32nd Yuba City Annual Sikh Parade 2011
Despite weather forecasts predicting showers, tens of thousands, perhaps hundreds of thousands, of people turned out for the November 6th, 20l1, 32nd Yuba City Annual Sikh Parade an event commemorating Guru Gadee, the inauguration of the holy scripture Siri Guru Granth Sahib as the eternal guru of the Sikhs. As it turned out we had no need of our umbrellas and the sun even made an appearance shining through the clouds to grace the day.
(I noticed from previous parade photographs that these 2011 barefoot banner bearers also bore the banner in the 2010 rainy day parade.)
Despite the turnout, the parade had far fewer floats participating than in previous years. The Sikh Motorcycle Club headed up the parade, followed by banners and flag bearers, the Panj Pyare, and devotees sprinkling water and sweeping the streets ahead of the float bearing Siri Guru Granth sahib.
Though sangat crowded the streets, the event seemed less like nagar kirtan and more like a Punjabi festival with bangra music blasting from bypassing floats. However amid the procession which sported a Red Cross truck and a Real Estate float handing out flyers, the sublime sounds of Gurbani kirtan soothed the ear as a float passed by bearing devotees in white, proclaiming, "We are Sikhs & Gurbani Yoga Meditation."
It took hours for my family to eat their way through the free food booths lining the streets. Just as the swore they couldn't eat another bite, someone would come right onto the street offering free sweets they couldn't turn down. Eventually we reached the gurdwara and went inside to pay our respects.
I'll be posting more photographs, so be sure to check back later for more about the 32nd Yuba City Annual Sikh Parade 2011.
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Great series of shots. The happenings so well captured.
looks like a fun-filled day. very colourful and intriguing.
That’s neat that there were free food booths along the parade route. That doesn’t happen up here in Portland. Our food booths tend to charge double what it costs at regular restaurants.
I’m glad you had a fair weather day for the annual parade. Looks like a lovely time was had by all.
Nice series of photos.
love all the colors, the blues and golds..
Thanks for posting your parade photos for us to enjoy once again. I’m glad you had a lovely day for it.
very colorful and festive parade. Looks like a great day!
Beautiful pictures !
I can’t find your Wordless Wednesday anymore !
Glad to see the weather held up for what seems to be a lovely and colorful parade.
Great pictures of the parade. I’m glad the weather held out for you!
Even with overcast skies, still a feast for the eyes….and through your description, the spirit and palate.
You mention Punjab and I just saw a movie set partly there called Partition, with a Sikh leading man. Very finely acted and well worth watching (though maybe not for the whole family.)
Looks like a very interesting day & so colorful. free food! sign me up for next time
(glad you found your spooky smell!)
thanks for joining tina´s ww with this colorful parade!
Parades are so interesting and you get to see and do so much.
Glad you had a fun time.
I love Wednesdays, when I get a visual education from your site. Thanks!
I love your parade photos; so much color and pageantry.
I love the colors, the outfits and the apparent pageantry, too.
Looks like fun!
Free food!? I wonder what sweets you had.
I had fruit with black salt and fresh sugarcane juice, I think my son in law had some kind of milk barfi, a kind of sweet milk fudge.