Significant Presence of Sikhs Added to Independence Day Parade in Washington DC

July 1, 2005

Source: SikhNet News

http://www.sikhnet.com/Sikhnet/news.nsf/TodaysNewsHTML/743BE545D37E707E872570310076347E!OpenDocument

On July 1, 2005 SikhNet News reported, "For the first time in Washington D.C in the nation's Capitol, Sikhs will be part of the grand Independence Day Parade. There will over 100 floats depicting American life and culture in this parade. This parade is a popular event among the whole day celebratory events happening in Washington, D. C. on July 4th. Over 300,000 people witness this program in person and many more thousands watch it on television. This is the first time that Sikhs have been asked to be part of this parade and they are gathering from all over the country to participate. Miri Piri Gatka Dal of Houston, TX, which has been participating in many public events in Houston and other parts of the country, will be participating along with Sikh Gatka Akhara of the Guru Gobind Singh Foundation (GGSF) of Washington. Miri Piri Gatka Dal has been instrumental in securing the Sikh participation in this national event. Both groups have a very committed group of young Sikhs who are eager to show the various acts of Gatka, the Sikh Martial Art. A special flyer describing the Gatka and the main Sikh principles behind this art will be distributed along the parade route."