The Vancouver special is an architectural style of residential houses developed in Metro Vancouver , Canada. The architectural style was generally utilized from the 1960s to 1980s due to an ability to maximize floor space with relatively cheap construction costs.
107-516: Vancouver specials were mass-produced between 1965 and 1985. However, there are examples of homes built in the late 1940s which share the characteristics of a Vancouver special. The houses were first built in southeast Vancouver in the early 1960s to serve newly-arrived immigrants from Europe. However, the mass production of the Vancouver special is primarily attributed to the South Asian community after
214-623: A book of essays about the city by Charles Demers , in November 2009, showing that the reputation of the homes may have now gained a certain vintage glamour. Local brewery, R&B Brewing, offers a West Coast IPA named after the Vancouver special. South Asians in Vancouver South Asian Canadians in Metro Vancouver are the third-largest pan-ethnic group in the region, comprising 369,295 persons or 14.2 percent of
321-602: A clear definition of Sikh identity and tried to purify Sikh belief and practice. The later years of British colonial rule saw the emergence of the Akali movement to bring reform in the gurdwaras during the early 1920s. The movement led to the introduction of Sikh Gurdwara Bill in 1925, which placed all the historical Sikh shrines in India under the control of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee . At
428-640: A community meeting, the Prime Minister of Canada gave an apology for the Komagata Maru incident in a park, in Surrey . Some members of Canada's Indo-Canadian community argued that he should have apologized in Parliament. In 2010 Charlie Smith, the editor of The Georgia Straight , criticized area news reports which stated that South Asians were disproportionately connected to gay bashings ; Smith argued that it
535-586: A first language, as many multi-generational individuals do not speak South Asian languages as a mother tongue , but instead may speak one or multiple as a second or third language . The 1981 Census stated that about 65% of the persons of South Asian origin in the Vancouver Census Metropolitan Area were Sikh. In addition, 20% were Hindu, and 15% belonged to other religions. The other religious groups included Buddhists, Christians, Jains, Muslims, and Zoroastrian Parsis . Ismailis were among
642-512: A former community centre for an adjacent church. The temple building has a kitchen in the basement and the temple on the primary floor. Its worshipers include South Indians, Bengalis, Gujaratis, and Punjabis. Its primary language is Hindi ; Hugh Johnston stated that this "has been an obstacle for the South Indians". The first head priest was an East African Punjabi who was of the Brahman caste and
749-529: A locally produced music compilation compact disc in 2000, Vancouver Special , which features several examples of the house design on the cover, and a renovated Vancouver special that won the Lieutenant-Governor of British Columbia's Innovation Award for Architecture in 2005. A home design store on Main Street bears the name "Vancouver Special" and Arsenal Pulp Press of Vancouver published Vancouver Special ,
856-581: A majority of the Punjabi population in India and Pakistan, this definition has come to exclude Punjabi Muslims and Hindus who reside in Vancouver as a minority. Sikhs are the largest non-Christian group in Metro Vancouver, with a population numbering 155,945 as of 2011, representing around 7% of the region's total population. In the past, Hindus went to Sikh gurdwaras because they lacked their own Hindu temples. However, in 1972 Indo-Fijian Canadians established
963-552: A part of Arya Samaj . A South Indian Vedantist priest began participating in 1981 after the first priest did not participate in a ceremony to install idols and, after a political struggle, resigned. Other temples included a Hare Krishna temple and the Shiv Mandir. Westerners supported the former and Fijians supported the latter. As of the 2001 Statistics Canada there were 27,405 Hindus in Greater Vancouver. As of 1988
1070-866: A part of the mosque. Originally Muslims participated in Sikh gurdwaras. After 1947 Indo-Canadian Muslims continued having a relationship with Sikhs but began referring to themselves as "Pakistanis" due to the Partition of India . The B.C. Muslim Association was established in 1966. Around the 1970s Punjabi Muslims began having fewer interactions with Sikhs, and in general became more distant from Punjabi Sikhs, as they established their own Muslim religious organizations. The movement of South Asian professionals of Pakistani national origins from other Canadian provinces into Vancouver caused existing Punjabi Muslims to move further away from Punjabi Sikhs. Immigration from several countries, including Fiji and Middle Eastern countries, increased
1177-932: A religion that originated in the late 15th century in the Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent , based on the revelation of Guru Nanak . The term Sikh has its origin in the Sanskrit word śiṣya , meaning 'seeker', ' disciple ' or ' student ' . According to Article I of Chapter 1 of the Sikh Rehat Maryada ( ' code of conduct ' ), the definition of Sikh is: Any human being who faithfully believes in Male Sikhs generally have Singh ( ' lion ' ) as their last name, though not all Singhs are necessarily Sikhs; likewise, female Sikhs have Kaur ( ' princess ' ) as their last name. These unique last names were given by
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#17328291101391284-575: A resolution ( gurmattā ) favouring the creation of Khalistan. Subsequently, a number of rebel militant groups in favour of Khalistan waged a major insurgency against the government of India. Indian security forces suppressed the insurgency in the early 1990s, but Sikh political groups such as the Khalsa Raj Party and SAD (A) continued to pursue an independent Khalistan through non-violent means. Pro-Khalistan organisations such as Dal Khalsa (International) are also active outside India, supported by
