Festivals play a significant role in celebrating and showcasing the cultural traditions, customs, and values of a community. They bring people together, fostering a sense of belonging and unity while providing an opportunity to express joy and gratitude.
Southall, like any diverse community, participates actively in celebrating an array of festivals. Diwali, Holi, Eid, Mild-ul-Nabi, Christmas and Easter are among the various festivals celebrated with great vigour. Vaisakhi, however, is one festival that is celebrated with extra pomp.
During early April, the streets of Southall undergo a remarkable transformation as they are adorned with a kaleidoscope of colours marking the joyous occasion of Vaisakhi, the most significant day in the Sikh calendar. The atmosphere is filled with excitement as revellers gather, forming queues at numerous food stalls offering free traditional Indian cuisine. The air reverberates with the lively beats of Punjabi music, encompassing both vintage folk styles and energetic bhangra, emanating from speakers.
The festivities are a testament to the rich cultural heritage of the Sikh community, and people come together to honour and rejoice in this auspicious occasion. The event creates a joyful and spirited ambiance, inviting individuals from various backgrounds to partake in the festivities, savour the delectable food, and immerse themselves in the vibrant Punjabi music that fills the air.
Recently, in the past week, hundreds of ecstatic devotees celebrated the Ratha Yatra with great fanfare in Southall. The yatra was organised by Shree Jagannatha Society UK (SJSUK), which is associated with UK’s oldest Hindu temple, Shree Ram Mandir. According to Dr Chetan Shatapathy, Trustee and Communications-In-Charge, SJSUK, “the Mandir brings together the entire community of Hindu devotees wedded to Sanatana Vaidika Dharma, from across regions and communities of the Indian subcontinent. It also sees several Sikh devotees drawn to the worship of the deities, thus serving as a bridge between communities.”
“The Ratha Yatra provides an opportunity for the entire populace of the local area of Ealing, and devotees drawn from all parts of London and across the UK, to mingle freely with the Lords, seek blessings in person, and wipe away their residual bad Karma by pulling the chariots”, he said about the Ratha Yatra.
“Also, the annual Shobha Yatra organised by Shree Ram Mandir in association with many other organizations in the UK on the occasion of Shree Krishna Janmashtami, is an occasion where all communities come together in a joyous procession on the streets of West London’s Southall, creating an atmosphere of gaiety”, Dr Chetan added.
According to Southall’s finest, “all festivals are celebrated with lots of colour, hustle and bustle and of course food in Southall, most importantly the sweets. The British neighbours are quite welcoming to a certain extent especially those who've lived in Southall for a long time know they'd be welcomed in their neighbours home and vice-versa.”
