RICHMOND HILL, NY (TIP) The Sikh Community is taking out a  massive and  impressive Parade in New York City in celebration of the community’s birthday on Saturday, April 23. Sikhism is the youngest and the fifth largest religion of the world, with a following of about 30 million across the world. Gurdwara Sikh Cultural Society President Davinder Singh Boparai who gave program details to The Indian Panorama has requested all Sikhs and non-Sikhs to participate in the parade in large numbers. Organized by the Sikh Cultural Society, Richmond Hill, New York, in cooperation with Sikh Temples and Sikh organizations of the Tri-States of New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut, the Sikh Day Parade on April 23  in Manhattan, New York is expected to attract large crowds of Sikh men, women and children, and contingents of Sikhs from as far as Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Maryland. The parade that will start at 12 PM from 38^th Street  and Madison Ave, would wind its way  through the city and end up at 26th Street and Madison Ave for the conference on 23rd Street. There will be a dozen or so  floats depicting Sikh history, culture  and religion. Thousands will be marching  in the parade singing hymns from the Holy Sikh Scripture.

An interesting feature is  participation in parade of NYPD band and police officers. Another impressive feature of the parade  is langar (free food). The whole 26th Street between Madison and Park is  dedicated to food stalls where free food will be  served to the thousands  irrespective of color or creed. A conference will be  held as the closing part of the parade.  The event is held annually to mark Vaisakhi, the harvest festival of Punjab that coincides with the day the Tenth Master of the Sikhs, Guru Gobind Singh, created the order of Khalsa in 1699.