the Sikh celebration of food and music: Vaisakhi in Vancouver

Vaisakhi is the festival which celebrates the founding of the Sikh order of Khalsa. During the parade the street is lined with Sikhs who celebrate by handing out mounds of incredible Indian food! This year’s parade in Vancouver is happening on April 13, 2013. Sometimes I am so busy eating that I forget to take photos, but here are a few from previous years.

Vaisakhi chickpea curry Vaisakhi chickpea curry and some kind of spongey Indian bread whose name escapes me.

girls running in the wind
girls running in the wind

jalebi, an Indian sweet
Jalebi, an Indian sweet

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How jalebi is made… a favourite Indian sweet. This deep-fried dough dunked in sugar syrup will put you into diabetic shock in one bite! They told us that about 40,000 people attended Vaisakhi in Vancouver and I think most of them were lined-up for these super sweet giveaways. Well worth the wait when I finally got my hands on one, still warm and gooey…

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The music and sounds in the background were ‘videotaped’ at the event with my ancient Olympus. The videos of the performances are tiny (240 x 360px). I also have this bad tendency to tape them vertically (portrait) so they are mostly sideways in the horizontal video format.

E49th Avenue Sign in the Punjabi Market
The Vancouver Parade is held along Main and 41st.
Vaisakhi - Lady Rider
Vaisakhi - interesting musical instruments

there are some interesting musical instruments in the parade…

Vasaikhi- the tiny dancer

Vasaikhi- the tiny dancer – see the concentration…

Vaisakhi - Yellow Rice yellow Indian rice flavoured with tumeric and spices…

11ap_Vaisakhi_Pakora0824wpakora with spicy tomato dipping sauce

Vasaikhi Parade

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