By Nooria Ashori
Source
KABUL, April 13 (Pajhwok Afghan News): Baisakhi, the religious festival of the Sikhs and Hindus which ushers in their new year will be celebrated in a special ceremony in Kabul, for the first time since the Taliban came to power.
The ceremony will be held in the Karte Parwan and Joy Sheer gurudwaras on Thursday.
The day also marks the anniversary of the founding of the Sikh religion.
Sikhs are followers of the Guru Granth Sahib, the holy book of the religion. There are six thousand Hindus and Sikhs living in Kabul, Kandahar, Ghazni, Nangarhar, Khost and Charikar provinces.
Anar Kali Hunaryar representative of Hindus and Sikhs in the constitutional Loya Jirga told Pajhwok News Agency: “Hindus are also participating in the festival but only Sikhs observe it.” A Sikh representative in Kabul, Otar Sing believes that this is counted as a holy day for the Sikhs.
He added: “on this day they recite from the Guru Granth Sahib before dawn and at the end of that they carry the holy book to the Gurudwara.”
According to Taraj Sing, a Kabul city resident, there are nine Sikh and Hindu places of worship in Afghanistan. He told Pajhwok News Agency: “we are also Afghans. Our religious ceremonies should be broadcast by mass media including Radio TV Afghanistan”.
According to Anahita, one of the Hindus living in Karte Parwan, they wear new clothes, cook various dishes and visit friends.