Surrey celebrates Vaisakhi

published by asingh on Tue, 04/22/2014 - 17:24

Despite heavy afternoon rain, Surrey’s Khalsa Day Parade drew between 240,000 – 250,000 guests of all cultures and religions to the family-orientated celebration, according to the Surrey RCMP.

This year’s procession featured 23 floats representing local Sikh schools, community groups, and humanitarian organizations, as well as the most important float in the procession carrying the Guru Granth Sahib (Sikh holy scripture).

"We are grateful to the Sikh sangat and Surrey community who allow us to serve them through this event,” says Moninder Singh, spokesperson for the Gurdwara Sahib Dasmesh Darbar, organizers of the event.

This year’s event is particularly significant as it marks the 30thanniversary of the attack on Sikhism’s holiest shrine, the Golden Temple in India.

As always, the festivities were volunteer-driven and exemplify the pride and enthusiasm of the Sikh community in sharing their rich culture and history with the entire city.