1391-572: A section of the Sikh diaspora. In the 1990s, the insurgency abated, and the movement failed to reach its objective due to multiple reasons including a heavy police crackdown on separatists, divisions among the Sikhs and loss of support from the Sikh population. However, various pro-Khalistan groups, both political and militant, remain committed to the separatist movement. There are claims of funding from Sikhs outside India to attract young people into militant groups. There have also been multiple claims that
1498-492: A section of the Sikh population, widening the scope of the conflict by the use of violence of the state on its own people. A "state of chaos and repressive police methods" combined to create "a mood of overwhelming anger and resentment in the Sikh masses against the authorities." Leading to Sikh leader Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale gaining prominence and demands of independence gain currency, even amongst moderates and Sikh intellectuals. In 1982 and early 1983, extrajudicial killings by
1605-553: A wave of immigration in the 1960s and 1970s prompted many new immigrants to settle in the area and preside over the last large scale residential development in southeast Vancouver. In response to public reaction to the proliferation of this design, the City of Vancouver made changes to the single-family zoning regulations in the 1980s with the intent to stop additional Vancouver specials from being built. However, other Lower Mainland cities have not substantially changed their housing codes over
1712-607: Is Harmandir Sahib (also known as the Golden Temple) in Amritsar . Sikh culture is influenced by militaristic motifs (with the Khanda the most obvious) and most Sikh artifacts—except for the relics of the Gurus—have a military theme. This theme is evident in the Sikh festivals of Hola Mohalla and Vaisakhi , which feature marching and displays of valor. Although the art and culture of
1819-714: Is an old Sikh shrine called 'Prachin Guru Nanak Math', which lies at a small hill, just next to Bishnumati bridge at Balaju. Guru Nanak is said to have visited Nepal during his third Udasi while returning from Mount Kailash in Tibet. Nanak is said to have stayed at Balaju and Thapathali in Kathmandu . The Nanak Math shrine at Balaju is managed by the Guru-Ji and the Udasin Akardha, a sect developed by Guru Nanak's son, Sri Chandra. From
1926-624: Is highly important and Sikh communities continue to push for census inclusion in many countries where they are still not counted. Sikh migration from British India began in earnest during the second half of the 19th century, when the British completed their annexation of the Punjab, which led to Sikh migration throughout India and the British Empire . During the Raj, semiskilled Sikh artisans were transported from
2033-495: Is home to the largest national Sikh proportion (2.1 percent of the total population) in the world. A substantial community of Sikhs exist in the western province of British Columbia , numbering nearly 300,000 persons and forming approximately 5.9 percent of the total population. This represents the third-largest Sikh proportion amongst all global administrative divisions , behind only Punjab and Chandigarh in India. Furthermore, British Columbia, Manitoba and Yukon hold
2140-470: Is not a Sikh institution but a Punjabi one"). Sikh painting is a direct offshoot of the Kangra school of painting. In 1810, Ranjeet Singh (1780–1839) occupied Kangra Fort and appointed Sardar Desa Singh Majithia his governor of the Punjab hills. In 1813, the Sikh army occupied Guler State and Raja Bhup Singh became a vassal of the Sikhs. With the Sikh kingdom of Lahore becoming the paramount power, some of
2247-401: Is not fair to lump all South Asians together and label them with the same description, citing the ethnic diversity within the community. He also cited the fact that no Indo-Canadian professionals were charged with any such crimes. He added "I doubt there is a single university graduate among the lot." As of 2021 , there are nearly 370,000 South Asians in Metro Vancouver, representing 14.2% of
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#17328291101392354-417: Is typically set to one side of the house, which allows for main living quarters on the upper floor and secondary suites on the bottom. Ground level facades are typically finished with brick or stone, with stucco at the higher levels. Vancouver specials can be found all over Greater Vancouver due to their mass production. The architectural housing design can also be seen elsewhere in the outer regions of
2461-454: The Akal Takht and Golden Temple , volunteer protestors and even cooks of the temple's langar . The Guru Ram Das Serai and Shiromani Akali Dal offices were also raided and batons used and tear gas and shells were fired to disperse the protestors gathered on the periphery of the temple, damaging the periphery and Sarovar, or pool, of the temple. The government stopped volunteers on the way to
2568-601: The Anti-Sikh Pogroms . As proponents were able to generate funding from a grieving diaspora. In June 1985, Air India Flight 182 was bombed by Babbar Khalsa , a pro-Khalistani terrorist organization. In January 1986, the Golden Temple was occupied by militants belonging to All India Sikh Students Federation and Damdami Taksal . On January 26, 1986, a gathering known as the Sarbat Khalsa (a de facto parliament) passed
2675-662: The Empress of India arrived in Vancouver. On board was the first large contingent of South Asians to settle in Vancouver. Most of the early South Asian pioneers worked in the sawmill industry and thus settled in areas along False Creek and the Fraser River including Kitsilano , Fraser Mills and Queensborough . A Gurdwara (Sikh temple) was constructed in Kitsilano in 1908; this was the first Sikh temple to be constructed in Canada. Later in
2782-727: The Guru Granth Sahib : One who calls themself a Sikh of the Guru, the True Guru, shall rise in the early morning hours and meditate on the Lord's Name. Upon arising early in the morning, he is to bathe and cleanse himself in the pool of nectar (metaphor for "Naam Jaap"). Following the Instructions of the Guru, he is to chant the Name of the Lord. All sins, misdeeds, and negativity shall be then erased. Then, at
