Gur Sikh Temple

This is a document about Indar Singh Gill's immigration journey told by his son, Nash Singh Gill. It explans why Indar Singh immigrated to Canada in 1930 at 17-years-old, while leaving behind his wife and young daughter. He was sponsored by Naranjan Singh Gill (Indar Singh's uncle), who was already in Canada. Because of the 1930s depression, Indar Singh found it hard to find work, but eventually found work in Kamloops for Sher Singh Aluwalia. After, he worked for sawmills on Vancouver Island. He spent a portion of his wages back to his family. Eventually, in 1949, his wife, Kartar Kaur, and son, Nachhattar (Nash) Singh Gill, travelled to Canada. Later the document talks about how he started his own business, Indar Fuel Company. Indar Singh became involved with other businesses and served as the President of the old Sikh temple in Abbotsford.

The Weekender (The Abbotsford News) writes about Indo-Canadian heritage featured at MSA Museum. The articles starts out by describing the story of Sunder Singh. Sunder Singh was interviewed about his immigration to Canada from his village of Daulatpur, Punjab, in 1906. Sunder Singh mentions owning a dairy farm near Whatcom Road in 1942 and his role in the building of the first Gur Sikh Temple in 1911. The article also features the Gill family. The front has a black-and-white photograph of three generations of Gill men: (left to right) Indar Singh Gill, Nash Singh Gill (Indar's son), and Rajnesh Singh Gill (Indar's grandson).

Collage A consists of two pictures of the Gill family. The top left picture is a black and white photograph of Indar Singh and Kartar Kaur Gill in 1952. The large bottom picture is a colour photograph from Nash Singh (Indar's son) and Rajinder Kaur wedding, surrounded by wedding guests at the Abbotsford Gur Sikh Temple.

Photo taken at the wedding of Nachattar Gill and Rajinder Thind. The Gill family are standing in front of the light-blue car in a row. Included in the photo are Malkit Kaur, Baljit Kaur, Kartar Kaur, Indar Singh, and Khem Singh. Rajinder Kaur, the bride, is wearing a pink wedding lehenga with a dupatta covering her head. Nash Singh, the groom, is wearing a formal suit, a pink turban, and carrying a wedding sword. The couple has varmalas around their necks, flower garlands that signify their marital union. Also, they are each holding an end of a yellow scarf called a palla, which signifies their physical union. And the goal for a spiritual union of their souls. The Gill men are wearing formal suits, pink turbans, and boutonnières. Malkit Kaur and Baljit Kaur are wearing sarees. Kartar Kaur is wearing a pink salwar suit and a chunni covering her head. The background consists of the Abbotsford Gur Sikh Temple with wedding guests outside.

Nacchatter (Nash) Singh and Rajinder Kaur Thind were married on June 18, 1972, at the Abbotsford Gur Sikh Temple. The bride and groom stand behind four girls, who are dressed in identical orange Indian lehengas. Rajinder Kaur is wearing a pink bridal lehenga with her head covered by a dupatta. Nash Singh is wearing a formal pin-striped suit. Both the bride and groom have varmalas around their necks, which is a flower garland that signifies the marital union. Wedding guests surround the couple. Amongst the crowd is Indar Singh (third row, third from right) in a pink turban. Khem Singh Gill (Indar Singh's father) is in the front row, second to the right. Khem Singh is wearing a pink turban with his cane on the ground. Mohinder Singh Gill (Indar's brother) is standing in the foreground to the left. Kartar Kaur Gill is standing close to the couple. Nash's sisters Baljit and Malkit are all standing nearby.

Nachhattar (Nash) Singh and Rajinder Kaur Thind were married on June 18, 1972, at the Abbotsford Gur Sikh Temple. The newly wedded couple is standing in front of a light-blue car. Rajinder Kaur is wearing a pink wedding lehenga with a dupatta, a head cover. Nash Singh is wearing a formal pin-stripped suit and a pink turban. Nash Singh carries a sword, a tradition in Sikh weddings; to protect himself and his bride, the groom used to have a sword. The bride and groom each hold an end of a yellow scarf called a palla , which signifies their physical union and the goal for a spiritual union of their souls. Nash Singh and Rajinder Kaur have varmala, Indian wedding garlands, around their necks, which signifies the marital union. The background has wedding guests, and the Abbotsford Gur Sikh Temple is the building.

Photograph of a plaque being presented in a Gurdwara. Left to right: Abbotsford mayor George Ferguson, an unidentified man, Indar Singh Gill, and Heritage Minister Sheila Copps. They are standing inside the Gurdwara's Darbar Sahib, the praying hall. George Ferguson and the unidentified man are wearing formal suits and rumāls. Indar Singh Gill is wearing a formal grey suit with a light-blue turban. Sheila Copps is wearing a red outfit, and her red head-covering is a chunni. In the background, people are sitting on the ground, covering their heads with turbans or rumāls.

On July 31, 2002, Abbotsford's Gur Sikh Temple was declared a National Historic Site of Canada. Indar Singh Gill (front row, second to the left) is outside the Gurdwara wearing a light-blue turban, a formal suit, and a yellow-and-blue "Khalsa Diwan Society VIP" ribbon. Right to Indar Singh is Heritage Minister Sheila Copps, wearing a pink salwar suit with a scarf, called chunni, around her shoulders. Indar Singh was the President of the Sikh temple in 1951 and then again in 1979. There are several South Asian Canadian men crowding around them. In the background, there is a yellow pole called a Nishan Sahib, a yellow Sikh flag that marks all Gurdwaras.

Prime Minister Chrétien visited Abbotsford's Gur Sikh Temple to declare it a National Historic Site of Canada. Prime Minister Chrétien is inside the Gurdwara wearing a head covering, called rumāl, and a formal suit. This was the first time a Canadian Prime Minister came to the Gurdwara. South Asian Canadian men are surrounding him with formal suits. On the left of Prime Minister Chrétien is Minister of Natural Resources, Herb Dhaliwal, who has a dark-blue rumāl on. Indar Singh Gill is on the right of the Prime Minister in a light-blue turban and light grey suit. Indar Singh was the President of the Sikh temple in 1951 and then again in 1979. Everyone is covering their head, some with rūmals and others with turbans. The background has two pictures of Guru Gobind Singh Ji.

Newspaper article detailing the celebrations during the grand opening of the Gur Sikh Temple in Abbotsford, B.C., as a historic Canadian site. The article also includes photographs from the event.