The Toronto Star
BRAMPTON, ONTARIO, CANADA, September 13, 2004: When Sat Malik arrived in Canada over 30 years ago, he decided to settle in the province of Ontario. Malik recalls this time, “When I arrived in the early 1970’s, I could hardly find another South Asian man on the street, never mind a Hindu temple.” Wanting to connect with his religious roots, Malik and four other Hindu families gathered together every Sunday in a rented schoolhouse room to perform religious services. Now almost 35 years later the Hindu community has flourished in the province. In Brampton, Hindus have built the Hindu Sabha Temple , a 32,000 square foot $11 million temple. The article says, “The main prayer hall can accommodate close to 2,500 people, a Hindu school, community hall and 440 parking spaces. It has become the centre of many new residential developments.” Located on 8.5 hectares, the 37-metre tower is a landmark for the surrounding community. Many Hindus have moved to Brampton to be near the temple. Mahan Gupta, a 42-year-old teacher who came to Canada in 1989, says, “I have a 78-year-old mother. She used to ask me to take her to the temple. Sometimes I just wasn’t able to. Now my mom can walk here by herself to volunteer here and spend time with her friends.” Dinesh Chander, age 47 and temple congregant, adds, “It’s just natural evolution that people move out of the city for a better life and move close to a temple, which is the magnet and center of their lives.”