More Than 200,000 Expected to Flock to the No –man’s Land/ Killing Grounds; and Surrey's Vaisakhi Parade.

Surrey's Vaisakhi Parade is one of the largest of such parades outside India.

Saturday, April 23, 2016: Celebrations mark birth of Sikh faith.

What Exactly is Vaisakhi:

FIRST PART OF THE ANSWER: For many thousands of years, Vaisakhi has been the time when farmers have put their sickles to harvest and celebrated the coming of a new year.  Since 1699, the Sikhs have had a further reason to celebrate at this time of the year. Now Vaisakhi is celebrated with even more energy, pomp and fanfare. It has become a holy day to mark the birth of the Khalsa fraternity. And so 300+ years on, this tradition continues with much gaiety, vigour and enthusiasm. Sikhs worldwide will spend much time remembering this most important day in their religious calendar – the day the Khalsa was created. 

SECOND PART:  Gatka (Punjabi: ਗਤਕਾ gatkā) is a traditional South Asian form of combat-training in which wooden sticks are used to simulate swords in sparring matches. In modern usage, it commonly refers to the northwestern Indian martial arts, which should more properly be called shastara vidiyā (ਸ਼ਸਤਰ ਵਿਦਿਆ, from Sanskrit sastra-vidya or "science of weapons"). In English, the terms gatka and shastar vidya are very often used specifically in relation to Panjabi-Sikhs. In actuality, the art is not unique to any particular ethno-cultural group or religion but has been the traditional form of combat throughout north India and Pakistan for centuries. Attacks and counterattacks vary from one community to another but the basic techniques are the same. This article will primarily use the extended definition of gatka, making it synonymous with shastara-vidiya.

Gatka is a traditional weapon based Sikh martial art. It is based on the basic principle of unification of the mind, body and spirit in a rhythm of life to train a saint-soldier to be able to defend himself/herself. It originated in the north-western part of India i.e. in Punjab. The people of the area, especially the Sikhs, have a tall stature with a heavy build and are known to be fearless and feared warriors. The system of fighting there is termed as “Shastar Vidya” (knowledge of the weapons/sword).

In the 15th and 16th centuries, Sikhs became renowned throughout South Asia for their great martial prowess. The Sikh Gurus taught their followers to train the body physically, mentally and spiritually. The need to practice fighting for self defence against the Mughals encouraged the practice of martial arts. The tenth Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh, galvanised the martial energies of the Sikh community and founded the ‘Khalsa’ in 1699. The aim of the same being to fight oppression, worship one God, help the poor and downtrodden, abandon superstition and defend the faith. He professed the qualities, importance and aim of being a warrior-saint.

The word ‘Gatka’ variously means a three hand span stick with a leather cover, a truncheon, a mace, a club etc. It is very common in Sikh circles to use the word ‘Gatka’ for all traditional martial arts.

Gatka can be practiced either as a sport (khel) or ritual (rasmi). The sport form is played by two opponents wielding wooden staves called gatka. These sticks may be paired with a shield. Points are scored for making contact with the stick. The other weapons are not used for full-contact sparring, but their techniques are taught through forms training. The ritual form is purely for demonstration and is performed to music during occasions such as weddings, or as part of a theatrical performance like the chhau dance. A practitioner of gatka is called a gatkabaj while a teacher is addressed as Guru or Gurudev.

If one goes back to 1699 and the birth place of the Khalsa perhaps the real significance of Vaisakhi for the Sikh people can be comprehended. During the period around 1650, the country around Punjab was in turmoil; the rulers were corrupt; there was no rule of law; the rights of the common people were non-existent; justice did not prevail. The strong imposed their will and their way without question; the weak suffered constantly and quietly; there was misery everywhere. It was under these circumstances that Guru Gobind Singh rose to the occasion and chose to create the Khalsa. The Guru was looking for people within the community who would take on the challenge and rise above the weakness; to be strong and fearless; to be prepared to face these challenges without reservation and to uphold justice; to be fair and even handed at all times; to be prepared to die for the truth.~~Al (Alex-Alexander) D Girvan