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Colorful parades, religious discourses and cultural presentations marked Vaisakhi celebrations across the country. The harvest festival also marks the beginning of the New Year for the Punjabi and the Sikh community. The festival is especially important for the Sikh community as it marks the establishment of the Khalsa.
Sixteen lawmakers led by Democrat John Garamendi introduced a resolution in the U.S. House of Representatives, honoring Vaisakhi. The bipartisan resolution was co-sponsored among others by the lone Indian-American Congressman Ami Bera, Democratic co-chair of the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans, one of the largest in Congress with more than 180 members, the Indo Asian News Service reported.
“America’s founding ideals of freedom of worship, equality, and justice are reflected in the Sikh American community’s celebration of Vaisakhi,” said Garamendi, co-chair of the American Sikh Congressional Caucus. “I am proud to represent one of the largest Sikh communities in the country. I have partnered with the community on many issues, including civil liberties, education, and business development,” he said.
The resolution notes that Sikhism founded in the Punjab region of South Asia over five centuries ago was introduced to the US in the 19th century. Sikhism is the fifth largest world religion with approximately 25 million adherents from diverse backgrounds throughout the world, including 500,000 adherents in the U.S., it said.
Sikhs in the U.S. pursue diverse professions and walks of life, making rich contributions to the economic vibrancy as farmers, engineers, doctors, scientists, and business owners, the resolution noted. Sikh Americans continue to make strides toward securing religious liberty as patriotic members of the U.S. Armed Forces, it said.
Meanwhile at the Indian Embassy in Washington, D.C., Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar attended a colorful celebration April 18. Over three hundred guests including prominent Indian American community leaders, doctors, engineers, lawyers, bankers, scientists, and other professionals attended the event, the Embassy Facebook page said. “You are far away from India, but you carry the spirit here,” Jaitley said.
The Sikh community also honored U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder with a siropa, a ceremonial robe of honor, and a Sewa Service Award at a ceremony at the Justice Department April 20. A special prayer was performed in a room, which once housed Robert Kennedy’s office, with blessings sought for the Attorney General and for the nation, IANS reported. In addition to a robe of honor being placed around Holder’s neck in a traditional Sikh manner, he was also presented an honorary plaque and a book on Sikhs. He was also presented a phulkari, a traditional Punjabi embroidered shawl with bright floral craft by Romi Kaur Sawhney, executive director of the Guru Gobind Singh Foundation (GGSF) of Rockville, Maryland.
In New York, First Lady Chirlane McCray and Public Advocate Letitia James hosted a Vaisakhi celebration in collaboration with South Asian 4 Better Choice (SA4BC) at City Hall April 16. Ritu Nanda, chief executive officer of the Mumbai-based Ritu Nanda Insurance Services, was honored as part of the “Year of Women Empowerment” for entering the Guinness Book of World Records for selling 17,000 pension policies in a single day. First Lady McGray, who presented the award to Nanda, congratulated all the honorees and exchanged greetings from mayor’s office. Public Advocate James exchanged greetings, and honored Nanda as well as several prominent leaders of the Sikh community. More than 150 guests including prominent members of the Sikh community attended the event. Highlights included traditional Bhangra dance by Virsa Group and the unveiling of a souvenir book.
In California, members of the Sikh and Punjabi community came in large numbers to attend festivities as it made its way down Highland Avenue in Selma, following several large parade floats, the Fresno Bee reported. The parade began at Sahib Sikh Center of the Pacific Coast.
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