Dubai: Punjabis in the UAE recently celebrated their harvest festival, Baisakhi, at the Indian consulate in Dubai.
The Punjab region in India and Pakistan is traditionally a farming area and the festival marks the spring harvest of crops, mostly wheat and barley, which are sown in winter.
Baisakhi is held in mid-April. It was also celebrated at the consulate on April 30 to facilitate prominent guests from the UAE and India.
There are an estimated 100,000 Punjabis in the UAE.
At the consulate event, Shaikh Nahyan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Culture, Youth and Community Development, addressed the gathering and was presented a traditional Punjabi sword.
In his speech, Shaikh Nahyan said: “The gorgeous geography of the Punjab region is home to millions of people brought together by the harvest. And, of course, Punjabis have spread themselves around the globe and are publicising the talent, the competence, the reliability, and the energy that characterise the Punjab. They, too, are brought together by the harvest just as you have assembled here in Dubai to celebrate Baisakhi. This gathering promotes brotherhood and goodwill among Punjabis irrespective of caste, creed, or religion. This gathering fulfils the major purpose of the World Punjabi Organisation. We all owe its International President, Vikramjit Sahney, our greatest thanks for his efforts to foster social, economic, and cultural links among Punjabis wherever they might be. Tonight’s celebration, which he has enabled, testifies to his success.”
Sahney praised the friendly UAE-India ties and appreciated the granting of land for the Sikh Gurdwara (place of worship) in Jebel Ali, Dubai.
Kulwant Singh, President, Indian Business and Professional Council, Dubai, said the event included traditional folk entertainment and provided a community platform for Punjabis.