2889-455: The Khalsa ' ) in the Punjab state of India to serve as a homeland for Sikhs. The territorial definition of the proposed country Khalistan consists of the Punjab, India and includes Haryana , Himachal Pradesh , Jammu and Kashmir and Rajasthan . Khalistan movement began as an expatriate venture. In 1971, the first explicit call for Khalistan was made in an advertisement published in
2996-545: The Komagata Maru and most of its passengers; this vessel carried Punjabi Sikhs, Muslims and Hindus who were intending to move to Canada. This incident later provoked persons of Indian origin residing on the North American West Coast to oppose discrimination against their ethnic groups. The system of sponsoring Vancouver-based South Asians sponsoring relatives in India to immigrate to Vancouver began in 1919, when
3103-526: The Lower Mainland and other parts of southern British Columbia where the climate is moderate. The housing architecture also can be found substantially in Victoria , Comox , Duncan and Nanaimo (on Vancouver Island) but is less common due to the different economic conditions and constraints there. The much maligned Vancouver special, however, may yet see its bad reputation improve. Some indications include
3210-595: The New York Times by an expat ( Jagjit Singh Chohan ). By proclaiming the formation of Khalistan, he was able to collect millions of dollars from the Sikh diaspora . On April 12, 1980, he declared the formation of the "National Council of Khalistan," at Anandpur Sahib . He declared himself as the President of the council and named Balbir Singh Sandhu as its Secretary General. In May 1980, Chohan traveled to London and announced
3317-895: The Punjabi Market ( Little India ) was established within the Sunset neighbourhood of southeast Vancouver; the neighbourhood became the centre of Metro Vancouver's South Asian community by 1970. A secondary concentration soon also developed in the Edmonds neighbourhood of South Burnaby later in the 1970s. In the ensuing two decades, during the 1970s and 1980s, South Asians were located throughout Greater Vancouver and not only in South Vancouver and South Burnaby; about 66% of Indo-Canadians lived in Vancouver city while about 33% lived in Burnaby , Richmond , Surrey and other suburban cities. Beginning in
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3424-645: The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) stated that there had been attempts to extort and kidnap people in Surrey; the RCMP did not disclose when the attempts occurred and who the targets were. The RCMP stated that businesspersons of Indo-Canadian origins in Surrey need to take precautions. In response, the president of Sikh Alliance Against Violence, Kandola, stated that the warning was too vague and could cause unnecessary panic and confusion. In August 2008, during
3531-631: The Sikh faith. As of 2021 , the Punjabi population in Metro Vancouver is 239,205, representing approximately 9.2% of the total population. As of 2011 , 83 percent of Punjabis in Metro Vancouver were Sikh , with the remaining 17 percent being Hindu or Muslim . The heavy concentration of Punjabis in Vancouver differs from the South Asian populations in Toronto and other central and eastern Canadian cities, as those groups have more balance and diversity in their South Asian linguistic groups. Despite
3638-565: The U.S. census as well, arguing that Sikhs "self-identify as an ethnic minority" and believe "that they are more than just a religion." During the Mughal and Afghan persecution of the Sikhs during the 17th and 18th centuries, the latter were concerned with preserving their religion and gave little thought to art and culture. With the rise of Ranjit Singh and the Sikh Raj in Lahore and Delhi , there
3745-452: The ambrosial hours of the morning (three hours before the dawn) before eating. In his 52 Hukams , Guru Gobind Singh orders his followers to arise during Amritvela (about 3 hours before sunrise) and to recite the late evening prayer " Sohila " and the verse "Pavan guru pani pita..." before sleeping. The five Ks ( panj kakaar ) are five articles of faith which all initiated ( Amritdhari ) Sikhs are obliged to wear. The symbols represent
3852-404: The post-war era in the late 1940s and early 1950s, there was no particular residential concentration of South Asians in the Vancouver region. However, during the latter half of the 1950s and later, throughout the 1960s, many new immigrants began settling on the south slope within the city of Vancouver. This was due to the proximity of the gurdwara and the lumber mills. In the following decade,
3959-435: The 1990s, the majority of new immigrants from South Asia arriving to Metro Vancouver began moving directly to Surrey and Delta, primarily enticed by cheap housing on larger properties relative to the city of Vancouver. Part of a larger trend in large metropolitan areas across North America , new immigrants began to bypass traditional migration patterns to an inner-city enclave − at the time for South Asians in Metro Vancouver,
4066-484: The B.C. Muslim Association has a majority Fijian membership. The Pakistan Canada Association, according to Hugh Johnson, "have played a leading role in its affairs." By 1983 there was a mosque and community centre in Richmond and a mosque in Surrey controlled by this organization. The primary language used in the mosque is English. In addition to Indian Fijians and Punjabis, Arabs and other non-South Asian ethnic groups are
4173-708: The Canadian Dominion government had a plan to obtain labour for sugar plantations in British Honduras, now Belize, by recruiting Punjabis in Vancouver. The plan was not tested because the Punjabis had already found employment. Anti-South Asian sentiment was present in early years of settlement. During the most infamous anti-Asian riot in BC history ( Anti-Oriental Riots of 1907 ), South Asians were spared as they remained indoors. However, in 1914 Canadian authorities turned away
4280-531: The Canadian government began permitting children and women based in India entry into Canada. By 1923 Vancouver became the primary cultural, social, and religious centre of British Columbia Indo-Canadians and it had the largest East Indian-origin population of any city in North America. However, major immigration restrictions until the 1950s meant the South Asian community in Vancouver was relatively small. After
