Gur Sikh Temple
Encyclopedia
The Gur Sikh Temple of Abbotsford
in British Columbia
is the oldest existing Sikh
temple in North America and a National Historic Site of Canada
. This makes it currently (2010) the only Sikh temple outside of India and Pakistan, that is designated as national historic site.
area in 1905 and originally worked on farms and in the lumber
industry. First plans to build a temple were made in 1908. After a property situated on a hill was acquired the settlers carried lumber from a local mill on their backs up a hill to construct the gurdwara
. When the Gurdwara opened on February 26, 1911 Sikhs and non-Sikhs from across British Colombia attended the ceremony and a local newspaper reported on the event. The temple was a two floor building, that from the outside looked like the contemporary wood houses of seen in local frontier towns. Features and decoration typical for Sikh architecture and design were only used in the interior. The first floor contains the Langar and common dining room for the community, and the second floor contains the prayer hall. The building was extended twice in 1932 and in the 1960s. In 1983, a new, much larger, temple with a completely different architectural style was built on the opposite side of the road. The old temple was designated a national historic landmark by prime minister Jean Chrétien
on July 26 of 2002. In 2007 the temple was completely renovated and reopened. For 2011, the creation of a small museum in the basement is planned in connection with the temple's 100 years anniversary.
Abbotsford, British Columbia
Abbotsford is a Canadian city located in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia, adjacent to Greater Vancouver. It is the fifth largest municipality in British Columbia, home to 123,864 people . Its Census Metropolitan Area, which includes the District of Mission, is the 23rd largest in Canada,...
in British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
is the oldest existing Sikh
Sikh
A Sikh is a follower of Sikhism. It primarily originated in the 15th century in the Punjab region of South Asia. The term "Sikh" has its origin in Sanskrit term शिष्य , meaning "disciple, student" or शिक्ष , meaning "instruction"...
temple in North America and a National Historic Site of Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. This makes it currently (2010) the only Sikh temple outside of India and Pakistan, that is designated as national historic site.
History
The first Sikh pioneers came to the AbbotsfordAbbotsford, British Columbia
Abbotsford is a Canadian city located in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia, adjacent to Greater Vancouver. It is the fifth largest municipality in British Columbia, home to 123,864 people . Its Census Metropolitan Area, which includes the District of Mission, is the 23rd largest in Canada,...
area in 1905 and originally worked on farms and in the lumber
Lumber
Lumber or timber is wood in any of its stages from felling through readiness for use as structural material for construction, or wood pulp for paper production....
industry. First plans to build a temple were made in 1908. After a property situated on a hill was acquired the settlers carried lumber from a local mill on their backs up a hill to construct the gurdwara
Gurdwara
A Gurdwara , meaning the Gateway to the Guru, is the place of worship for Sikhs, the followers of Sikhism. A Gurdwara can be identified from a distance by tall flagpoles bearing the Nishan Sahib ....
. When the Gurdwara opened on February 26, 1911 Sikhs and non-Sikhs from across British Colombia attended the ceremony and a local newspaper reported on the event. The temple was a two floor building, that from the outside looked like the contemporary wood houses of seen in local frontier towns. Features and decoration typical for Sikh architecture and design were only used in the interior. The first floor contains the Langar and common dining room for the community, and the second floor contains the prayer hall. The building was extended twice in 1932 and in the 1960s. In 1983, a new, much larger, temple with a completely different architectural style was built on the opposite side of the road. The old temple was designated a national historic landmark by prime minister Jean Chrétien
Jean Chrétien
Joseph Jacques Jean Chrétien , known commonly as Jean Chrétien is a former Canadian politician who was the 20th Prime Minister of Canada. He served in the position for over ten years, from November 4, 1993 to December 12, 2003....
on July 26 of 2002. In 2007 the temple was completely renovated and reopened. For 2011, the creation of a small museum in the basement is planned in connection with the temple's 100 years anniversary.
External links
- 1911 Gurdwara: A National Historic Site - some basic information and pictures on a website of the MSA Museum Society
- Sikh Temples And Societies at abbotsfordtoday.com on 2009-4-1
- Government Supports Grant to Historic Temple
- http://www.flickr.com/photos/medleyview/2171103638/, http://www.flickr.com/photos/bobkh/405466388/ - images on FlickrFlickrFlickr is an image hosting and video hosting website, web services suite, and online community that was created by Ludicorp in 2004 and acquired by Yahoo! in 2005. In addition to being a popular website for users to share and embed personal photographs, the service is widely used by bloggers to...
- Sikh Gurdwara Launches Centennial Anniversary With Special Proclamation: 2011 Year of the Gurdwara
- Douglas Todd: B.C. Sikhs have had a long, hard road for 100 years. Website of The Vancouver Sun, 2011-1-10