Busy times at the temples on a day of joyful festivities
BENTONG: The kitchen at Gurdwara Sahib Bentong was a flurry of activity as women from the Sikh community made chapati, peeling onions and tending to big pots of gravy.
Prakash Kaur, 74, was seen kneading the chapati dough with her hands.
“My chapati is very nice. People who say they only want to eat one will end up eating two,” she said proudly.
The chapati is eaten together with rijma saag (several types of vegetables stewed into a paste) and yoghurt.
Inside the carpeted prayer hall, Rupinderjit Kaur, 26, said devotees took turns reading religious texts from Friday until Sunday morning nonstop in celebration of Vaisakhi.
“This is a religious festival to mark the birth of khalsa in 1699 under the 10th Sikh guru, Sri Guru Gobind Singh,” she said.
“That was when the Sikhs got the title of Singh and Kaur.”
There are about 50 Sikh families in Bentong. For three days, they gather at the temple for prayers and langgar seva, the act of cooking and eating vegetarian feasts together.
“Selfless acts are also encouraged, such as sharing the festive cheer with orphans by inviting them over for lunch,” Rupinderjit explained.
Sisters Narvinder, Jasvinder and Tasvir Kaur said the festival brought families and friends together at the temple.
Yesterday was also the Tamil New Year and Vishu, the Malayalee New Year.
Varisha Piruppu or Puthandu marks the first day of the first month, Chittirai, in the Tamil calendar.
The new year that began yesterday is known as the Vilambi year.
Bentong MP and Transport Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai dropped by the gurdwara yesterday evening with his wife Datin Seri Lee Sun Loo for the occasion.
The gurdwara’s president Datuk Jasvir Singh said although the Sikh community was a minority here, Liow had not neglected their needs.
“He has given us an allocation of RM150,000 to cover our renovation costs.”
In George Town, some 50 volunteers worked nonstop to provide meals for devotees and guests for the Vaisakhi celebration at the Wadda Gurdwara Sahib in Jalan Gurdwara here.
Among them was retiree Jaswant Singh, 62, who was spotted washing dishes with several others.
“I’m glad to be helping out on this special day. It’s a way for me to contribute to the celebration,” he said.
Grandmother of three, Jagjit Kaur, 65, was spotted in a purple Punjabi suit, distributing sweets and savoury snacks at the buffet station.
She has been a volunteer for many years and hopes to continue doing so for as long as she can.
Also present were Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng and state executive councillor Jagdeep Singh Deo.
Wadda Gurdwara Sahib Penang president Datuk Balvinder Singh said the gurdwara provided devotees and guests with breakfast and lunch.
“We provide free lunch on a daily basis here but the menu today consists of more items as it is a special occasion.”
The Vaisakhi celebration at the gurdwara also saw a Gatka demonstration, a martial art associated with the Sikhs of the Punjab region. It is a form of fighting with wooden sticks intended to simulate swords.