4387-477: The Congress Government arresting as many as 21,000 people. Attempted negotiations with Congress-led the agitation to be adjourned twice, though Jawaharlal Nehru continued to reject the demand. On July 4, 1955, government police forces, led by DIG Ashwini Kumar, forced entry into the Golden Temple premises and heavy-handedly arrested protestors and took them into custody, along with the head granthis of
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4494-534: The Golden Temple and troops were ordered to flag-march through the bazaars and streets surrounding the site. Over 200 protestors were killed, thousands arrested, and thousands, including women and children, were injured. The Congress government agreed to the Punjab Suba in 1966 after protests and recommendation of the States Reorganisation Commission. The state of East Punjab was later split into
4601-536: The Government of India. While, Green Revolution in Punjab had several positive impacts, the introduction of the mechanised agricultural techniques led to uneven distribution of wealth. The industrial development was not done at the same pace as agricultural development, the Indian government had been reluctant to set up heavy industries in Punjab due to its status as a high-risk border state with Pakistan. The rapid increase in
4708-525: The Grain Roko morcha in order to remove Bhindranwale from the Golden Temple . This subsequently led to Gandhi's assassination by her Sikh bodyguards. Her assassination was followed by government-sponsored pogroms against Sikh communities across India and the killing of thousands of Sikhs throughout India. These events triggered an Insurgency in Punjab which would consume Punjab until the early 1990s. During
4815-543: The Guru initiated five people from a variety of social backgrounds known as the Panj Piare ( ' beloved five ' ), to form a collective body of initiated Sikhs known as the Khalsa ( ' pure ' ). The early followers of Guru Nanak were Khatris , but later a large number of Jats joined the faith. Khatris and Brahmins opposed "the demand that the Sikhs set aside the distinctive customs of their castes and families, including
4922-534: The Gurus to allow Sikhs to stand out and also as an act of defiance to India's caste system , which the Gurus were always against. Sikhs strongly believe in the idea of sarbat da bhala ( ' welfare of all ' ) and are often seen on the frontline to provide humanitarian aid across the world. Sikhs who have undergone the Amrit Sanchar ( ' initiation by Khanda ' ), an initiation ceremony, are known as Khalsa from
5029-431: The Indian states or union territories of Haryana , where they number around 1.2 million and form 4.9 percent of the population, Rajasthan (872,000 or 1.3 percent of the population), Uttar Pradesh (643,000, 0.3 percent), Delhi (570,000, 3.4 percent), Uttarakhand (236,000, 2.3 percent), Jammu and Kashmir (234,000, 1.9 percent), Chandigarh (138,000, 13.1 percent) and Himachal Pradesh (86,000, 1.2 percent). Canada
5136-509: The Indian subcontinent resulted in a populated stagnation through the 1950s. At that time, the relaxing of racial and national immigration restrictions by the federal government initiated a new wave of immigration into Vancouver and has continued into the present day. The vast majority of South Asians in Greater Vancouver and in adjacent cities are Punjabi Sikhs , differing greatly from the diverse ethnic and religious composition of South Asians in Canada. The large proportion of Punjabi Sikhs in
5243-399: The Indian subcontinent to Canada. In addition, the first major non-Sikh immigration wave to Vancouver occurred during the 1960s. While still representing less than 10% of the South Asian population in the region, additional immigration to Vancouver of those of non Punjabi backgrounds residing in India, Fiji, and England occurred in the late 1960s. Immigration from Fiji continued to occur in
5350-574: The Indo-Canadian Sunni Muslim population. Several South Asian groups, including Indo-Fijians, together established one of the Vancouver area's first permanent mosques. There were 8,000 Muslims that were a part of the B.C. Muslim Association in 1983. As of 1997 there are eight Punjabi Christian churches in Greater Vancouver. In February 2014 the Punjabi Masihi Church had about 300 worshipers, most of them of South Asian origins. It
5457-407: The Muslims. Vancouver is home to Canada's most influential, oldest, and largest Sikh community. Until the 1960s Sikh religious organizations were the primary political interest groups of the Indo-Canadian community in the Vancouver region, and Sikh gurdwaras (Sikh temples) in Vancouver were the city's only community centres for the Indo-Canadians until the 1960s. This meant that the gurdwaras at
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#17328291101395564-463: The Pahari painters from Guler migrated to Lahore for the patronage of Maharaja Ranjeet Singh and his Sardars. The Sikh school adapted Kangra painting to Sikh needs and ideals. Its main subjects are the ten Sikh gurus and stories from Guru Nanak's Janamsakhis . The tenth Guru, Gobind Singh, left a deep impression on the followers of the new faith because of his courage and sacrifices. Hunting scenes and portraits are also common in Sikh painting. There
5671-400: The Punjabi-speaking areas based on pre-1947 census figures. Moreover, the 1966 reorganization left Sikhs highly dissatisfied, with the capital Chandigarh being made into a shared a union territory and the capital of Punjab and Haryana. In the late 1960s, the Green Revolution in India was first introduced in Punjab as part of a development program issued by international donor agencies and
5778-433: The Sikh State Resolution in 1946. The Sikhs therefore strongly fought against the partition of Punjab . The months leading up to the 1947 partition of Punjab were marked by conflict in the Punjab between Sikhs and Muslims . This caused the religious migration of Punjabi Sikhs and Hindus from West Punjab to the east (modern India), mirroring a simultaneous religious migration of Punjabi Muslims from East Punjab to
