DOWNEY,CA - Bal-Balika of International Shree Swaminarayan Sansthan of Vadtal (ISSSV) Youth winter camp was held at the Shree Swaminarayan Mandir here from Jan 4 to 6, in the presence of Lalji Maharaj and senior sadhus from India as well as sadhus from the Mandir here. The main theme was ‘Day to Day Satsang to Know, Understand, and Connect’. The camp brought together more than 50 children and their parents from across the region to experience a fascinating journey of a child in search of profound...

FRESNO,CA –  The Nation Sikh Campaign ‘We Are Sikhs’ ran a comprehensive campaign in 2018 with TV ads, digital ads, and grassroots events to help raise the profile of Sikh Americans. The campaign which was a tremendous success fundamentally shifted the understanding and views of Sikh Americans in the Central Valley region and won several awards, according to a press release. PBS Central Valley wants to keep the campaign going and has put the ads back on air and may even take them nationwide.

MONTEBELLO- Devotees gathered at Shri Nand Shiv Durga Mandir here, to start the new year with prayer. Swami Adrishananda performed Gayatri Hawan, followed by bhajans, Hanuman Chalisa, arti and mahaprasad. This event was sponsored by Suresh and Madhu Chandna.

PASADENA,CA – The United Sikh Mission, float in the Rose Parade this year was titled “A Divine Melody Resonates in All.” It won the Isabella Coleman Award for outstanding presentation of color and color harmony through floral design on Jan. 1. The float had a concept called “Naad” which correlated to the parade’s theme of “The Melody of Life.” The Sikh float featured the string instrument known as ‘rabab.’ The float also received the Leishman Public Spirit Award for its float entitled “Serving Kindness.” 

By Dr. JASWANT SINGH SACHDEV
POMONA, CA – On December 25, several thousand Sikhs - more than in any previous celebration of Darbar-E-Khalsa – thronged the grounds of the LA County Fairplex here. The massive religio-social annual gathering in Southern California, on the day of Christmas, was the brain child of Captain Harbhajan Singh, the founder of the International Institute of Gurmat Studies. 

​BY A STAFF REPORTER
IRVINE,CA - About 200 guests attended the annual Christmas program hosted by Sri Yeshu Jayanthi here on  Dec 1. The Turtle Rock Community Park Multipurpose Room was decorated to reflect the theme of Christmas. The multicultural program began with a classical Bharatanatyam dance, followed by a children’s skit to convey the story of Jesus’ birth. 

IJ NEWS SERVICE
BUENA PARK,CA- A signing ceremony for yet another Professorship in Jain Studies was held at the Jain Center of Southern California here on November 25.The Bhagwab Mallinath Endowed Professorship was  set up at Loyola Marymount University. Raksha and Harshad Shah and Drs. Meera and Jasvant Modi from Los Angeles are the main donors of the Endowment of $800,000...

​BY KALYANI VASAN
LOS ANGELES, CA:  Hollywood Sikh Temple Celebrated the 549th Parkash Utsav of Guru Nanak Dev Ji at the -Friendship Auditorium here.  An estimated 3,000-5,000 Sikhs attended the all-day event.  The day began at 7 am with prayers  or Shabads followed by Kirtans rendered by children.  The Friendship Auditorium reverberated with the sounds of faith, prayer and love.  

​BY A STAFF REPORTER
IRVINE,CA - After Diwali, a rare event with rituals and chanting of Vedic mantras took place on Nov 10 at the Mandir here. The ‘invocation of divinity’ ceremonies were conducted by the priests and the 4 feet black stone deity of Bhagwan Kartikeyaswami was installed on the pedestal. All customary rituals, daily homam and pujas were performed by participating families in authentic

BY GINA DARGAN
ORANGE, CA - SikhLens hosted its 16th annual Sikh Arts and Film Festival  from Nov 15- 18 , showcasing the culture of Sikhism through different mediums of art from creators all around the world. The four-day cinematic festival was dedicated to highlighting Sikh awareness on a global scale, while also touching upon social issues within communities.