By Balwant Sanghera

Richmond’s Highway to Heaven is a very popular place for visitors. This small stretch of # 5 Road between Steveston Highway and Cambie Road in Richmond is home to approximately 25 places of worship representing various religions – Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism and Judaism etc. It is like a living lab of most of the religions in the world. Consequently, visitors, especially students, find it very worthwhile and convenient to learn firsthand about these religions. Most of these places of worship welcome visitors with open arms. On January 8, a group of special visitors visited Gurdwara Nanak Niwas and neighboring Az-Zahraa Islamic Centre to learn about our communities, religions and the way we perform the last rites of our loved ones who have left us for their heavenly abode. 

At the Gurdwara, this group of more than 70 professionals from all over the province was eager to learn about our community, the Sikh religions and funeral process in our community. On behalf of the Gurdwara management committee, it was an  honour for me to extend a very warm welcome to them. So far as our community’s early history in Canada is concerned, I told them that our ancestors set foot on Canadian soil more than 140 years ago. Initially, they came through the U.S. especially through California, Oregon and Washington states along Columbia River in Golden, BC. They found work in a sawmill in Golden and even built a Gurdwara, the first one in Canada, in Golden. Unfortunately, the mill burnt down in 1927. Consequently, some of the men moved back to the States while quite a few took the CPR (built in 1885) to Vancouver. In Metro Vancouver, most of them worked on sawmills and farms.  

The second group has to do with the Diamond Jubilee Celebration of Queen Victoria in London, England in 1897. The Queen had invited some of the young handsome Sikh soldiers to participate in her celebration. Before returning to India these Sikh soldiers decided to visit Canada. Here in Canada, they were very impressed with Canada’s natural beauty and hospitable people. So, when they returned to Punjab, the world spread about Canada. Thus, from 1901 to 1906 a lot of them came to Canada from the villages of Punjab. Unfortunately, their large numbers scared some of the Canadian people and its leadership. Consequently, in 1907 Asian Exclusion Act was passed by the Canadian government which stopped any immigration of Japanese, Chinese and Indians. Their immigration gradually began again in the mid 1920s. Thus, our ancestors had to suffer a lot of hardships, discrimination and racism in the early years here. It is due to their sacrifices,resilience and hard work that our community at more than 2 million now has become one of the most resilient, generous and hard-working ones 

So far as Sikhism is concerned, I gave them a brief overview of the growth and development of Sikhism from Guru Nanak Dev ji to Guru Gobind Singh ji and Guru Granth Sahib. Similarly, I shared with them the process of the last rites in our community when a loved one has passed away. After my presentation these guests asked very impressive questions. Before leaving for the mosque next door, they took some pictures and thanked me and the Gurdwara management for welcoming them. 

Balwant Sanghera is the Secretary, India Cultural Centre of Canada Gurdwara Nanak Niwas Society – 8600 #5 Road, Richmond, BC, Canada.