The Abbotsford Hindu Temple celebrated India’s 75th Independence Day on Aug. 14 by serving as a starting point for the Maple-Tricolour Car Rally – also know as Tiranga Yatra.
The rally was organized by the Gurukul Inter-Cultural Society and started from different locations in the Lower Mainland, including Abbotsford.
The Abbotsford temple on Walmsley Avenue celebrated the occasion by singing the national anthems of Indian and Canada, led by president Jeevan Sharma. The flag of India was hoisted.
Participants then left the temple and merged into the car rally as it proceeded to the Hope Gurukul for the main ceremony, where food and drinks were provided and Canada’s flag was hoisted.
In total, approximately 250 people and 150 cars decorated with Indian and Canadian flags participated in the event.
Indian Independence Day is celebrated every year on Aug. 15 to commemorate India’s independence from the United Kingdom on Aug. 15, 1947. It is a public holiday in India.