Sikhs in Malaysia celebrate Vaisakhi with prayers

Seremban (Malaysia), Mar 15(ANI): Sikhs in Malaysia celebrated Vaisakhi, an ancient harvest festival in Punjab which marks the beginning of a new harvest season for the community, with prayers at home and gurdwara all over the country.

It also marks the month of Chet, the first month in the Sikh Nanakshahi calendar, which is named after the founder of the Sikh religion Guru Nanak Devji.

"Vasakhi is the day the Khalsa, or baptised Sikhs, were first formed. It is a religious occasion as well as a harvest festival for farmers in India. People are often confused because many communities from India have their new year around the same time in April," The Star quoted Manjeet Singh, a local, as saying.

Malaysian Sikh Youth Organisation president Malkith Singh said apart from the beginning of year 541 in the Nanakshahi calendar, it was also a special occasion as it marked the birthday of the seventh prophet of the Sikhs, Guru Har Rai Sahibji.

There are an estimated 100,000 Sikhs in Malaysia. (ANI)