Huge crowds descend on Birmingham and Sandwell for the Sikh festival

Crowds of people of the Sikh faith will take part in a huge procession through the streets of Birmingham and Sandwell this weekend to celebrate the annual Vaisakhi Nagar Kirtan.

The well-attended Sikh procession will set off from Hockley on Sunday morning, May 19, traveling down Soho Road and ending on Smethwick High Street. Road closures will be in effect throughout the event.

Vaisakhi marks the anniversary of the founding of the Sikh order of the Khalsa in which followers are baptized. The annual procession will be led by Sikhs dressed in ceremonial attire to represent the original Panj Pyare who founded the Khalsa order.

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The event was organized by Birmingham and Sandwell Gurdwaras and the Eternal Guru of the Sikhs, Guru Granth Sahib Ji, Panj Pyare and Gur-Sangat, will be present to commemorate the birth of the Khalsa. Gurdwara President Baba Sang Gurdwara said before the procession, “Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh, first of all I would like to congratulate every person for a happy Vaisakhi.

“With Maharaj’s Kirpa we are pleased to announce this year’s Nagar Kirtan date. We appreciate that this year we were slightly late, which was due to circumstances beyond our control and data clashes with other events. However, we are now in full swing of preparations for (this) week’s Nagar Kirtan and would like to invite everyone to join us on the day and take part in this important Sikh festival.”

The procession will start at Gurdwara Babe Ke in Hockley at 9.30am, reach the Guru Nanak Nishkam Sewak Jatha in Handsworth for 10.20am before proceeding to Shri Guru Ravidass Bhawan for 11am. Scheduled time of arrival at Gurdwara Baba Deep Singh Ji Shaheed is 11.40am followed by Guru Nanak Gurdwara in Smethwick at 1.15pm and finally Gurdwara Baba Sang Ji at 2.15pm.

Road closures

Transport for the West Midlands has warned locals of road closures in the area during the event. See below for a list of affected roads.

Birmingham

On Sunday, May 19, between 10 a.m. and 11 a.m., the following roads will be affected by closures:

• A41 Soho Hill
• A41 Soho Road
• Exit the Hockley Circus roundabout onto the A41 northbound
• Naden Road
• Hampstead Road
• Park Ave
• Soho Avenue
• Piers Road
• Whitehall Road
• The Ivy Road
• Thornhill Road
• Holiday Road
• Waverhill Road
• Stratford Road
• Nineveh Road

Due to the above closures, expect delays or diversions on bus services 16, 16A and 74, 101, 11A and 11C.

Smethwick

The following roads will be affected by closures between 11am and 2.30pm on Sunday 19 May:

• Grove Lane
• Parking Bank of Scotland
• Country Lane
• Linwood Road
• Boulton Road
• Murdock Road
• Babington Road
• Alfred Road
• Queens Head Road
• Rookery Road
• Booth Street (10:30 – 15:00)
• Oakland Road
• Sycamore Road
• The Mountain Road
• Brewery Street
• Wad Street
• Chapel Street
• Crocketts Road
• Anna’s road
• Cornwall Road
• Foundry Lane
• Rabone Park
• Shining Road of Steel
• Soho Street
• Rolfe Street (10:30 – 15:00)
• Motor Street
• South Bridge Street
• North Bridge Street
• Rolfe Street at the intersection with New Street
• Dealului Street
• Rabone Lane (10:30 – 15:00)
• A457 Tollhouse Way (10.30am – 3pm)
• A4030 High Street (10.30am – 3.00pm)
• B4169 High Street (1pm – 6pm)
• St Paul’s Road (1pm – 6pm)
• Fenton Street
• Trinity Street
• Stony Lane
• Dibble Road
• Sabell Road
• The White Road
• St Albans Road
• Bowden Road
• Chatwin Street
• Bertram Road

Due to the above closures, bus services 54/A, 80, 87 and 89 may also be delayed or rerouted. Some one-way roads will be converted to two-way traffic during the event.