NEW YORK, NY: In a positive Projection of the Sikh religion and culture over 15,000 Sikhs from the tri state area and distinguished guests from all over the United States and Canada surged down Broadway on April 21 for the Third Annual Sikh Day Parade. Broadway, shimmered as ladies in their colorful ethnic dresses marched down the famous avenue. Saffron was definitely the color of the day, while most men sported Saffron turbans; the ladies wore Dupattas of the same color. Nature smiled on those gathered for the occasion and a drizzle which had been going on since the morning, stopped as the parade started. The parade, organized by the Sikh Cultural Society, Richmond Hill also had official sanction and support. Proclamations dedicating April 21 to the Sikhs were issued by top city officials. Hon David N. Dinkins, Mayor of New York City, declared it as the SIKH PARADE DAY. Hon Ruth W. Messenger, President of the Borough of Manhattan as the SIKH DAY PARADE DAY. Hon Fernando Ferrer President of the Borough of Bronx as the 3rd ANNUAL SIKH DAY and Hon Howard Golden President of the Borough of Brooklyn as the ANNUAL SIKH DAY.
The Panj Piaras were preceded by the mounted New York City policemen and an honor band heralding the parade, a massive, magnificent, colorful mass of Sikhs.
Floats bearing the holy Sri Guru Granth Sahib led the parade. The other floats consisted of a replica of the Harmandir Sahib, one with paintings of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the founder of Sikhism and Guru Gobind Singh, the Tenth Guru, with the message “‘we are all equal and children of one God,” and one bearing the legend Punjab the bread basket of India, interspersed the groups of people from different organizations on the East coast of the US.
Following the first float were the “Honored Guests” famous civil rights lawyer William Kunstler, and his associate Ronald Kuby.
The Sikh Cultural Society formed the first and the largest contingent. It is the largest Gurdwara here and has been organizing the parade for the last three years, which have seen it evolve into a major event on the Sikh, as well as the City’s calendar, as was evident from the four proclamations issued on the occasion. Thousands of members of the sangat participated in the parade.
The sangat of this Gurdwara had been working tirelessly for the last few weeks to make the function a great success. Jagjit Singh Mangat the president of the society had organized various aspects of the function along with other members of the Gurdwara Sahib.
Many an eye misted as the float of the Harmandir Sahib, which had been so brutally attacked by the Indian army in 1984, followed the SCS contingent. A large number of Americans stopped on this busy avenue to watch the parade go past them and many were given leaflets explaining the Sikh faith and culture.
It was followed by the groups of Singh Sabha of New York, Flushing, and the Afghan Sikh Society of New York. A contingent from the Kashmir Liberation Front also marched with this contingent. Then came the Garden State Sikh Association, Bridgewater and the Sri Guru Singh Sabha, Glenrock, NJ.
Then came a float of Lady Liberty and the paintings of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the founder of Sikhism and Guru Gobind Singh, the Tenth Guru, with the message, ““We are all equal and children of one God,” The ecological theme was also echoed with a replica of the planet earth on the float a day before the Earth Day.
The contingent from the Guru Nanak Sikh Society of Delaware Valley, the Central Jersey Sikh Association, the Sikh Sangat of Reading Pennsylvania, the Guru Gobind Singh Foundation Maryland and the New England Sikh Study Circle. Sikh Forum Inc of Long Island, the Mid-Hudson Sikh Cultural Society, the Sikh Federal Credit Union, and the Sikh Society of Chicago and followed the float as did the leaders of the World Sikh Organization, USA Didar Singh Bains, the founder president of the World Sikh Organization, Gurcharan Singh President, Lakhbir Singh Cheema Vice President, and Dr. Gurinder Singh Grewal, President of the World Sikh News. WSO leaders of Canada, including Gurpreet Singh Bal, Sajjan Singh Bhangu, B.S. Hansra.
This was followed by a float bearing the legend “Punjab the bread basket of India” which highlighted the role of Punjab as the Ukraine of India.
The Guru Nanak Taxi Association, which had made arrangements for the langar for everyone followed this float. The parade terminated at the Union Square Park.
The significance of the parade was expressed most aptly by Brian McAndrew the co-author of the book Soft Target who said at a fund raising dinner for WSN a day later” … Your image has been boosted because of the parade on Broadway. Never hurts to project and enhance your image on the most famous street of the most famous city.””
Article extracted from this publication >> April 27, 1990
