PATHWAYS TO HEAVEN VIA RICHMOND, B.C.
by Margaret Deefholts

Nanaksar Gurdwara Gursikh Temple

I never fail to be astonished—and delighted—at the diversity of cultures we are fortunate to enjoy in and around Vancouver and the Lower Mainland.

Sikh children in the Gurdwara patio

It is a sunny August afternoon, with nary a cloud in the sky as I turn into the gates of the Gurusikh Temple on the Westminster Highway around noon. The place is thronged with worshippers and I don a scarf, shed my shoes and tiptoe to the back of the prayer hall. A reading from the Sikh holy book, the Granth Sahib is in progress; the women and children sit on the deep blue carpet to the left, while the men are on the right. The women make up a shifting kaleidoscope of colours in their kurta-pyjama outfits of parrot green, bright orange, royal purple, inky blue and bubble-gum pink.

Worshipers listening to the Granth Sahib reading

Enjoying lunch

The reading draws to a close, and the congregation spills out onto the grounds. Everyone is invited to a free Indian vegetarian lunch, and the tantalizing smell of spicy potatoes, cauliflower and lentils wafts down a corridor where people are lined up, waiting for a table. Adults congregate in chat groups, kids shriek as they play tag, and a crowd of teenagers with decidedly Canadian accents, erupt with laughter at a comment made by a pretty girl wearing a traditional Punjabi outfit. Obviously, the Temple (Gurdwara), apart from being a religious venue, is also a lively social meeting place.

Although I'm a non-Sikh, nobody appears discomforted by my presence and, as Mr. Bachan Singh Toor, a venerable bearded elder, says emphatically, “ Everyone is welcome! I hope you'll come again.”

Vedic Cultural Centre and Ram Krishna Mandir

Next on my list is and not too far away, is the Ram Krishna Mandir at the Vedic Cultural Centre on Richmond's #5 Road. Like most Hindu temples in India and the world over, it has an exuberant display of statues representing gods and goddesses from the vast Hindu pantheon of deities. The main stage, festooned in scarlet drapes and marigold garlands, has effigies of the main characters—Ram, Sita, Laxman and Hanuman—from the well-loved epic story of the Ramayana. The goddess Durga (who removes afflictions) is resplendent in a shimmering gold brocade costume; Parvati, the wife of the god Shiva, is dressed in deep pink, with gold embroidery spangling her skirts.

Prayer Hall, Ram Krishna Mandir

Shiva, his consort Parvati and their son, Ganesh (elephant-headed god) at the Ram Krishna Mandir

The Secretary and Co-ordinator of the Centre, greets me with a smile. She is regretful (as I am too) that I've missed the Sunday morning devotionals, when oil lamps are lit and sacred mantras are chanted to the accompaniment of temple bells. However, she invites me to join her in their cafeteria, where a free vegetarian lunch is served every Sunday. Over a spicy meal of rice, curried vegetable bhajis and linen-soft rotis , we exchange views on Hindu philosophy. She points out that in addition to Yoga meditation classes, the Vedic Society Centre has recitals, festival celebrations and ceremonial events year round, which she says,“are open to everyone, regardless of race or creed.”

Az-Zaharaa Islamic Centre on #5 Road, Richmond

A Moslem mosque (closed on Sunday) stands adjacent to yet another Sikh Gurdwara on No. 5 Road. Across the street from a church, the orange tiled roof of the “Pure Land” Chinese Buddhist Ling Yen Mountain Temple shimmers in the afternoon sunshine, but to my chagrin, it is reclusive and closed to visitors.

Some years earlier, I'd visited the Kuan Yin, “Goddess of Mercy” Buddhist Temple in the heart of Penang, but that was modest in comparison to the elaborate Kuan Yin temple complex on Richmond's Steveston Highway which extends a hospitable invitation to tourists and spiritual seekers alike.

Happy Buddha at Kuan Yin, "Goddess of Mercy" temple

Classical Chinese Garden, Goddess of Mercy temple

As I stroll along an entrance pathway flanked by bright flowerbeds, a chubby “Happy Buddha” statue beams a welcome. The Bonsai garden surrounding a lotus pool is serene, and the gentle splash of ornamental fountains lends a dreamy softness to the afternoon air.

Sakyamuni Budha, Kuan Yin Temple, Richmond

The temple's main building is architecturally dazzling, its glittering gold ceramic roof tiles with their upturned corner “wings” soaring against the sky. I enter the prayer hall, and listen to a sonorous chant, punctuated by drumbeats, as six monks perform their afternoon prayers before an enormous golden image of the Sakyamuni Buddha. The temple also provides visitors like myself a glimpse into Chinese art, and I linger over their display of sculpture, paintings, embroidery, woodcarvings, a splendid ceramic mural, and an intricate bas-relief panel.

Small devotee at the Kuan Yin Temple

The exotic, the inspirational, the whimsical and the astonishing—it's all out there…just a few short miles from my Surrey home base. What's more I don't need an expensive airline ticket, or to endure hours of cramped seating on a plane, or worst of all, exhausting jetlag. All I need is a few bucks for gas, a balmy summer afternoon, and welcoming hosts to greet me as I drop in to their world of faith and serenity.