Annual Sikh community parade a celebration of generosity and diversity

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This article was published 03/09/2023 (1143 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Downtown streets were closed and thousands of Sikh Manitobans gathered in Memorial Park to hold the annual Nagar Kirtan parade Sunday.

The traditional event centres around the anniversary of Sikh holy scriptures. The scripture is placed in a parade float and hymns are read aloud as the float travels around the procession and blesses bystanders, followed by speeches and music. It’s also a celebration of generosity, one of the three main pillars of Sikh culture — all who visited Memorial Park Sunday afternoon, no matter their religion or cultural background, were offered free food and drink ranging from pizza to pakora.

“I think that a key aspect of (Sikh culture) is being able to give back,” said organizer Jujar Brar, the vice president of the Sikh Society of Manitoba.

Winnipeg’s Nagar Kirtan parade has been growing steadily since it began over 20 years ago. After a two-year pause due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of visitors exploded when the parade returned in 2022. There could be 20,000 people who attend the event throughout the day, Brar said, with 100 volunteers keeping the parade afloat.

“It’s definitely been easier this year compared to last year. As the years go on, the size of the event grows each and every year. And after taking a few years off, due to the pandemic, we came back much larger than ever last year,” he said.

Northbound and southbound Memorial Boulevard from York Avenue to Broadway was closed for most of the day Sunday, as was York Avenue eastbound from Memorial Boulevard to Garry Street, and Garry southbound from York to Broadway.

Holding Winnipeg’s celebration in the heart of downtown is important to organizers, Brar said.

“Part of the reason that we hold the celebration downtown is it’s really a celebration of the diversity in our community as well,” he said. “How we are embraced by the community here in the city and how we embrace it right back.”

At Memorial Park, Jashanpreet Dhami was taking in the festivities. He arrived in Winnipeg from India in January 2022, and said he was looking forward to gathering with other Sikh Manitobans this year.

“If we were in India, there are so many occasions like these over there. But over here in Canada and Winnipeg, there is only one day from from the whole year from which we all gather and celebrate this religious ceremony,” he said.

Dhami said he was happy to see Winnipeggers who may not be fully immersed in Sikh culture taking part. The scripture and its blessings are for everyone, he said, regardless of religious belief.

“The God is one, we all know that. It’s not like, if you pray (elsewhere), it will not give you blessings because of your different culture,” he said. “We are all the same in the eyes of God.”

Dhami’s friend, Jashanpreet Jassal, is also from India and arrived in Winnipeg in 2012. He said the parade was a welcome chance to get back to his cultural roots.

“I’m not as religious as these guys, because I’ve been living away for a long time. But it is still important to me, because it’s my culture and my religion,” he said.

Both said they were thankful to city leadership for supporting the festival every year.

“It’s a really proud moment for us. We’re celebrating, we gathered this many people over here. It’s a pleasure for us that the government allows all these kinds of things,” Dhami said.

“This shows the unity and diversity of Canada.”

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