Faces of Vancouver: Guru Nanaksar Gursikh Gurdwara in Richmond

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      The Guru Nanaksar Gursikh Gurdwara, located on Westminster Highway in eastern Richmond, is an offshoot of the Nanaksar Movement in India. The movement was formed in 1943 after the death of Baba Nand Singh, who was revered by many in the Punjab as a saint. The building of this Richmond gurdwara is another example of an Asian religious movement taking steps to establish itself outside of the continent. Back then, Baba Mihan Singh, the movement’s new leader, began to regularly tour Canada and the U.K. He found particularly strong support in the Vancouver area, and it was decided to organize the construction of the Richmond temple. Other temples were constructed in Edmonton, Toronto, and Coventry, England. Baba Mihan Singh was also highly respected by many people outside of the Nanaksar tradition. He died in the Richmond temple in 1994.

      Continuous reading of the Sikh holy book, the Guru Granth Sahib, occurs 24 hours a day. The community dining hall operates for most of the day and evening, and as in all Sikh temples, is free and open to the public.

      One of the tenets of the Sikh religion is service to the community. Sikh dining halls are meant to be places where any member of the community, be they Sikh or non-Sikh, is welcome to eat in an atmosphere of complete equality. Sikhs believe that there is only one God and that a sincere seeker of God in any religion deserves full respect. People of all faiths are welcome and encouraged to visit Sikh temples but there is a protocol. Shoes are taken off at the entry and before entering the sanctuary all must cover their heads. Each temple has a box of simple head scarves at the front door for the use of the public. Once in the sanctuary, men usually sit on the right and women on the left.

      In terms of architecture, the Guru Nanaksar Gursikh Gurdwara is considered one of the most traditional-looking Sikh temples in Greater Vancouver.

      Douglas Aitken is the author of the book Three Faces of Vancouver. Every Monday, Faces of Vancouver looks at the area’s buildings, past and present, with a focus on Vancouver’s European, Asian, and First Nations cultures.

      Comments

      1 Comments

      Sikh Canadian

      Feb 15, 2010 at 7:53pm

      Great write-up. Thanks! From personal experience, this is one Sikh Temple in Metro-Vancouver where one can sit, meditate and enjoy the Divine spiritual energy vibrations. A number of overseas tourists, mostly non-Sikhs are seen here every year.