5885-648: The Sikh diaspora have merged with that of other Indo-immigrant groups into categories like "British Asian," "Indo-Canadian" and "Desi-Culture," a minor cultural phenomenon that can be described as "political Sikh" has arisen. The art of diaspora Sikhs like Amarjeet Kaur Nandhra and Amrit and Rabindra Kaur Singh ( The Singh Twins ) is influenced by their Sikhism and current affairs in Punjab. Bhangra and Giddha are two forms of Punjabi folk dancing which have been adapted and pioneered by Sikhs. Punjabi Sikhs have championed these forms of expression worldwide, resulting in Sikh culture becoming linked to Bhangra (although "Bhangra
5992-444: The Sikhs would play a Ranjit nagara ( ' victory drum ' ) to boost morale. Nagaras (usually two to three feet in diameter, although some were up to five feet in diameter) are played with two sticks. The beat of the large drums and the raising of the Nishan Sahib , meant that the Singhs were on their way. The Khalistan movement is a Sikh separatist movement, which seeks to create a separate country called Khalistān ( ' The Land of
6099-431: The Vancouver's Punjabi Market began to decline in the 2000s. Of all Canadian municipalities, Surrey has the second-highest concentration of South Asians. Surrey includes many shopping centres, Gurdwaras , Mandirs and Masjids catering to the South Asians community. Surrey has been viewed as the South Asian equivalent of Richmond, which houses an equally large East Asian / Chinese population. Newton and Whalley are
6206-495: The building has a total of 13,000 square feet (1,200 m ). For Syro-Malabar Catholics, The Syro-Malabar Catholic Eparchy of Mississauga has a church, St. Alphonsa, located in Vancouver, with high attendance from the Malayali community in the region. Anand Jain, a person quoted in a 2006 Vancouver Sun article, stated that the Lower Mainland region may have around 60 Jain families. South Asian population (291,005) distribution by Metro Vancouver subdivision. During
6313-430: The census or official statistics in the following territories: Note: Official statistics do not count unregistered arrivals or those who have not completed the census or surveys. However, they do provide for a much more accurate depiction of Sikh communities as opposed to estimates from various Sikh organisations whose estimates can vary vastly with no statistically valuable source. Thus, official statistics and census data
6420-412: The commander-in-chief of the Sikh Khalsa Army in the North-West Frontier , expanded the confederacy to the Khyber Pass . After the annexation of the Sikh kingdom by the British, the British Army began recruiting significant numbers of Sikhs and Punjabis . During the 1857 Indian mutiny , the Sikhs stayed loyal to the British, resulting in heavy recruitment from Punjab to the British Indian Army for
6527-437: The confluence of invading cultures from the rivers from which the region gets its name. Sikh culture is therefore a synthesis of cultures. Sikhism has forged a unique architecture , which S. S. Bhatti described as "inspired by Guru Nanak 's creative mysticism" and "is a mute harbinger of holistic humanism based on pragmatic spirituality." The American non-profit organization United Sikhs has fought to have Sikh included on
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#17328291101396634-540: The day of Vaisakhi in 1999, Sikhs worldwide celebrated the 300th anniversary of the creation of the Khalsa . Canada Post honoured Sikh Canadians with a commemorative stamp in conjunction with the anniversary. Likewise, on April 9, 1999, Indian president K. R. Narayanan issued a stamp commemorating the 300th anniversary of the Khalsa as well. Sikh art and culture are nearly synonymous with that of Punjab and Sikhs are easily recognised by their distinctive turban ( Dastar ). Punjab has been called India's melting pot, due to
6741-471: The day of their initiation and they must at all times have on their bodies the five Ks : The Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent has been the historic homeland of the Sikhs , having even been ruled by the Sikhs for significant parts of the 18th and 19th centuries. Today, Canada has the largest national Sikh proportion (2.1%) in the world, while the Punjab state in India has the largest Sikh proportion (58%) amongst all administrative divisions in
6848-417: The devolution of power from the Central to state governments. The Anandpur Resolution was rejected by the government as a secessionist document. Thousands of people joined the movement, feeling that it represented a real solution to demands such as a larger share of water for irrigation and the return of Chandigarh to Punjab. After unsuccessful negotiations the Dharam Yuddh Morcha ( ' righteous campaign ' )
6955-452: The distinction of being three of the only four administrative divisions in the world with Sikhism as the second most followed religion among the population. As a religious minority, Sikhs have fought long and hard to get official status and to be counted in many countries across the world. Through the efforts of Sikh organisations and communities in their respective countries, there is now readily available population data on Sikhs as part of
7062-432: The dust of the feet of that GurSikh, who himself chants the Naam, and inspires others to chant it. The Sikh Rahit Maryada (Code of Conduct) clearly states that initiated Amritdhari Khalsa Sikhs must recite or listen to the recitation of Japji Sahib , Jaap Sahib , the 10 Sawayyas , Sodar Rehraas and Sohila . Every Sikh is also supposed take the Hukam (divine order) from the Guru Granth Sahib after awakening in
7169-403: The ensuing two decades, by 2011 , this number nearly completely reversed; nearly 60% of Punjabi speakers in Metro Vancouver were situated in Surrey. As of 2016 , South Asians made up more than 32% of the Surrey population, and formed the largest visible minority group in the city. As many South Asians have moved to suburban areas such as Surrey, Delta and Coquitlam, the number of businesses in
