In one of the unique celebrations of its kind, the combined Sikh Sadh Sangat of Arizona celebrated Sikh identity Awareness Day on March 11, 2018 in Phoenix Convention Center. A Religio-Social event held over the entire day was arranged where the mood was festive but sprinkled with religious fervor. Over thousand people arrived from all over including the entire valley as well as from towns such as Tucson. Mother Nature offered its full cooperation by turning the whether cooler and letting few drops of rain fall in the early morning hours.
About 20 committed volunteers gathered at 6 AM to set the hall and langar area. Inside a mega-sized Convention Center Hall, located at 475 E Monroe Street, religious Program was started at 10 am with Japuji Sahib followed by Shabad Keertan by Sangat members. The children of Khalsa Academy of Guru Nanak Dwara Sahib arrived on stage to render melodious Keertan followed by Nishkam Seva Sahib Children in association with Arizona Sikh Gurdwara Sahib. Ragi jethas of three Gurdwara Sahibs of Phoenix then took turns to mesmerize Sangat with their melodious Keertan. A young girl, Manmeet Kaur spoke in Punjabi where she high-lighted Sikh Identity followed by mesmerizing speech in English by a young boy Maanik Singh. Three special guests including Honr’ble, Greg Stanton, Mayor City of Phoenix, Assistant Police Chief of Phoenix, Louis Tovar as well as Councilwoman Kate were invited on stage and honored. Nagar Keertan (street Procession) started at 3:00 PM under the blessings of Guru Sahib Guru Granth Sahib ji. It passed through the streets of Downtown led by Punj Pyares with the entire congregation behind. Several large banners highlighting Sikh history, Sikh philosophy, unique identity of the Sikhs as well as hate crime against Sikhs were hand carried throughout the Nagar Keertan by children as adults.
While this was going on inside, a hot breakfast consisting of several items i.e pakoras, jalebees, Indian Sweets, Chaats, samosas, Aaloo Tikkis, chai and Mango Lassi were continuously served free or charge to hundreds and hundreds of people, Sikhs or non-Sikhs. A hot delicious vegetarian lunch langar after Nagar Keertan was served in a park-like-setting Over 20 volunteers had been cooking and working for three days. Every attendee as well as any passerby and anybody else who happened to be there was able to enjoy this Sikh benevolence.
