Swords on show as 1,500 flock to Willenhall Sikh festival
More than 1,500 people flocked to a Sikh festival bursting with colour in the Black Country.
Worshippers at Willenhall's Guru Nanak Gurdwara came together to mark Hola Mohalla, which stands for "mock fight".
The festival included extremely popular simulated sword battles, as well as free food a DJ and a bouncy castle.
Hola Mohalla begins on the first day of the lunar month of Chet in the Nanakshahi calendar.
Amarveer Singh, one of the main organisers of the event, said: "It was amazing.
"We got around 1,500 people turn up.
"We had a bouncy castle for the kids and gladiators – you can't go wrong with that.
"We had free food, a DJ, martial arts and even a coloured powder and we through it on each other for happiness.
"We've been holding it for four years and it will be an annual event – we'll hold it next year."
The festival is part of an annual celebration across the world in March where Sikh demonstrate and refine their martial arts skills in simulated battles.
It was held on Saturday between 2pm and 4pm.
The custom originated in the time of Guru Gobind Singh, who held the first such mock fight event at Anandpur in India in February 1701.
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