Downtown Nagar Kirtan 2006

Writing by shinda on Monday, 1 of May , 2006

Yesterday I was able to get out and go to the downtown Nagar Kirtan for the first time in about 4 years. (Last time I went downtown was back in 2000/2001, right before the downtown / sauga split.)

Taking all the past Nagar Kirtans into consideration, the day went pretty good. Unlike in the past where it was either raining, cold, cloudy, humid, or a combination of bad weather, yesterday was nice. The sun was out, temperature was perfect and everything else went good.

As far as Sangat goes, this was probably one of the biggest Nagar Kirtan turn outs since before the split. Its hard to judge using figures considering the newspapers every year always write 50 000 + people, which if looked at figuratively is 25 000 less then what the same news papers (Toronto Star) reported 4 years ago, for the Malton/Dixie Nagar Kirtan (75, 000+).

The Nagar Kirtans have also come a long way in just the 10 years that I can remember. Back in the days (Less then 5 years ago), there were no floats, just flat-beds where Sangtaan could sit. Now the trucks have been transformed into floats, with many having Kirtan Jatha’s doing Kirtaan the whole way, while others had the Shaheedi tapes, Babay doing dharnaa’s, or Jazzy B’s latest dharmic album playing.)

Also there were tons of new faces. Most Nagar Kirtans, I remember always being able to recognize most the Singh’s (may not have known them, but at least I could recognize them from the Gurdwara’s they frequented), but this year there were just too many new faces, just goes to show that after so many years the community is still growing.

There was also a lot of good media coverage at this Nagar Kirtan. First page in the Toronto Star, (its been awhile since we got that), and I also saw CTV, City TV, and others.

Now maybe its just me, but in the past I remember much more food being given out then was at this Nagar Kirtan. It used to be that by the end of the day you were sick of chips, candy and soft drinks, but yesterday I went the whole time without seeing anyone giving out chips, or drinks, and the side walks wheren’t cluttered as they usually are with sevaadaars giving out free something or another. Maybe downtowns always been like this, but aside from last year, Malton’s always been an all you can eat junk food buffet.

On Sur Sagar everyone was complaining about the washrooms and the lack there off. I personally didn’t think this would have been a problem considering the lack of beverages. Well to be fair I came across 2 trucks that were giving out water and pop and stuff, and one chaa stop, but come on this is a Nagar Kirtan not the Boston marathon.

Now, I wasn’t the only one who was hungry. After all if anyone walked by the Pizza Depot Truck then they would have noticed it being swarmed by the mad mobb of old bibian yelling “oh saraa dubaa farlaa”..

And lets not forget the busses. The chaos could have been any organizers nightmare. Apparently the morning was plagued with bus problems also, with hundreds of shardaloo’s being turned way from Dixie, and Rexdale just because there was no room. At the night fights broke out, and I even heard the odd story of a Bibi beating up some guy because he was pushing her to get on the bus.What was even funnier was the kids yelling at there parents, “No maa, this is Canada we don’t push here, this isn’t India!!!”, clearly this kid wasn’t from Malton.

Anyways apart from all that the Nagar Kirtan was pretty safe, although it was jokes, I think I still prefer the Malton to Dixie walk. After all left the 30 minute drive to downtown espeically with these gas prices, but then again if its all about getting noticed by the media, then no better way to do it then to walk right past there buildings, and stopping all traffic and preventing them from leaving, leaving them with having nothing better to do but to tape you.

All in all it was a good day. Maybe this is the year I venture off and check out the Montreal Nagar Kirtan, who knows maybe they’ll have some chips.

For more pictures check out:

Ontario Sikh Youth

Sikh Sangat

COSS (Coming soon?)

Gursikhi Jeevan (Coming Soon?)

Category: Events, Sikhi

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