Vaisakhi is celebrated everywhere Sikhs are found. However, I find something novel about the yearly celebration in Los Angeles: While the number of sangat members isn't the biggest in the world (though there are many thousands), the amount of cooperation from different Sikh organizations is impressive. Certainly, it is the largest Vaisakhi coordination in the US.
The long time chief coordinator and head sevadar for the event is Kirtan Singh Khalsa. During the awards and recognitions portion this April a respected elder, Nazar Singh, took the opportunity to defy Kirtan Singh by dedicating his speech to said head sevadar. Nazar Singh pointed out that there are so many different Sikh initiatives out there but only Kirtan Singh has been able to maintain cordial relations with so many and manage the Herculean effort of being a uniter among Sikhs, "We Sikhs from all over the world, India to Canada have been talking about unity for so many years. But this man has acted on it. No one has brought us together like he has."
Though Kirtan Singh humor makes his dedication seem relatively effortless he shares the inspiration behind the work:
"This program was inspired by Siri Singh Sahib Bhai Sahib Harbhajan Singh Yogi in 1984 with the idea to celebrate Vaisakhi in a united fashion for the entire Sadh Sangat of California and beyond to appreciate. This program has taken place every year since 1984 with the addition of the Nagar Kirtan in 1998. The program has grown in size every year along with the increasing size of the Central and Southern California Sikh Communities."
Spanning of distance of 350 miles, from San Diego to Fresno, there are too many devoted sevadars to name who play a crucial role. Sikh from all over central and southern California attend yearly, along with the official cooperation of their respective gurdwaras. Guru Ram Das Ashram help with general organization and logistics. Langar is helped by Hollywood Sikh Temple (who coordinate all preparations), Khalsa Care Foundation (for Nagar Kirtan), Dhan Guru Ram Das Ji Langar Sewa (Prashaad and outside stalls), Valley Sikh Temple, Walnut Gurdwara, Sikh Center of Orange County, Nanak Sadan, and many others.
Kirtan Singh says, "Various Gurdwaras provide financial support for the program, including Sikh Gurdwara of Covina, Khalsa Care Foundation, Valley Sikh Temple, Siri Guru Singh Sahib Walnut, Guru Ram Das Ashram and Gurdwara Singh Sabha Buena Park."
This year's dignitaries who participated were U.S. Congressmember Judy Chu, U.S. Congressmember Adam Schiff, and John Ashford from U.S. Congressman Brad Sherman's office.
Spirit of Vaisakhi Awards were issued to Panth Rattan Bhai Sahiba Bibi Inderjit Kaur for her decades of inspiration and service to the Khalsa Panth and to Singh Sahib Simran Singh for his example of valor in entering an active war zone in order to retrieve Siri Guru Granth Sahib Ji and other Gutke from the Gurdwara Sahib in Odessa, Ukraine in March of 2022 for the sake of religious freedom.
The number of Raagi Jathas is in the dozens:
Sada Sat Simran Singh (Cherdi Kala Jetha who played Asa Di Vaar in the morning as well as in the day program), Bhai Sarabjeet Singh (Buena Park), Ragi Iqbal Singh (Dashmesh Gurdwara Bakersfield), Bhai Satish Singh (Shri Guru Singh Sabha Walnut), Bhai Surjot Prakash Singh & Gurpreet Kaur from family of Sant Sujan Singh Ji, Bhai Sahib Sarabjit Singh Jatha, Bhai Devinder Singh Jetha (Sikh Center Of Orange County Santa Ana), Bhai Onkar Singh Jatha (Gurdwara Singh Sabha Buena Park), Bhai Maninder Singh Jatha (Hollywood Sikh Temple), Bhai Naiv Singh (Sikh Gurdwara of Sadh Sangat Norco), Bhai Bhupinderjit Singh Jatha (Gurdwara Rosemead), Bhai Parvindar Singh Jatha (Gurdwara Sahib Riverside Jurupa Valley), Bhai Darbara Singh (Gurdwara Sahib Indio), International Institute of Gurmat Studies Jatha, Bhai Harpreet singh Jatha (Valley Sikh Temple), Bhai Sarabjeet Singh Jatha (Gurdwara High Desert Hesperia), Bhai Jaspreet Singh Jatha (Nanak Sadan Sikh Temple), Bhai Harjinder Singh (Sikh Gurdwara of Los Angeles), Bhai Jaswant Singh Zira Jatha (Inland Sikh Education Empire), Bhai Ragbir Singh Jatha (Sikh Community Gurdwara Covina), Bhai Bhupinder Singh Rangila Jatha, Bhai Varinder Singh Jatha (Khalsa Care Foundation), Bhai Surdeep Singh Jatha, Bhai Daljit Singh (Apple Valley Gurdwara), Bhai Ajit Singh Nimana (Gurdwara Gurbani Darbaar Ventura), Bhai Gurudeep Singh & Bhai Sucha Singh, Bhai Bir Amrik Singh Thaan.
That's not counting the female and youth Jathas:
Simran Sammi (Walnut Gurdwara), Sikh Community Gurdwara of Covina Children's Jr. Jatha as well as Sr. Jathas, Kirtan Nirmolak Heera Academy Jr. and Sr. Jathas, Harbhajan Singh & Kamalpreet Kaur, Kaur and Singh Academy, Gurdwara Gurbani Darbaar Ventura - Children's Jatha 1 and 2, Guru Nanak Children Acadmey (Sikh Center of Orange County), Gurdwara Singh Sabha Buena Park Orangethrope, Valley Sikh Temple Jr. and Sr. Jathas, Nanak Sadan Gurmat Academy Student's Jatha, Sikh Gurdwara of Sadh Sangat Norco Children's Jetha, Riverside Gurdwara (Mission) Children's Jatha, Indio Gurdwara Children's Jatha, Sikh Gurdwara Riverside Children's Jatha.
Photo credit to Harmek Singh Grover
Also, please link to watch the full program here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1ZEYqYg48k&ab_channel=SikhDharmaInternational