Sikh Cycling Club’s second ride of 2024 was a 50-mile ride to the Stockton Nagar Kirtan in Stockton, California. It was our fourth annual Vaisakhi Ride. Vaisakhi is the largest celebration on the Sikh calendar.
While it’s a cultural celebration in South Asia celebrating the spring season, for Sikhs it has a special significance. It was on Vaisakhi in 1699 that Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Guru of the Sikhs, created the Khalsa order — the order of initiated Sikhs who epitomize the saint-soldier identity.
Vaisakhi at the Gurdwara in Stockton is extra special because this Gurdwara is the first and oldest Gurdwara in the United States. Founded in 1912, this Gurdwara was a hub for the settling Sikh community. It was also the center for Sikh revolutionaries who were advocating for Indian independence from British rule.
Our group of seven cycled 25 miles each way from Gurdwara Gur Nanak Parkash in Tracy, California to Stockton. The weather at the start was threatening to rain, but it turned out to be a great day for cycling. We made it to the Nagar Kirtan and back, enjoying the company of our community and the festivities at the Gurdwara.
We’re now looking forward to our next scheduled ride on June 8 starting in Fremont, CA in honor of the 40th anniversary of the Operation Bluestar.
Fateh!
Sikh Cycling Club 