Harmandir Sahib, informally known as the Golden Temple, is one of the holiest and most prominent Sikh Gurdwaras. The town of Amritsar, Punjab is the lucky home to this glorious shrine that has over 100,000 worshippers visit daily.
The Golden Temple is a must see for travellers who are exploring North India!
Some quick facts: the Golden Temple was originally built in the 16th Century and then rebuilt in 1764, the foundation stone in the original building was laid by a Muslim saint, Guru Nanak (the founder of the Sikh religion) lived and meditated here, the stairs entering the temple go down rather than up (to encourage a sense of humility) and lastly, the holiest text of Sikhism, Granth Sahib, is kept inside the Gurdwara.
The Beauty of the Golden Temple.
Picture in your mind: an-all golden temple, in the middle of a crystal blue lake, surrounded by four white marble walls. And that’s not even mentioning the beautiful carvings and inlays of the temple, marble walls and floor. At night the temple transforms in to a wonderfully lit up shrine. It looks like a glowing golden castle and the surrounding lake mirrors all of the beauty. It’s truly breathtaking.
Each night the Golden Temple has a ceremony.
The Granth Sahib is moved from the main shrine to the sanctum where it rests for just a few short hours until the opening ceremony the following morning. Any man can take part in this ceremony. The book is moved on a palanquin and walked around the lake; the men take turn holding the arms of the palanquin. It’s a wonderful thing to see and attracts a large audience.
This sacred temple feeds up to 40,000 people a day, for free! Anyone can line up for a meal, regardless of race, religion or background (equality for all is a very important to the Sikhs). On special occasions the number of people fed can be up to 100,000! All of this generosity is made possible by donations and the selfless service (seva) of volunteers. A tour of the kitchen is very heart-warming with so many people making chapattis, gigantic pots of rice and dahl being cooked and stirred and multitudes of dishes being done.
If you’d like to experience the magic of the Golden Temple, our North Indian Healing Tour, Northern Exposure and Living the Ayurvedic Way North tours will all take you there!
Contact us to plan your magical journey 1300722932
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See you next week!
