Article - Putting 500 years of Sikh culture on display

By - Toronto Star






Two boys rush out from under the tent in front of the Sikh temple in Mississauga to greet the curious faces that have come to share in their culture. Thousands of worshippers are already inside the Ontario Khalsa Darbar for prayer but more continue to file in for the opening of a multimedia Sikh museum housed inside.

“First you take off your shoes, then you cover your head with a scarf,” one boy says before the other can speak. His hair is tied in a tight bun on top of his head and covered with a black scarf.

The kesh — or hair — is one of the five Ks of Sikhism, and keeping it covered is a sign of humility. The articles of Sikh faith are just one part of what the museum hopes to share about the history and traditions of the religion, said Jasjit Singh Bhullar, president of the temple.

Painted tableaus line the walls of the pentagon-shaped museum with descriptive plaques and audio in Punjabi, English and French. One depicts the first of 10 gurus, Nanak Dev. Ji, in scenes that illustrate three major tenets of Sikhism: a commitment to honest labour, generosity toward the less fortunate and meditation. Interactive computer games in the centre of the museum teach museum-goers about the 500 years of Sikh customs and beliefs.

Longtime mayor of Mississauga, Hazel McCallion, cut the ribbon for the new museum at Dixie and Derry Rds.

“Think of the contribution that it’s going to make,” McCallion said. “It’s when we know more about one another, we have more respect for one another, more consideration for one another and it brings harmony in the community.”

Wearing a white scarf with silver beads on her head, she watched as children played an interactive quiz on the computer.

“This is going to be very popular,” McCallion said.

Raman Deol, 16, who acted as a guide to visitors on Sunday, said it was unusual to see so many photographers and videographers inside the temple. But she added that people of different faiths and backgrounds are always welcome to come through, especially now that Sikh culture is on display.

“We often have other communities coming in. It’s open for everybody — a lot of people come in to see our culture,” Deol said.

The museum also explores how Sikhism compares to other world religions, and Bhullar said this promotes tolerance.

“You can learn anything — if you want to touch our religion, if you want to study it, if you want to compare religions, because we also have information about Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam,” Bhullar said.

The Ontario Khalsa Darbar was founded in the mid-1970s — at the time just a humble trailer — and now it is the largest Sikh temple in North America. Harinder S. Takhar, MPP for Mississauga-Erindale, said the museum is a “symbol of pride” for the Sikh community. Bhullar added that it’s a first outside India.

“Everybody’s excited,” Bhullar said. “This is an historical day for us in the community. We have been living in this country more than a hundred years but this is the first time out of India that there’s a multimedia Sikh museum.”

Entry to the museum is free.


Location - Dixie Gurughar :happy:

Opened on - October 11, 2010