'It's open to the community': Annual Sikh festival and parade return to Yuba City

Nov. 6—One of the many landmarks of the Yuba-Sutter region is the Sikh Temple Gurdwara of Yuba City on Tierra Buena Road.

The temple, which helps to bring many into the area both on a permanent and temporary basis, is celebrated each year on the first weekend of November in what is known as Nagar Kirtan, a three-day festival to honor the early founders of Sikhism and what it is like to be Sikh in the United States, according to reports.

"Every first Sunday in November, we pick that date (to celebrate) our parade," lifelong Yuba City resident Gurshran Kooner said.

The parade begins and ends at the Sikh Temple Gurdwara, located at 2468 Tierra Buena Rd. It runs through the streets of Yuba City on Sunday with the help of the Sutter County community, providing escorts and cheers from the sideline.

"It's open to the community," Kooner said. "Anybody is welcome to come here. It's for the whole community."

On Saturday, Kooner, who moved here as a young teenager, helped to provide a spirited tour of the temple festivities, which featured an open house and numerous free booths serving authentic Indian dishes with core ingredients used in the meals. Kooner said there were also vendors present all weekend providing exclusive inventory.

"You don't get that every year," Kooner said. "The whole festival (and) shops to see what you want to buy."

Kooner said the food is undoubtedly a highlight of the weekend. It's all vegetarian and features Indian staples like vegetable pakora, traditional Indian noodles, hot black tea and authentic sugary desserts like jalebi.

"Every stall has different foods," Kooner said.

For those interested in only the temple, Kooner said anyone is welcome inside so long as the person's head is covered and shoes are removed.

Sikh Temple Gurdwara was broadcasting its services all weekend with the help of numerous jumbotrons located throughout the property. Kooner said the jumbotrons were providing what was happening inside the temple in her native language.

Kooner's family came from as far away as England, a traditional destination for many within the Sikh community. Every year to begin November, people come in from all over the globe for the annual Nagar Kirtan festival.

"Every year it gets bigger and bigger," Kooner said.

To fit the philanthropic theme, Kooner provided insight into another vendor, who was offering free grocery bags filled with core ingredients for Indian dishes.

Ashu Makkar, of Laxmi, a south Indian grocery store, said each bag was filled with rice and flour, two staple ingredients for those interested in replicating the food served to the Yuba-Sutter community on each Nagar Kirtan.

Makkar said rice and flour are used in many authentic Indian dishes.

Kooner said those who made their first trip to the temple were sure not to leave disappointed due in part to the food and service the temple volunteers provided to their community.

"This is a friendly community," Kooner said.

For more information about Sikh Temple Gurdwara, visit sikhtempleyubacity.com.