Jess, a first-class Manager-walli in Dishoom Edinburgh, (she’s awesome) has taken some time to tell us a little about Vaisakhi and what it means to her and her family. We’re ever-grateful Jess… you’re a big-hearted gem.
Vaisakhi, a day marked across India by people of many faiths, is celebrated in the Punjab as the start of the new Harvest. It falls on the 13th or 14th April depending on the calendar for that year.
A particularly important day for villagers, landowners and farmers, it’s the day they give thanks for their prosperous land and the crops they were able to harvest that year, while at the same time praying for another fortunate year of cultivation. Without this crop, they would have no income, and no means of feeding their families, friends, and fellow villagers. In a very dry and hot country, this is a truly significant day on which hopes lie for good fortune in the following year. You could, therefore, consider it as India’s Thanksgiving.
For others, this marks the start of the New Year and streets fill with the sound of music and laughter while families and communities dance, eat and celebrate together.
Vasaikhi is also a commemoration of the day that Sikhism was born as a collective faith.
Growing up, I remember Vaisakhi being a time of parades and street parties. I grew up in a town with a high concentration of Sikhs (and Indians of all faiths, for that matter). The day would start with a religious procession where floral decorated carriages dressed in flags and the colours of the Khalsa (navy and orange) would carry as many people as they could fit. The rest would follow on foot.
They were following the ‘Guru Granth Sahib’ – our Holy Bible if you like. The last and eternal Guru with all the teachings, stories and encounters of the first ten Guru’s in their journey to reach the final stage of enlightenment and eternity.
The significance of this is to celebrate the day that ‘Guru Gobind Singh’ the 10thand last Guru, chose to form the Sikh brotherhood of the Khalsa know as the ‘Panj Pyare’ – the beloved Five – in 1699. This was a very small army of Sikh warriors that was prepared to risk their lives to protect the religious freedoms and equalities of the people of India who came under attack from the Mogul Empire, attempting to strip the country of its multiple faiths and religions, liberties and riches.
As the procession continued, the streets would fill with friends, families, neighbours and anyone that wanted to join in. Residents would prepare and distribute fresh tea and snacks to all those taking part in the processions, whatever their faith or beliefs. Five men representing the ‘Panj Pyare’, walking barefoot, would lead the carriage carrying the ‘Guru Granth Sahib’ through the streets, and it would end with a ceremonial sword fight – the weapon of choice for these 5 warriors.
But the celebrations wouldn’t end here. Most of the town would be pedestrianised for the day and people of all faiths, backgrounds and persuasions would come together to dance, sing and play in the streets. Everyone was welcome to join the party and it was, without doubt, the celebration that me and my family looked forward to the most.
As Dishoom is a place where we celebrate differences and believe in the power of food to break down barriers and bring people together, it is only fitting that we invite everyone to join us in marking this special day.
Happy Vaisakhi to you all!
On the day of Vaisakhi, 14th April, we will offer mithai to all guests throughout the day and you’ll get a Mango and Fennel Lassi on us when you wish “Happy Vaisakhi” to your server (before 6pm).
The sun is momentarily out again. Calendars are fast filling up. There’s many a thing to do and many a friend to meet. And if we may kindly add to the excitement and the plan-making, here’s our list of what we’re looking forward to in September.
While we were at Edinburgh Fringe Festival, we caught Evening Conversations, an engaging show by Sudha Bhuchar. We caught up with her after the show to talk about her journey and her views on South Asian representation on screen, which you can read below. And for those who didn’t walk down the cobbled streets of the city or stumble into an impromptu performance this year, we highly recommend it for 2024.
Each year as August dawns, the streets and rooms and corners of Edinburgh fill with music, art, laughter and song. Wander into grand halls and pokey pubs, as the morning sun rises or in the dark of night, to see creations of every kind as part of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. In honour of this wonderful celebration of the performing arts (and as a little treat), here’s a special edition Dishoom Loves, covering all the acts we’ve circled on our festival programme.
For anyone looking to learn or read more on Partition, this page holds a series of resources, for all ages, created by people knowledgeable and knowing about such matters. It is by no means definitive – we have simply found them to be useful, inspiring and accessible.