Festivals, Birth and Naming Ceremonies
Festivals in Sikh Life
Sikh festivals are called melas (gatherings or fairs) and Gurpurbs (Guru anniversaries). Together they mark the cycle of the Sikh year and connect the community to its history, scripture and values. For Sikhs in Britain, festivals are celebrated both at local gurdwaras and, for some families, through visits to India and historically significant gurdwaras.
Vaisakhi (Baisakhi)
Vaisakhi (also spelled Baisakhi) is celebrated in April and is one of the most important festivals in the Sikh calendar. Its religious significance is paramount: it was at Vaisakhi in 1699 that Guru Gobind Singh founded the Khalsa, calling five men from different castes to offer their lives for their faith and initiating them into the first Khalsa brotherhood. This moment is seen as the birth of the Khalsa and a defining moment in Sikh history.
In Britain, Vaisakhi is celebrated with akhand paths in the days leading up to the festival, processions (nagar kirtan) through city streets, kirtan in the gurdwara, langar, and in recent years large public celebrations in cities including Southall, Birmingham and Glasgow. The nagar kirtan is led by the Panj Pyare (five initiated Sikhs who symbolise the original Five Beloved Ones), carrying the Guru Granth Sahib through the streets. It is both a religious celebration and a proud expression of Sikh identity in British public life.
In Punjab, Vaisakhi also coincides with the spring harvest, making it a time of double celebration — the land’s abundance reflecting God’s provision. British Sikhs with family in Punjab often feel a strong cultural connection to the harvest dimension of the festival.
Vaisakhi 1699 was the most significant day in the history of the Sikh community after Guru Nanak’s founding revelation — Guru Gobind Singh founded the Khalsa, created the Panj Pyare, and established the tradition of Amrit Sanskar initiation. In Britain, the nagar kirtan procession on Vaisakhi is one of the largest Sikh public celebrations in Europe.
Divali: Bandi Chhor Divas
Sikhs celebrate Divali but for a specifically Sikh reason: it is called Bandi Chhor Divas — “the day of liberation.” The sixth Guru, Guru Hargobind, was imprisoned in Gwalior Fort by the Mughal Emperor Jahangir. When the Emperor finally agreed to release him, Guru Hargobind refused to leave unless 52 Hindu princes who were also imprisoned were freed at the same time. The Emperor agreed, and Guru Hargobind returned to Amritsar to cheering crowds holding lights — hence the festival of lights.
The story of Bandi Chhor Divas is characteristic of Sikh values: standing for the freedom of others, not just one’s own. Guru Hargobind’s refusal to be freed without the other prisoners reflects the Sikh commitment to justice and equality. It is also significant that the Golden Temple at Amritsar was illuminated to welcome Guru Hargobind back, establishing a tradition of lighting the gurdwara at Divali that continues to this day.
Sikhs and Hindus both celebrate Divali but for different reasons. For many Hindus, Divali marks the return of Lord Rama from exile and the victory of good over evil. For Sikhs, Divali is Bandi Chhor Divas — the release of Guru Hargobind and the 52 princes. This is an important distinction to make in exam answers. The two traditions share the outward customs of lights and fireworks but the religious meanings are distinct. Students should not assume that because Sikhs celebrate Divali they are celebrating the same event as Hindus — Sikhism is a distinct religion with its own historical memory.
A common misconception is to conflate the Naam Karan ceremony with Amrit Sanskar (the Khalsa initiation ceremony). They are distinct. Naam Karan is performed shortly after birth: the baby is brought to the gurdwara, the Guru Granth Sahib is opened at random, and the first letter of the left-hand page determines the child’s name. No vows are taken and no commitment to the Khalsa is made — the ceremony is an act of thanksgiving and of placing the child under the guidance of the Guru’s word from the very beginning of life. Amrit Sanskar, by contrast, is a fully voluntary initiation taken in adulthood (or late adolescence), in which a person chooses to become an amritdhari Sikh and accepts the discipline of the Khalsa Rehat Maryada (code of conduct). A Sikh who has been through Naam Karan has not thereby become an amritdhari — full initiation requires a separate, conscious commitment. Keep the two ceremonies separate in your answers.
Gurpurbs
Gurpurbs are festivals marking anniversaries associated with the Sikh Gurus. The most widely celebrated is Guru Nanak’s birthday (Guru Nanak Gurpurb), usually in November. It is celebrated with an akhand path, kirtan, langar and nagar kirtan. Other major Gurpurbs include the birthday of Guru Gobind Singh and the martyrdom anniversaries of Guru Arjan Dev and Guru Tegh Bahadur (who were executed for refusing to convert to Islam — martyred for the right of religious freedom).
In India, Gurpurbs are celebrated with massive processions, especially in Punjab and at Nanded (where Guru Gobind Singh died). In Britain, Gurpurbs are celebrated in ways that reflect the British context: nagar kirtan through city streets, open days at gurdwaras welcoming non-Sikh visitors, and community events. The way Gurpurbs are celebrated in Britain reflects the diasporic Sikh community’s dual identity — rooted in Punjabi heritage and simultaneously British citizens making their traditions visible in British public life.
Birth and Naming Ceremonies
When a Sikh child is born, thanksgiving to God is expressed at the gurdwara as soon as the mother is well enough. An akhand path may be performed to mark the birth. The formal naming ceremony is called Naam Karan. The family brings the baby to the gurdwara, where the ardas (Sikh prayer of supplication) is offered. The Guru Granth Sahib is then opened at a random page and the first letter of the first hymn on the left-hand page is read aloud by the granthi. The family chooses a name beginning with that letter. This practice expresses the belief that the child’s identity is shaped from the first moment by the Guru’s word.
After the name is announced, the congregation calls out Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh (“The Khalsa belongs to the Wondrous Lord; victory belongs to the Wondrous Lord”) as a communal blessing. Karah prashad (a sweet sanctified food made from equal measures of flour, butter and sugar) is distributed to the congregation — the equal portions expressing the equality of all present.
Historic Gurdwaras: The Golden Temple
The Golden Temple (Harimandir Sahib — “Temple of God”) at Amritsar in Punjab is the most sacred site in Sikhism. It was built under the fifth Guru, Guru Arjan Dev, and finished in 1589. In 1604 Guru Arjan placed the first copy of the Sikh scripture inside it. The sacred pool surrounding the temple (Amrit Sarovar — giving Amritsar its name) was excavated by the fourth Guru, Guru Ram Das, who also founded the city of Amritsar before Guru Arjan completed the temple. Unlike Hindu temples, the Golden Temple was built with four doors, one on each side, signifying that it is open to people from all four directions — a physical expression of the Sikh teaching that all are welcome regardless of caste, religion or background.
The Golden Temple sits in the middle of a sacred pool of water (Amrit Sarovar — the “pool of nectar,” which gives Amritsar its name). Visiting the Golden Temple is considered an act of great devotion. Many British Sikhs make a pilgrimage to Amritsar at some point in their lives, especially at Vaisakhi. Unusually for the Sikh tradition — which does not have an obligatory pilgrimage — visiting the Golden Temple carries deep emotional and spiritual significance for Sikhs worldwide.
The Golden Temple (Harimandir Sahib) at Amritsar was built with four doors — one on each side — to signal that it is open to all people from every direction and every background. This architectural feature is a physical expression of the Sikh belief in the equality of all humanity before God.