BY DEVIKA C. MEHTA
PASADENA, CA - For millions of viewers around the world, the Rose Day Parade held here on Colorado Blvd. is an iconic New Year’s Day tradition, an unrivaled celebration inundated in flowers, music and showmanship. This year,at the for the 129th Rose Parade , for the fourth time, the Sikh community of Los Angeles greeted the world...
PASADENA, CA - For millions of viewers around the world, the Rose Day Parade held here on Colorado Blvd. is an iconic New Year’s Day tradition, an unrivaled celebration inundated in flowers, music and showmanship. This year,at the for the 129th Rose Parade , for the fourth time, the Sikh community of Los Angeles greeted the world...
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on January 1 with their ‘Serving Kindness’ float that marvelously displayed the replica of the Golden Temple ‘Free Kitchen’ in Amritsar, India. Put up by the United Sikh Mission (Phoenix Decorating Company) it arrived at the 55th position and awed the audience.
The float featured a replica of the world’s largest free kitchen located at the Golden Temple that feeds nearly 100,000 daily. The float honored Sikh teachings of selfless service and equality through Langar, a free community kitchen.
Aligning the parade’s theme “Making a Difference” with Sikh tradition, Bhajneet Singh, a member of the Sikh committee responsible for the float entry, detailed, “Our community, in which all markers of religions, caste, color, age, gender and social status are removed, makes way for sharing, community, inclusiveness and oneness in humankind. Sikh temples and communities all over the world are at the forefront of providing Langar, aid and relief to the homeless, families in need, victims of catastrophes such as hurricanes in Houston and Puerto Rico, and more recently, the California wildfires.”
“Growing up in Pasadena and La Cañada, it was always a dream to see a Sikh float in the Tournament of Roses Parade. Somehow, in the last four years we’ve realized this dream. I think this speaks volumes of the Tournament of Roses Parade – its message of service and unity, and also of the Sikh community’s commitment to share in this vision. People see me, they see our float, and say ‘I love your float,’ so it’s an awesome event. We love it!” added Singh. In addition to its message of unity, the float also visually transported spectators thousands of miles across the Atlantic Ocean to northwestern India. Utilizing 90,959 flowers and 500 lbs. of vegetables including bright purple, white, and green cauliflower heads, bitter melons, collard, Swiss chard, butternut, red kuri, and colorful squash, zucchini, carrots and bell peppers, which are symbolic of those used to prepare meals at the temple’s Langar Hall, the float also showcased beautiful brick walls, a marbled dome roof, and scalloped arches to replicate those found at the Golden Temple, one of India’s most visited sites. And, as spectacular as it got,the float’s anterior replicated super-sized cauldrons used to prepare lentils, rice and vegetables, while the middle dome housed a large griddle that can make 25,000 `rotis’ per hour. The posterior featured beautiful embroidered umbrellas generally used to give shade to volunteers who prepare the delicious vegetarian meals served to visitors at the holy shrine. The float also highlighted the ancient Jujube trees of the Golden Temple considered to be more than 400 years old.
Riding the ‘Victory through Charity’ float were members of the Sikh American community who have been constantly involved in disaster relief work and are dedicated to selfless service to humanity. Riders also depicted the making of fresh bread and meals during the parade. Informing about the hard work involved in the creation of float, Singh further stated, “Beginning December 26 through New Year’s Eve more than 1,400 volunteers donated more than 11,200 hours of their time for floral and dry decoration alone to gift this float to Rose Parade spectators.” This year’s parade was presented by Honda and featured floral floats, spirited marching bands and high-stepping equestrian units along the five and a half mile route down Colorado Boulevard.
The float featured a replica of the world’s largest free kitchen located at the Golden Temple that feeds nearly 100,000 daily. The float honored Sikh teachings of selfless service and equality through Langar, a free community kitchen.
Aligning the parade’s theme “Making a Difference” with Sikh tradition, Bhajneet Singh, a member of the Sikh committee responsible for the float entry, detailed, “Our community, in which all markers of religions, caste, color, age, gender and social status are removed, makes way for sharing, community, inclusiveness and oneness in humankind. Sikh temples and communities all over the world are at the forefront of providing Langar, aid and relief to the homeless, families in need, victims of catastrophes such as hurricanes in Houston and Puerto Rico, and more recently, the California wildfires.”
“Growing up in Pasadena and La Cañada, it was always a dream to see a Sikh float in the Tournament of Roses Parade. Somehow, in the last four years we’ve realized this dream. I think this speaks volumes of the Tournament of Roses Parade – its message of service and unity, and also of the Sikh community’s commitment to share in this vision. People see me, they see our float, and say ‘I love your float,’ so it’s an awesome event. We love it!” added Singh. In addition to its message of unity, the float also visually transported spectators thousands of miles across the Atlantic Ocean to northwestern India. Utilizing 90,959 flowers and 500 lbs. of vegetables including bright purple, white, and green cauliflower heads, bitter melons, collard, Swiss chard, butternut, red kuri, and colorful squash, zucchini, carrots and bell peppers, which are symbolic of those used to prepare meals at the temple’s Langar Hall, the float also showcased beautiful brick walls, a marbled dome roof, and scalloped arches to replicate those found at the Golden Temple, one of India’s most visited sites. And, as spectacular as it got,the float’s anterior replicated super-sized cauldrons used to prepare lentils, rice and vegetables, while the middle dome housed a large griddle that can make 25,000 `rotis’ per hour. The posterior featured beautiful embroidered umbrellas generally used to give shade to volunteers who prepare the delicious vegetarian meals served to visitors at the holy shrine. The float also highlighted the ancient Jujube trees of the Golden Temple considered to be more than 400 years old.
Riding the ‘Victory through Charity’ float were members of the Sikh American community who have been constantly involved in disaster relief work and are dedicated to selfless service to humanity. Riders also depicted the making of fresh bread and meals during the parade. Informing about the hard work involved in the creation of float, Singh further stated, “Beginning December 26 through New Year’s Eve more than 1,400 volunteers donated more than 11,200 hours of their time for floral and dry decoration alone to gift this float to Rose Parade spectators.” This year’s parade was presented by Honda and featured floral floats, spirited marching bands and high-stepping equestrian units along the five and a half mile route down Colorado Boulevard.
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