Calgary Sikh community celebrates with annual Nagar Kirtan parade through northeast

A large parade through the streets of northeast Calgary celebrated the birth of the Sikh nation.

Tens of thousands of Calgarians are attending Nagar Kirtan, one of the largest parades in the city Saturday.

The event started at Dashmesh Cultural Centre at 10 a.m. and goes to Prairie Winds Park.

“Nagar Kirtan is basically a celebration of the Khalsa (or Sikh nation),” said Talvir Singh, team lead for the parade. “This is a time when we can get together as a community and do Kirtan – just do favours for each other.“

“Everyone is more than welcome and just come together and share with love and compassion for everyone,” Singh added.

Singh said the parade in Surrey B.C. broke the world record, so he was expecting a huge turnout for Saturday’s event -- because it’s for everyone.

“(It’s) for the community,” he said. “Anyone that wants to enjoy the Kirtan, enjoy the company of everyone – come out, maybe even ask what the celebration is for, get a better understanding (of Sikh culture and tradition), and just overall, there’s a lot of ways to connect with the community.

“Just get to know more people.”

Singh said it’s a good time to have a parade, because the world needs one.

“I feel like especially now, after so much has happened after COVID and all of that, it really helps bring the communities together,” he said. “Especially (to raise) the awareness in Calgary, where’s such a diverse community.

“It really allows for everyone to come to celebrate each other’s religions, the diversity that we have, as Canadians – that’s the one thing we’re known for: embracing all differences."

With files from CTV’s Tyler Barrow