BY DEVIKA C. MEHTA
PASADENA, CA - ‘Come rain or shine, but with roses, we spend the prettiest time.’ The grey morning here on Jan 2 was turned into a majestic canvas of colors at the 128th annual Rose Day Parade .Dark clouds overhead failed to dampen the day and mood of thousands who enjoyed various creative floats during the two-hour...
PASADENA, CA - ‘Come rain or shine, but with roses, we spend the prettiest time.’ The grey morning here on Jan 2 was turned into a majestic canvas of colors at the 128th annual Rose Day Parade .Dark clouds overhead failed to dampen the day and mood of thousands who enjoyed various creative floats during the two-hour...
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long parade. For many, it was the magic of New Year and an experience in an unrivaled celebration while for others wrapped in blankets, scarves and hats, it was history and part of culture. The crowd of spectators wore infectious smiles as they took in the sights and sounds along Colorado Boulevard.
There were several floats that became an instant hit, but the one that brought out sentiments of Indian-Americans was ‘Together We Rise’ themed float created by the United Sikh Mission, which featured a large replica of India’s Golden Temple speaking volumes about ‘Freedom, Justice, Service and Love’.
The float appeared at the 57th spot and resonated with ‘Ek Onkar’, depicting the four quadrats of colors- red - standing for love; white- signifying service; yellow - representing freedom and blue- telling the tales of sacrifice and justice.
Speaking about the significance of the theme, the float’s creative director Minu Kaur Singh said, “The Golden Temple is the symbol of equality and tolerance. It embodies the spirit of Sikh American faith, tradition and community. The four entrances to the temple represent the four directions; they symbolize the openness of the Sikhs to all people and religions. Each door bears the word that is integral to the principles of Sikhism— love, freedom, service, and justice. These are not just Sikh values, but also the best of what we all represent as Americans.”
Talking about the hard work, innumerous hours and practice sessions put in making the float, he also congratulated all the committee members who volunteered to make the 2017 Rose Parade Sikh float a huge success. The committee members includes Rashpal Singh, Gurdeep Singh Malik, Bharpur Singh Takhar, JP Singh, Tarlochan Singh Rangi, Sunny Sandhu, Bhajneet Singh, Bicky Singh, and Maninder Kaur Saini. The Rose Day Parade is the culmination of months of hard work of several volunteers who meticulously piece together their floats. The year-long effort pays off on New Year’s morning when millions of viewers around the world enjoy the parade that has become an intrinsic part of California.
There were several floats that became an instant hit, but the one that brought out sentiments of Indian-Americans was ‘Together We Rise’ themed float created by the United Sikh Mission, which featured a large replica of India’s Golden Temple speaking volumes about ‘Freedom, Justice, Service and Love’.
The float appeared at the 57th spot and resonated with ‘Ek Onkar’, depicting the four quadrats of colors- red - standing for love; white- signifying service; yellow - representing freedom and blue- telling the tales of sacrifice and justice.
Speaking about the significance of the theme, the float’s creative director Minu Kaur Singh said, “The Golden Temple is the symbol of equality and tolerance. It embodies the spirit of Sikh American faith, tradition and community. The four entrances to the temple represent the four directions; they symbolize the openness of the Sikhs to all people and religions. Each door bears the word that is integral to the principles of Sikhism— love, freedom, service, and justice. These are not just Sikh values, but also the best of what we all represent as Americans.”
Talking about the hard work, innumerous hours and practice sessions put in making the float, he also congratulated all the committee members who volunteered to make the 2017 Rose Parade Sikh float a huge success. The committee members includes Rashpal Singh, Gurdeep Singh Malik, Bharpur Singh Takhar, JP Singh, Tarlochan Singh Rangi, Sunny Sandhu, Bhajneet Singh, Bicky Singh, and Maninder Kaur Saini. The Rose Day Parade is the culmination of months of hard work of several volunteers who meticulously piece together their floats. The year-long effort pays off on New Year’s morning when millions of viewers around the world enjoy the parade that has become an intrinsic part of California.
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