7276-399: The entire South Asian population in Vancouver remained Punjabi. Punjabi Canadians were geographically dispersed throughout Vancouver during the post-war years into the early 1950s. Consequently, with increased immigration, concentrations soon developed; first in South Vancouver during the latter half of the 1950s and throughout the 1960s, followed by South Burnaby later in the 1960s. In
7383-511: The first Hindu temple in Vancouver. Historically there were ten times the number of Punjabi Sikhs compared to Punjabi Hindus. Around the 1970s Punjabi Hindus began having fewer interactions with Sikhs, and in general became more distant from Punjabi Sikhs, as they established their own Hindu religious organizations. This occurred as the Indo-Canadian community increased with more and more immigration. As of 1981 Vancouver had 6,865 Hindus, about one third of them ethnic Punjabis. As of 1988 there
7490-455: The formation of Khalistan. A similar announcement was made by Balbir Singh Sandhu in Amritsar , where he began releasing stamps and currency of Khalistan. The inaction of the authorities in Amritsar and elsewhere was decried as a political stunt by the Congress(I) party of Indira Gandhi by the Akali Dal, headed by the Sikh leader Harchand Singh Longowal . The movement flourished in the Indian state of Punjab following Operation Blue Star and
7597-443: The founder of Sikhism , was born in a Khatri family to Mehta Kalu and Mata Tripta in the village of Talwandi , present-day Nankana Sahib , near Lahore . Throughout his life, Guru Nanak was a religious leader and social reformer. However, Sikh political history may be said to begin in 1606, with the death of the fifth Sikh guru, Guru Arjan Dev . Religious practices were formalised by Guru Gobind Singh on March 30, 1699, when
7704-517: The higher education opportunities without an adequate rise in the jobs resulted in the increase in the unemployment of educated youth. In 1973 as a result, of unaddressed grievances and increasing inequality the Akali Dal put forward the Anandpur Sahib Resolution . The resolution included both religious and political issues. It asked for recognising Sikhism as a religion, it also demanded
7811-500: The ideals of Sikhism: honesty, equality, fidelity, meditating on Waheguru and never bowing to tyranny. The five symbols are: The Sikhs have a number of musical instruments, including the rebab , dilruba , taus , jori and sarinda . Playing the sarangi was encouraged by Guru Hargobind . The rebab was played by Bhai Mardana as he accompanied Guru Nanak on his journeys. The jori and sarinda were introduced to Sikh devotional music by Guru Arjan . The taus (Persian for "peacock")
7918-504: The inner-city enclave was located in the Sunset neighbourhood − instead opting to migrate to suburban locales, leading to the creation of the Ethnoburb . The pattern shift in South Asian immigration to Metro Vancouver began to alter the geographic distribution across the region. This was reflected in the shift of Punjabi speakers in the region; in 1991 , only 20% of those who natively spoke Punjabi in Metro Vancouver lived in Surrey . In
8025-744: The large proportion of Punjabis in the region, the South Asian population in Vancouver nonetheless remains diverse; minority populations of Gujaratis , Bengalis , and individuals from South India as well as East African Ismailis , and Fijian Indians are present. As of 2021, the most prominent South Asian languages spoken in Metro Vancouver include Punjabi , Hindustani (Hindi-Urdu) and Gujarati . The Punjabi speaking population in Vancouver has witnessed large growth over recent decades. In 1986, around 30,000 individuals in Metro Vancouver spoke Punjabi; by 1991, this number grew to around 40,000. As of 2021 , Metro Vancouver has approximately 240,000 Punjabi speakers, accounting for roughly 9.2% of
8132-587: The late 1960s, the Punjabi Market ( Little India ) was founded in the Sunset neighbourhood of South Vancouver. In the following decade, other Punjabi population concentrations began appearing in North Delta , Richmond , and Surrey . Vandalism against houses owned by Indo-Canadians and a Sikh gurdwara occurred in the 1970s, especially in 1974-1975 in Richmond. By 1981, the Punjabi population in Metro Vancouver increased to nearly 30,000, including about 2,288 Hindus with
8239-580: The movement is motivated and supported by the Pakistan's external intelligence agency, the ISI. Sikhs number about 26–30 million worldwide, of whom 24–28 million live in India, which thus represents around 90 percent of the total Sikh population. About 76 percent of all Indian Sikhs live in the northern Indian state of Punjab , forming a majority of about 58 per cent of the state's population, roughly around 16 million. Substantial communities of Sikhs live in
8346-643: The next 90 years of the British Raj in colonial India . The distinct turban that differentiates a Sikh from other turban wearers is a relic of the rules of the British Indian Army. The British colonial rule saw the emergence of many reform movements in India, including Punjab, such as the formation of the First and Second Singh Sabha in 1873 and 1879 respectively. The Sikh leaders of the Singh Sabha worked to offer
8453-718: The older rituals." Pashaura Singh analyzed references made within the 11th ballad of the Varan of Bhai Gurdas to form a picture of the caste-makeup of the early Sikh community. At the time of the writing the Vaar, the early Sikh community was composed of various castes and backgrounds, such as: The early Sikhs varied widely in their occupations and position in society's hierarchy: some were rich merchants ( Seths and Sarrafs ), others were heads of villages ( Chowdhury ), some were labourers, others were enslaved, whilst others still were artisans, craftsmen, shopkeepers or simple peasants. During
8560-612: The only languages not considered for statehood were Punjabi , Sindhi and Urdu . Leading to the launch of the Punjabi Suba movement and the presentation for a Punjabi Suba as a policy in April 1948 by Master Tara Singh . Also, on January 26, 1950, Sikh representatives refused to sign the Indian constitution. As Sikhs were recognized as Hindus and Sikhs were not provided with scheduled castes concessions given to Hindu scheduled castes. The Punjab Suba experienced heavy government crackdown with
