people together, everybody's happy and you feel great," Iqbal Singh Kular said.

He described Vaisakhi as a time of celebration that brought together all generations and welcomed anyone from the local community who wanted to join in.

Iqbal Singh Kular Two men are standing next to a blue fence. They are wearing coloured turbans and shirts.Iqbal Singh Kular
President of the gurdwara Hermohinder Singh Uppal with Iqbal Singh Kular, who is wearing a blue Khalsa uniform

Special celebrations took place at the temple in 2024 to commemorate its fiftieth year since opening.

The building, which was previously a primary school, was converted after a group of Sikh families raised £11,000 to buy it so they could have somewhere to worship.

Iqbal Singh Kular A group of woman are standing and chatting to one another. They are wearing headscarves and saris. Iqbal Singh Kular
Hundreds of people are expected to attend the celebrations over the weekend

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