Organizers Also Appeal To Community To Keep Nagar Kirtan Procession Route Devoid Of “Songs And Dances” As It Is A Celebration Of The Birth Of The Khalsa!
By R. Paul Dhillon
SURREY – Boring, self-aggrandizing politicians are not welcome to Khalsa Day Parade in Surrey as the organizers want to focus on the community and the significance of the Birth of the Sikh religion on Saturday, April 21, Organizers from the Dashmesh Darbar Gurdwara told the media during a press conference on Wednesday afternoon at the Grand Taj Banquet Hall.
“It is a day for the Sikh community and our faith and that should be the focus and no politicians making speeches,” said one of the organizers, adding that they don’t have objections to politicians attending the parade but as long as they celebrate the community and the faith and not themselves.
Dashmesh Darbar has been working with the City of Surrey officials to address many other concerns and controversies, including floats with martyrs and controversial figures from the struggles of the Sikh Nation but organizers said they don’t anticipate any controversies as they have outlined the history behind the martyrs and the struggle to convey to the city that they are justified in putting up people who have given their lives to uphold justice and fight against tyranny.
The organizers also urged the community to avoid having stages and booths with cultural songs and dances as they go totally against the grain of the spiritual celebrations and urged everyone to wear turbans and traditional Sikh attire as well as carrying saffron coloured signs to show Sikh solidarity and pride.
“We can only request the community to do the right things – avoid the songs and dances that do not have anything to do with the birth of the Sikh Nation and Khalsa as we have received many complaints in the past for this kind of conduct,” said the organizers. “It’s truly day for Sikh pride and Sikh community solidarity and a celebration of the birth of our faith so let’s all try to do things that make this possible.”
Some media members raised the issue that in the name of Vaisakhi – all these corporate and community groups come out of the hole and hold Vaisakhi Galas and so on – which take away from the religious celebrations and the importance of the day for the Sikh community.
Organizers said they do not have control over these groups and organizations that try to commercialize Vaisakhi or juice it for their own benefits – but they will urge them to hold their parties away from the main Vaisakhi time that should rightly be allocated to the Sikh faith and the Birth of the Sikh religion.
