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Turbans abound for Vaisakhi festivities
June 2009
Swinburne’s Hawthorn campus was awash with turbans last month for the Punjabi Club’s Vaisakhi celebrations.
The event opened with Dhol (Punjabi drums), followed by the Australian and Indian national anthems.
Swinburne Vice-Chancellor Professor Ian Young gave an official welcome, greeting the crowd with the traditional Punjabi greeting ‘Sat sri akal’.
The festivities included a Bollywood DJ, Bhangra and Garbha dance performances and free Indian food.
The turban stall, however, proved to be the highlight of the day. Students had a chance to don the traditional head wrap and gain a greater understanding of its significance as one of the five articles of faith in Sikh culture.
“Having a turban wrapped around my head made it an event to remember!” says Swinburne student Gillian Pinder (pictured right). “The Punjabi club put on an excellent event, it was well organised and heaps of fun.”
Vaisakhi is one of the most significant holidays in the Sikh calendar and marks the beginning of a new solar year. The Swinburne Punjabi Club began in 2007 and aims to promote diversity and cultural understanding among different communities.
