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For Neeru Bajwa, who grew up in a typical Punjabi household, festivals like Baisakhi were always celebrated in a big way. “I have grown up in a Punjabi household where prayers and gurdwara was an integral part of life as was taught to us by our parents,” Neeru says, adding, “And festivals like Baisakhi were celebrated in a big way. So, I have carried that legacy into my adulthood too and even if I am in Canada, I am participating in all rituals associated with Baisakhi like they are in India.”
Neeru and her husband imbibe the same traditions in their children too. “We have also taught the same values to our kids and ensure they understand the importance of gurdwara, prayers and sewa. When we stay outside India, we tend to safeguard our culture even more staunchly and try and preserve it in its purity,” she adds.
Neeru says while contemporary lifestyles may have compromised the time spent on celebrating festivals, “We still retain the essence of celebrations,” she says. “My husband and I believe in celebrating every moment of life that god has given us and in doing so we create enough experiences that will carry us through to the end of life. When there are festivals like Baisakhi, we go all out to create a lot of opportunities in prayers, congregations and langar so that our kids can also have the same childhood memories that we did as kids,” she says.She also uses this occasion as an opportunity to reflect upon her blessings. “For me god means a higher power that restores tranquility. I am eternally grateful to god for all his benevolence in my life. And I get to show my gratitude even more on occasions like Baiskahi,” she says.
