Ontario Khalsa Darbar
Encyclopedia
The Ontario Khalsa Darbar is a notable Sikh
temple in Mississauga, Ontario
. One of the largest Sikh temples in Canada
, it attracts tens of thousands of celebrants for major religious festivals.
It was officially started in 1978 in a small trailer. Steadily more and more money was raised and land was purchased and a building was created in 1988. Its new location is at 7080 Dixie Road, Mississauga, Ontario. The opening ceremony in 1989 drew a crowd of 10,000.
During the 1990s more land was bought and an outdoor stadium was built. Hardial Dhir Architect was chosen to reconstruct and design the community centre and additions to the Gudrwara. The Gurdwara is the central Gurdwara in the Greater Toronto Area
.
In the mid to late 1990s the old building was getting overcrowded so a 6 million dollar project was announced to build a large extension. Much money was raised, however the building still gets overcrowded on special days like Bandhi Chhor ("Release from Confinement", held according to Nanakshahi calendar on same date as Diwali) and Vaisakhi and New Year
(December 31). In 2001 the Nagar Kirtan (which celebrates Viasakhi) had a crowd of nearly 100,000 people.
In 2003 the Bandhi Chhor celebration drew in a crowd of over 40,000 people. This is when the Gurdwara got a lot of popularity. It has an atmosphere like if it is a major Gurdwara in India
. A new plan in 2004 was announced to build a $3 million parking lot. This parking lot would be filled with many historical paintings and information boards.
The temple has been the subject of several controversies such as a donation to the African National Congress
in 1990, a dispute over whether Sikh marriages can be performed in a hotel which serves alcohol and meat, and when a Sikh priest stayed at the temple, thus defying a deportation order.
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 Mississauga, Ontario
Mississauga, Ontario
Mississauga is a city in Southern Ontario located in the Regional Municipality of Peel, and in the western part of the Greater Toronto Area. With an estimated population of 734,000, it is Canada's sixth-most populous municipality, and has almost doubled in population in each of the last two decades...
. One of the largest Sikh temples in 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...
, it attracts tens of thousands of celebrants for major religious festivals.
It was officially started in 1978 in a small trailer. Steadily more and more money was raised and land was purchased and a building was created in 1988. Its new location is at 7080 Dixie Road, Mississauga, Ontario. The opening ceremony in 1989 drew a crowd of 10,000.
During the 1990s more land was bought and an outdoor stadium was built. Hardial Dhir Architect was chosen to reconstruct and design the community centre and additions to the Gudrwara. The Gurdwara is the central Gurdwara in the Greater Toronto Area
Greater Toronto Area
The Greater Toronto Area is the largest metropolitan area in Canada, with a 2006 census population of 5.5 million. The Greater Toronto Area is usually defined as the central city of Toronto, along with four regional municipalities surrounding it: Durham, Halton, Peel, and York...
.
In the mid to late 1990s the old building was getting overcrowded so a 6 million dollar project was announced to build a large extension. Much money was raised, however the building still gets overcrowded on special days like Bandhi Chhor ("Release from Confinement", held according to Nanakshahi calendar on same date as Diwali) and Vaisakhi and New Year
New Year
The New Year is the day that marks the time of the beginning of a new calendar year, and is the day on which the year count of the specific calendar used is incremented. For many cultures, the event is celebrated in some manner....
(December 31). In 2001 the Nagar Kirtan (which celebrates Viasakhi) had a crowd of nearly 100,000 people.
In 2003 the Bandhi Chhor celebration drew in a crowd of over 40,000 people. This is when the Gurdwara got a lot of popularity. It has an atmosphere like if it is a major Gurdwara in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. A new plan in 2004 was announced to build a $3 million parking lot. This parking lot would be filled with many historical paintings and information boards.
The temple has been the subject of several controversies such as a donation to the African National Congress
African National Congress
The African National Congress is South Africa's governing Africanist political party, supported by its tripartite alliance with the Congress of South African Trade Unions and the South African Communist Party , since the establishment of non-racial democracy in April 1994. It defines itself as a...
in 1990, a dispute over whether Sikh marriages can be performed in a hotel which serves alcohol and meat, and when a Sikh priest stayed at the temple, thus defying a deportation order.