Following on from last month’s Neurodiversity Celebration Week, a massive thank you goes to our fabulous volunteer colleague, Liv Stanford, who has put together a v-log about neurodivergence and shared her personal insight:
This is one of the most important dates in the Sikh calendar. It is a spring festival which typically happens on the 13th or 14th April every year.
The day celebrates the year 1699 when Sikhism was officially born as a collective faith. Guru Gobind Singh chose the festival as the moment to establish the Khalsa (the collective name given to Sikhs who've been baptised), although Vaisakhi had been a harvest festival in Punjab (an area of northern India) for a long time, even before it became so important to Sikhs.
To celebrate Vaisakhi, Sikhs typically visit Gurdwaras – music and decoration are important in the celebrations. Many people enjoy parades and special processions through the streets called nagar kirtans. 'Nagar' means town and 'kirtan' means the singing of hymns from the Guru Granth Sahib, which is the Sikh holy book.
The book is carried in processions in a place of honour. Celebrations traditionally include singing, as well as reading scriptures out loud and chanting hymns.
Many Sikhs choose Vaisakhi as the day to be baptised.
While Vaisakhi/Baisakhi is popularly known as a Sikh festival, it also holds immense significance for Hindus. It marks the beginning of the new Hindu solar year. This beginning is celebrated in various regions in different ways. The festival is associated with religious observances and agricultural importance.
For the first time in Leicester, an event is planned to bring people together to celebrate Vaisakhi in a special way on Sunday 27th April 2025 at Spinney Hill Park.
Easter is one of the most important celebrations in the Christian calendar. It is when Christians glorify and give thanks for the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.
The resurrection of Jesus on Easter Sunday is the cornerstone of the Christian faith, signifying the fulfilment of God's plan for redemption and offering believers the promise of eternal life. It is a day of immense joy and hope, as Christians celebrate the victory of light over darkness, life over death, and the triumph of God's love for humanity. Easter Sunday serves as a profound reminder of the transformative power of faith and the enduring message of hope that resonates throughout the ages.
In the Christian calendar Easter follows Lent, the period of 40 days before Easter, which is traditionally observed by acts of devotion and fasting. Easter is immediately preceded by Holy Week, which includes Maundy Thursday, the commemoration of Jesus’ Last Supper with his disciples; Good Friday, the day of his Crucifixion; and Holy Saturday, the transition between Crucifixion and Resurrection. (Please click on the links for more information).
Easter has acquired many traditions over time, some of which have little to do with the Christian celebration of the Resurrection but derive from folk customs. The ‘Easter lamb’ comes from references in the Bible to Jesus as ‘the lamb of God’ and the lamb’s historic role as a sacrificial animal. The egg became a symbol of the Resurrection, with the egg symbolising new life emerging. The custom of associating a rabbit or bunny with Easter links to the laying of eggs; traditions such as decorating eggs and hiding them have also developed over the years.
While there are other influences on the symbols and timing of Easter, the Christian celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ remains the central and primary focus of the holiday for Christians.
