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| Ceremonial.- One of several floats makes its way along Morning Star Dr. this afternoon during the 11th annual Khalsa Day parade in Malton. Members of the Sikh community from across the Greater Toronto Areas filled the parade route. Photo by Steven Der-Garabedian |
The streets of Malton were jammed with celebrants this afternoon as members of the Sikh community from across the Greater Toronto Area turned out for the 11th annual Khalsa Day parade.
Numbering in the thousands, participants were dressed in bright blue and orange traditional religious garb as they marched from the Sri Guru Singh Sabha Gurdwara in Malton on Airport Rd. to the Sikh Spiritual Centre in Rexdale. The Sikh community celebrates the Khalsa festival to educate other Canadians about their faith and to ensure the culture is kept alive by new generations of Canadian-born Sikhs.
“Canada is a multicultural country and we want to show Canadians what Sikhism is all about,” said Sukhwinder Sandhu, secretary of the Ontario Gurdwara Committee, who organized the event. “This celebration is a good example of the Sikh religion and we need to continue this so we can be good role models for the younger generation.”
Mayor Hazel McCallion, Ward 5 Councillor Eve Adams, Mississauga-Brampton South MPP Amrit Mangat and Bramalea-Gore-Malton MP Gurbax Malhi were among those attending; all covered their heads with headscarves, or romalas, as a gesture of respect.
Prasad, samosas, sweet rice and drinks were distributed free among the crowd as the parade wended its way through the neighbourhoods.
Mississauga resident Satinder Chopra said he felt proud to be an (East) Indian.
“(East) Indians back home (in India) think there’s no culture in Canada but today should prove them wrong,” said Chopra, 33, who emigrated to Malton from India last year. “I think that there’s more obedience of the Sikh religion in Canada than in India and for that every Sikh should be proud.”