Gur Sikh Temple, National historic gurdwara in Abbotsford, Canada.
Gur Sikh Temple is a two-story wooden building in Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada, featuring a gable roof, a false-front facade, and an open veranda on the upper floor supported by columns on three sides. The ground floor holds a Sikh Heritage Museum with exhibits on Sikh history in Canada, while the prayer hall occupies the upper level.
The temple was built between 1908 and 1912 by Sikh settlers who carried timber by hand from a nearby mill. In 2002, the federal government of Canada officially recognized it as a National Historic Site.
The ground floor houses a langar kitchen where free meals are served daily to anyone who walks in, regardless of background or belief. This practice of open hospitality is central to Sikh faith and remains a living part of daily life at this temple.
The Sikh Heritage Museum on the ground floor is open daily, and visitors can also access the active prayer hall on the upper floor. It is customary to cover your head and remove your shoes at the entrance; scarves are usually available on site.
This temple is considered the oldest surviving Sikh place of worship in all of North America. The building still stands in its original form and has never been substantially rebuilt, making it a rare surviving example of early Sikh settlement on the continent.
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