With the third annual return of Hindu Heritage Month in November, Neeraj Kumar, founder and president of the India Cultural Association of Vancouver (ICA) is looking forward to sharing the cultural values of Hinduism to those within the community and beyond. Part of this work involves developing the first South Asian cultural museum or centre in Canada.

“The idea is to reach out to the community and through this humble start, give a platform [for] the non-Hindu community to come and experience what we celebrate,” says Kumar, noting the opportunities for mutual learning. “With that learning experience, we can develop mutual respect for each other.”

Finding home

After immigrating with his family from India to Vancouver in 2007, Kumar experienced difficulties adjusting to life in Canada. To address these challenges, he connected with other members of the Indian expatriate in the Vancouver South Asian community, which eventually inspired the creation of the ICA.

“It almost took me a decade to settle here,” he adds, noting the psychological effects of immigration. “We bought our first home here…life was good, but still I was missing a lot of things.”

A non-profit organization, the ICA now stands as a bridge between the Vancouver Indian community and other communities. To celebrate Hindu Heritage Month, they are preparing an education and awareness event in the middle of November. While the event date is yet to be confirmed, Kumar envisions having four to six speakers, each touching on an aspect of Hinduism.

“We can talk about our scriptures, Vedas, [and] maybe one person can talk about Bhagavad Gita,” he explains, noting how meditation and yoga are other possible topics. “The Gita is the most sacred book in Hinduism, and the most popular one too.”

For Kumar, celebrating Hinduism involves more than just commemorating the culture – it also includes recognizing the significance of family within the culture. To build upon the celebrations, he notes that the ICA plans to outsource other events to smaller organizations involved with Hindu culture and identity.

Building an inclusive future

The ICA, led by Kumar, is in the process of developing a South Asian Museum in collaboration with the provincial government. With a recently held public feedback session on Sept. 29, ICA is considering accessibility, diversity and local history in the development of the museum. While the project is still in the initial planning stages, Kumar notes that Surrey and Vancouver are currently the top two sites under consideration.

“The BC Museum Association is collecting feedback from grassroot organizations like ICA Vancouver,” he adds. “And as far as I know, they are going to announce a few key things in the beginning of 2025, but personally, I think it may take a few more years before we can see it in reality.”

Kumar adds that the museum will serve as an important and needed representation for the South Asian community in B.C. He hopes that it can be used as a site for celebrating Hindu Heritage Month in the future, while noting how the project could also generate revenue for Vancouver.

“These events…highlight [the multiculturalism of the] city we live in, and these months give an opportunity to learn about other cultures,” he says. “It fosters bonding and mutual respect about other cultures.”

For more details on the India Cultural Association of Vancouver, see www.icavancouver.ca.