8667-580: The parade to celebrate Queen Victoria 's Diamond Jubilee by traveling across the British Empire. On their journey home, they passed through Vancouver where some remained as Canada's first South Asian settlers. By 1900, the South Asian population in the Lower Mainland (contemporary regional districts of Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley ), was estimated to be at least 100, of which almost all were of Punjabi Sikh origin. Soon thereafter in 1904
8774-412: The partition of India in 1947, unity among Punjabi Sikhs and Muslims in Vancouver wavered; few Pakistani Punjabis began to have any sense of affinity with Punjabis from India. The immigration patterns of South Asians arriving to Canada changed by the 1960s, with Ontario becoming a secondary centre of immigration. By contrast, in earlier decades British Columbia was the sole major point of immigration from
8881-498: The past 25 years with respect to this kind of housing design. Thus, it is still possible to build (and buy) new houses (of very similar design to the classic Vancouver specials) in the Lower Mainland. Vancouver specials are front-gabled, two-storey, boxy houses built on grade (i.e., without a raised foundation), with low-pitched roofs. They contain a shallow balcony on the second floor accessed by sliding glass doors. The front door
8988-540: The police of orthodox Sikh youth in rural areas in Punjab provoked reprisals. Over 190 Sikhs had been killed in the first 19 months of the protest movement. In May 1984, a Grain Roko morcha was planned and to be initiated on June 3 with protestors practising civil disobedience by refusing to pay land revenue, water or electricity bills and blocking the flow of grain out of Punjab. Indian Prime minister Indira Gandhi launched Operation Blue Star on June 1 prior to
9095-443: The region has resulted in the interchangeable and synonymous usage of one and the other. Over half (60.3 percent) of South Asian Canadians live in the Toronto and Vancouver areas as of 2021. South Asians first settled in Vancouver in the late 19th century. The pioneers were men, mostly Sikhs from the Punjab region of British India. These individuals first arrived in 1897 when a contingent of Sikh soldiers participated in
9202-490: The region thereafter; by 1991, the South Asian population grew to 86,200 in Metro Vancouver. In 1996 a controversy occurred when Dr. Stephens, a doctor in San Jose, California , put advertisements for sex-selection services which would allow parents to reject female children. The Coalition of Women's Organizations Against Sex Selection, organized by Mahila, a women's group headquartered in Vancouver, criticized Stephens. In 2006
9309-594: The region's total population. Punjabi is also the third most commonly spoken language across Metro Vancouver, after English and Mandarin. Due to prominence of Punjabi in the region, the City of Vancouver, British Columbia, and Canadian federal institutions in Vancouver have literature and office signage using the Gurmukhi script. Of the Punjabi speakers in Canada, most are located in the Vancouver and Toronto areas (predominantly Surrey and Brampton ). Many South Asian Canadians speak Canadian English or Canadian French as
9416-670: The remainder being Sikhs. Immigration rapidly increased in the late 20th century; around 70,000 South Asians moved to Vancouver during the last two decades of the century, from 1981 to 2001. In the same timeframe, India supplied just over three quarters of the total South Asian immigration to Vancouver. Interestingly, during this period the second largest source country of South Asians was Fiji, which supplied nearly 15% of South Asian immigration to Vancouver. Others originated from Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. Some passengers on board Air India Flight 182 , which crashed in 1985, were from Greater Vancouver. The bomb that went on AI182
9523-452: The rising of the sun, he is to sing Gurbani; whether sitting down or standing up (meaning at all times), he is to meditate on the Lord's Naam. One who meditates on my Lord, Har, Har, with every breath and every morsel of food (meaning at all times) and – that GurSikh becomes pleasing to the Guru's Mind. That person, unto whom my Lord and Master is kind and compassionate – upon that GurSikh, the Guru's Teachings are bestowed. Servant Nanak begs for
9630-646: The rule of the Mughal Empire in India, two Sikh gurus were martyred. ( Guru Arjan was martyred on suspicion of helping in betrayal of Mughal Emperor Jahangir and Guru Tegh Bahadur was martyred by the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb ) As the Sikh faith grew, the Sikhs subsequently militarized to oppose Mughal rule. After defeating the Afghans and Mughals , sovereign states called Misls were formed under Jassa Singh Ahluwalia . The Confederacy of these states
9737-584: The same year, another temple was constructed in Fraser Mills. At the turn of the century the Mayor of Vancouver did not permit cremation, so when the first Sikh died in 1907 he could not be cremated in the Vancouver city limits. Christian missionaries did not permit him to be buried with whites. Even though the missionaries promoted burial, the Sikhs instead cremated the man in a distant wilderness. This prompted Sikhs to establish their own religious institutions. In 1908
9844-449: The states of Himachal Pradesh , the new state Haryana and current day Punjab . However, there was a growing alienation between Punjabi Sikh and Hindu populations. The latter of which reported Hindi rather than Punjabi as their primary language. The result was that Punjabi-speaking areas were left out of the new state and given to Haryana and Himachal Pradesh resulting in the state of Punjab to be roughly 35,000 square miles smaller than
9951-456: The through the 1970s. Other groups immigrating to Vancouver in the same decade included Sri Lankans, Ismaili Muslims, Gujarati Hindus from East Africa and non-Punjabi Pakistanis. Soon, additional South Asian groups from Fiji, England, East Africa, East Asia, the Caribbean, and Southeast Asia arrived in Vancouver. However non Punjabi immigration to Vancouver remained small and by 1981 nearly 90% of
