With Omicron cases rising, the Sikh community have said they are keeping their celebrations to a minimum. Although the traditional Sikh New Year is in March 2022, the end of December is when the community like to get together because it’s a way to practice gratitude.

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Nuvleen Kaur, an 11-year-old practicing Sikh, said: “On New Year’s Day I go to the gurdwara with my family to ask for blessings from the Guru Granth Sahib Ji. I also pay my respects to Guru Ji as we pray to ask that we have a good year ahead. I then listen to Guru Ji’s prayers which are the sayings and teachings of Guru Ji himself. They allow me to understand Guru Ji’s teachings and connect with others around me.

“After praying I bow to Guru Granth Sahib Ji and respectfully leave the darbar hall to join everyone in the langar hall. We, in turn, take our food which consists of roti, daahl, sabji, a piece of fruit, something sweet and either water or tea. We sit together on the floor and eat: we don’t leave any food as we are also thinking about the less fortunate. Once finished we take our plates over to the sink and do sewa (selfless service) which is to selflessly wash, dry and put the dishes away, or to help prepare, make or serve the food.”

Whilst most of the UK will be ringing in the New Year on 1 January, for Sikhs their New Year falls in March during the month of Chet. This is because Sikh’s follow the solar calendar instead of the Gregorian calendar and Chet is the first month of the solar calendar.

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2 months ago · Minreet Kaur

Despite 1 January not technically being a new year for Sikhs, it’s still a time for many to celebrate. Like any day, Sikhs use it as a time for reflection, and it’s helpful to review the last 12 months that have gone by and think about what they wish to achieve in the coming year. As the clock strikes midnight, families will be visiting local gurdwaras across the county.

“I feel that the calm environment of the gurdwara allows for us to really set our intentions for the coming year and address what we hope to achieve,” Mahi Kaur, a local Sikh, said. “For me, personally, celebrating in the gurdwara helps me feel more accountable than if I just set resolutions at home. I feel I am letting our Guru know that this is what I wish to achieve in the year and with his continuing guidance I am more likely to reach these goals.

“We will then end the evening enjoying langar (a free meal provided by the gurdwara) along with the rest of the congregation, it is once again a reminder that we are all equal and really are blessed to be able enjoy these significant events together as a community.”

A spokesperson at Guru Nanak Dev Ji Gurdwara told us that “This is a time to remember Sikh history: so we decided to hold a camp for children that would give them a chance to remember the important aspects of our faith and the stories that follow it. It also lets the children engage in other activities that would bring them closer to their religion as well as building bonds within the community.

“The camps were organised by age order to ensure that we could cater the day effectively. We ensured that each day had enough variety to keep the children engaged and thus allowing them to take in all the new information they were given. The day’s consisted of talks and seminars based around the Char Shabizade, and general Sikh teachings, but there were also talks on bullying and how children can defend themselves in difficult situations, which led nicely onto the martial arts classes that we had arranged.

“To coincide with giving the children some downtime we also arranged for bouncy castles, gladiator duels, and giant floor games such as Jenga and Noughts and Crosses. The camps have been a great success and the children have thoroughly enjoyed them. It’s been an incredible experience for all involved. We look forward to hosting more of these camps in the future.”

At this time of year, the Sikh community will also send meals out to the homeless and the gurdwara is open to all those who would like to visit.

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8 days ago · 2 likes · 3 comments · Minreet Kaur