City’s Sikh community ‘small but growing’
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The Nagar Kirtan Sikh community hosted its second annual Sikh parade downtown on Sunday morning with devotional music and a spirit of togetherness.
Organized by the Sikh Centre of Brandon, the event drew more than 300 participants — a growing number compared to last year’s debut, which saw around 200.
The parade began with prayers led by religious leader Jagroop Singh, as the community sought blessings for a safe and meaningful procession, organizing committee president Lakhvir Singh told the Sun during the procession.
Traditional Sikh martial artists perform on 15th Street in Brandon during the procession that carried the Sikh holy scripture through Brandon’s Downtown on Sunday afternoon. (Photos by Abiola Odutola/The Brandon Sun)
“This is our way to show people who we are as a community,” he said. “We are small but growing, and this parade is both a religious celebration and a way to share our culture with Brandon.”
He explained that the procession carried the Sikh holy scripture through Brandon’s core, accompanied by devotional singing and Gatka — a traditional Sikh martial arts performance. The parade wound its way along Princess and Rosser avenues and other streets before returning to its starting point, Stanley Park.
The Nagar Kirtan is more than a parade — it is a living expression of Sikh values, Burrows MLA Diljeet Brar, who travelled from Winnipeg to attend, told the Sun during the event.
He explained that the procession embodies Sarbat da Bhala — a central Sikh teaching that means “may everyone prosper.”
“It’s about inclusion, diversity, and prosperity for all living beings,” Brar said. “Everybody is equal. There’s no rich or poor, no races — we need to bridge those divides and treat every single human as equal.”
The Nagar Kirtan procession carried the Sikh holy scripture through downtown, filling the streets with devotional singing before returning to Stanley Park.
The growing celebration also drew support from local leaders.
The event adds to the cultural richness of the city, Brandon East MLA Glen Simard told the Sun.
“It just looks like it’s well attended and is becoming a tradition for our city,” Simard said. “The number of cultures and communities that exist in Brandon enriches the fabric of our city, and this is another beautiful example.”
Simard said he looks forward to seeing the parade continue in the future. “When we create traditions that celebrate beauty and culture, the more the better,” he said.
» aodutola@brandonsun.com
Nagar Kirtan Sikh community women sweep a part of 14th Street by Stanley Park shortly before the parade on Sunday afternoon. The religious exercise (sweeping) was to clean the path for the ‘Holy Scripture’ to pass before the parade.
» X: @AbiolaOdutola