VIBRANT colour and music will flow through Southampton today as thousands of people celebrate the Sikh festival of Vaisakhi.

The Sikh New Year is the holiest day of the calendar and the city will be marking the festival with a colourful street procession through the city.

Food will be available at every Southampton gurdwara and participants can try the tasty treats on offer as they walk the streets.

Traditionally it honours the birth of the Sikh Nation in 1699 and takes the form of continuous reading of the Sikh Scripture, the Guru Granth Sahib Ji, over three days.

Guru Gobind Singh Ji, the tenth master of the Sikhs, transformed the Sikhs into a family of soldier saints, known as the Khalsa Panth, and the festival marks and promotes equality and unity of humanity.

A flag-raising ceremony involving the Mayor of Southampton, Councillor Sue Blatchford, who will address the event, will start the day’s proceeding at the Civic Centre at 9.30am.

The climax of the festival is the Nagar Kirtan procession from Sri Guru Ravidass Sabha Gurdwara in Northumberland Road starting at 1pm.

All four of Southampton’s Sikh gurdwaras will be incorporated into the procession which heads along Derby Road.

Organiser Tom Lekh, president of the Southampton Council of Gurdwaras and chairman of the Sri Guru Ravidass Sabha Gurdwara said they hope to see thousands of people taking part.

He said: “There’s great anticipation for the weekend. It’s a very colourful, very happy occasion. It’s the main event of the year.”

Anyone attending the celebrations is asked not to consume tobacco or alcohol as a sign of respect for the Sri Guru Sahib, the Living Guru, at the Sikh community.

The organisers also ask that all children are accompanied by an appropriate adult during the festival and that your head is covered at all times.

During the procession there will be displays of martial arts and some people may be wearing ceremonial swords or daggers known as Kirpans, which means Hand of Mercy.