By A Staff Reporter MODESTO: A contingent of Silch immigrants joined other Americans in participating in the parade to mark the Independence Day on July 4.
The hundred and fifty or so Sikh men women and children, dressed in colorful turbans and salwar kamiz, joined the parade on a 40 foot long float festooned with banners depicting the colors of the star and stripes.
They performed Bhangra and Giddha the Sikhs folk dances for men and women respectively. The dances, especially the acrobatics of the Bhangra drew many an appreciative applause from the crowds as an estimated 7,500 people gathered in the festivities.
A retired General rose up to salute the Sikh contingent, “they are brave warriors.”
Approximately enough, the Sikhs were lead by an convert whose display of gatka (swordsmanship) enchanted the onlookers. Many a child stopped him and asked for Permission to touch his swords just to reassurance themselves that they were real!
This was the first time Sikhs of Modesto and Ceres had joined the 4th of July parade. It marched from 10th Street to I Street.
The impact they had could be judged by the fact that the Modesto Bee ran a front page photo showing the Sikhs participating in the parade, It caption identified them as “the Sikhs community of Stanislaus” (the county).
The float and the participation of the community in the parade ‘was organized by Naranjan Samra, Satwant Sanghera, Sukhchain Brar, Sukhwinder Dosanjh, Onkar Dosanjh, Amrik Dosanjh, Nirmay Bassi, and Gurpal Singh amongst others.
It is hoped that Sikh communities all over America will participate in such functions in the future.
Article extracted from this publication >> July 7, 1989
