Sikhism in North America (10 images)

Ceremonial guards of the temple lead float stand amidst tens of thousands of Sikhs joining the Vaisakhi Parade starting from Vancouver's Ross Street Temple and compound, April 16, 2005. One of the largest celebrations of it's kind in North America, Vaisakhi is the Sikh festival of harvest after winter. ( UPI Photo/Heinz Ruckemann )

CHA99080301 - 03 AUGUST 1999 - CHANDIGARH, PUNJAB, INDIA: A blindfolded sikh performs "gatka", a traditional form of Sikh martial art, during which a coconut is smashed on the head of the woman, August 3, in Chandigarh, a north Indian city which is capital of Punjab state. An Indian court has granted the Sikhs a four week time to appeal a helmet law being instituted for women riding motorcycles and other two-wheeled transportation. As per Sikh religious traditions men or women are not allowed to wear any kind of cap or helmets. One of the Sikh religious sayings is: "Any Sikh wearing cap or a hat would die of leprosy for the next seven births." Protesters broke a coconut on the.head of a Sikh woman to demonstrate the strength of a skull to withstand a massive impact. iw/Harbaksh Singh Nanda UPI

A procession brings holy khalsa artifacts to the temple float amidst tens of thousands of Sikhs joining the Vaisakhi Parade starting from Vancouver's Ross Street Temple and compound, April 16, 2005. One of the largest celebrations of it's kind in North America, Visakhi is the Sikh festival of harvest after winter. (UPI Photo / Heinz Ruckemann)

A procession brings holy khalsa artifacts to the temple amidst tens of thousands of Sikhs joining the Vaisakhi Parade starting from Vancouver's Ross Street Temple and compound, April 16, 2005. One of the largest celebrations of it's kind in North America, Visakhi is the Sikh festival of harvest after winter. (UPI Photo / Heinz Ruckemann)