135-foot Nishan Sahib raised in Mississauga Dixie Gurdwara

Mississauga, August 5, 2006
Piara Singh

NRI Sikhs of Ontario, Canada raised a 135-foot Nishan Sahib (Sikh flag) at Dixie Gurdwara, located in Mississauga. Panj Pyaras organized the procession to raise the Nishan Sahib. “Our dream since 1995 has come true,” said Jasjit Singh Bhullar, President of the Dixie Gurdwara.

Nishan Sahib is the holy flag which can be seen either near the entrance or on the top of every Gurdwara . Great respect is shown to the flag as it is a symbol of all that the Sikhs believe. It also is a welcome banner for visitors. The flagpole is covered in orange material which is changed at special occasions and every year in April at the festival of Vaisakhi. Its colour underwent a change, from white to saffron, in the hands of Guru Hargobind and it was hoisted for the first time at Akal Takhat Sahib in the year 1609 CE.It is placed high up as a sign for all Sikhs and indeed any other person that they can come and pray in this building. Great respect is shown to this flag which is shown by its washing using milk and water every year in April at the festival of Vaisakhi.

Ontario Khalsa Darbar is the largest and busiest Sikh gurdwara in Canada. It has 36 acres of land in the city of Mississauga at the corner of Derry Road and Dixie Road. Sikh gurdwara was started in 1979.In 2001 the Nagar Kirtan (celebrates Viasakhi) had a crowd of near 100,000 people. A new plan in 2004 was annocued to build a 3 million dollar parking lot. The gurdwara grows more and more every year as the Sikh community grows in Greater Toronto Area.