Saturday, April 18, 2015

David and Samantha Cameron Visit Sikh Temple

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Prime Minister and his wife join celebrations for spring festival of Vaisakhi

David Cameron has donned an orange "patka" headscarf as he visited a Sikh gurdwara - or temple - while campaigning in Kent.

The Prime Minister took along his wife, Samantha, who was celebrating her 44th birthday, for the visit to the temple in Gravesend, where they joined around 3,000 worship[p]ers on a parade to celebrate Vaisakhi, a spring festival.

The start of the Camerons' visit was delayed slightly after a scuffle appeared to break out among worship[p]ers when a priest objected to speeches being made while prayers were taking place.

Mr and Mrs Cameron were taken to a side room in the temple until the dispute was resolved.

During the visit to the temple, the couple wore brightly[-]coloured clothes, in line with tradition on Vaisakhi.

They removed their shoes to walk into the temple, where they queued up to kneel before an alter, and say prayers as they made an offering of coins.

Mr and Mrs Cameron were separated, with the Prime Minister joining men on the right of the temple and his wife going to the women's side on the left. » | Rosa Prince, Online Political Editor | Saturday, April 18, 2015