10058-428: The time also gave social outlets to Punjabi Hindus and Muslims along with other South Asians. By 1981, gurdwaras mainly filled religious purposes. Many major gurdwaras in Greater Vancouver were initially established in isolated areas, but these areas over time became urbanized. As Vancouver has an extremely high proportion of Sikhs, being Punjabi in the region has come to mean, exclusively, being Sikh. While making up
10165-697: The time of the Indian independence movement , the Sikh ruler of the Kapurthala State fought to oppose the partition of India and advocated for a united, secular country. Sikh organizations, including the Chief Khalsa Dewan and Shiromani Akali Dal led by Master Tara Singh , condemned the Lahore Resolution and the movement to create Pakistan, viewing it as inviting possible persecution, with Akali Dal instead favouring an undivided Azad Punjab as an independent Sikh State or Khalistan , having passed
10272-457: The total population as of 2021. Sizable communities exist within the city of Vancouver along with the adjoining city of Surrey , which houses one of the world's largest South Asian enclaves. South Asians have lived in the Vancouver region since the late 19th century; at first, mainly working in the forestry industry. After an initial first wave of immigration during the early 20th century, government policies aimed at curtailing immigration from
10379-461: The total population. Of them, based on 2016 Census responses, 243,135 were East Indian, 30,670 were Punjabi, 10,820 were Pakistani, 7,200 were South Asian, n.i.e., 5,070 were Sri Lankan, 1,510 were Bangladeshi, 1,155 were Nepali, 1,055 were Tamil, 525 were Sinhalese, 755 were Bengali, 315 were Goan, 615 were Gujarati and 150 were Kashmiri. Presently, the majority of the South Asian population in Vancouver remains of Punjabi heritage, predominantly of
10486-503: The two largest South Asian neighbourhoods in Surrey. As of 2011 , South Asians made up 62.1% of the immigrants in Newton while the total number of immigrants made up over 40% of Newton's total population. Sikh Sikhs (singular Sikh : / s ɪ k / SIK or / s iː k / SEEK ; Punjabi : ਸਿੱਖ , romanized: sikkh , IPA: [sɪkkʰ] ) are an ethnoreligious group who adhere to Sikhism ,
10593-404: The west (modern Pakistan). Following partition, the Government of India had begun to redraw states corresponding to demographic and linguistic boundaries. However, this was not effective in the northern part of the country, as the government reconsidered redrawing states in the north. While states across the country were extensively redrawn on linguistic lines at the behest of linguistic groups,
10700-623: The world. With 25–30 millions, Sikhs represent less than 0.3% of the total world population in 2021. Many countries, such as Canada and the United Kingdom, recognize Sikhs as a designated religion on their censuses and, as of 2020, Sikhs are considered as a separate ethnic group in the United States. The UK also considers Sikhs to be an ethno-religious people, as a direct result of the Mandla v Dowell-Lee case in 1982. Guru Nanak (1469–1539),
10807-491: Was a change in the landscape of art and culture in Punjab; Hindus and Sikhs could build decorated shrines without the fear of destruction or looting. The Sikh Confederacy was the catalyst for a uniquely Sikh form of expression, with Ranjit Singh commissioning forts, palaces, bungas (residential places) and colleges in a Sikh style. Sikh architecture is characterised by gilded fluted domes, cupolas, kiosks, stone lanterns, ornate balusters and square roofs. A pinnacle of Sikh style
10914-433: Was designed by Guru Hargobind, who supposedly heard a peacock singing and wanted to create an instrument mimicking its sounds. The dilruba was designed by Guru Gobind Singh at the request of his followers, who wanted a smaller instrument than the taus. After Japji Sahib , all of the shabad in the Guru Granth Sahib were composed as raags . This type of singing is known as Gurmat Sangeet . When they marched into battle,
11021-404: Was first placed on a connecting flight that departed Vancouver. Since then, there have been memorial services held at Stanley Park . The Ceperley Playground at Stanley Park has a memorial listing the names of the passengers. By the mid-1980s wealthier South Asians were moving to Surrey from South Vancouver because land in Surrey was less expensive. The population continued to swell throughout
11128-429: Was launched on August 4, 1982, by the Akali Dal in partnership with Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale , with its stated aim being the fulfillment of a set of devolutionary objectives based on the Anandpur Sahib Resolution . Indian police responded to protestors with high-handed police methods creating state repression affecting a very large segment of Punjab's population. Police brutality resulted in retaliatory violence from
11235-654: Was no specific Punjabi Hindu organization in Greater Vancouver. Because the Gujarati society morphed into a Gujarati Hindu society, Gujarati Hindus had religious and social functions from both the Vishva Hindu Parishad , the primary Hindu temple in Vancouver, and from their ethnic society. As of 1988 the primary Hindu temple in the area was the Vishva Hindu Prasad, which in 1982 had about 500 members who paid dues. In 1974 Vishva Hindu Prasad received its own building,
11342-716: Was the first ever Punjabi Christian church to be established. Most of its services are held in English, while some are also in Hindi, Punjabi, and Urdu. It originally operated in an annex of the Delta Pentecostal Church in Delta . Construction on its standalone congregational building in Surrey began in 2008; initially, 9,500 square feet (880 m ), it was scheduled to open in March of that year and there are further plans to build additions until
11449-480: Was unified and transformed into the Sikh Empire under Maharaja Ranjit Singh . This era was characterised by religious tolerance and pluralism , including Christians, Muslims and Hindus in positions of power. Its secular administration implemented military, economic and governmental reforms. The empire is considered the zenith of political Sikhism, encompassing Kashmir , Ladakh and Peshawar . Hari Singh Nalwa ,
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