Vaisakhi celebrations underway in Gravesend

The annual celebrations to mark the Sikh festival of Vasiakhi are underway in the Gravesham area of Kent.

Historically 'Vaisakhi 'marked the spring harvest for the farmers and communities in the Punjab area of Northern India. The organisers of today's events say that most of the Sikhs in Gravesham originate from Punjab, signifying the importance of the celebration to Sikh communities in Kent.

The religious festival marks the Sikh New Year, and the birth of the religion in its current form. In a tradition of togetherness, members of other communities are also invited to take part in the festivities.

The Sikh faith, as it is practiced today, was created on Vaisakhi Day in 1699 by the 10th Guru of the Sikhs, Guru Gobind Singh Ji, who established the Khalsa Panth (the community of committed Sikhs).

The walk through the streets is called the Nagar Kirtan procession. Nagar means town, and kirtan is a process of singing hymns from the Sikh holy book, the Guru Granth Sahib. The procession began at the Gurdwara temple and passed through the town centre in Gravesend.

More celebrations will take place on Sunday.