A Sneak Peek Into the Timings and Daily Schedule of Golden Temple

The Golden temple timings followed today at the Harmindar Sahib are the same as the timetable followed by the earlier Sikh Gurus who lived in Amritsar. The golden temple timings reconstruct the authentic understanding that prevailed during the time of Sikh history in the Harmandir Sahib. The long music composition of Asa di Var sung in the Holy chamber depicts the beginning of the morning Kirtan in the Harimandir. This composition is then followed by the arrival of the Sri Guru Granth Sahib which is carried by the volunteers on their shoulders as a procession in a palanquin from the Akal Takhat. The Sangat or the worshippers who come early in the day rise up and the Holy Guru Granth is kept on the throne called the Singhasan in the centre of the temple’s chamber. Parts of the Granth’s scriptures, which are written by the Bhatts or the court’s poets of the Gurus, are recited in by the Sevadars or the attendants as an honour to the Sikh Gurus. The golden temple timings reminds of the regular rituals followed at the time of Sikh Gurus in the Harmandir Sahib: the arrival of the Sri Guru Granth Sahib from the Akal Takhat to the Harmandar Sahib, the songs sung in praise of the Gurus by the poets of the court and others, and the first speech of the day in the Holy shrine. Based on that the Sri Guru Granth Sahib is opened formally, a random page of the text is selected and the first command or Hukam found on the open page is read. The Granth is then kept on its throne in the Holy chamber and again during the early evening it is taken in a palanquin back to the Akal Takhat Sahib as a procession for its customary rest in the night. The rituals followed at the opening and closing time of golden temple in a day as endorsed in the Holy chamber of the Harimandir Sahib thus reflects and reconstructs the link among the Sikh Gurus and Amritsar, representing the practical application of the past memory of the attendance of three human Gurus in Amritsar. The regular schedule of the Harmandir Sahib also exactly reflects the earlier Sikh doctrines of the SGGS as the physical incarnation of the ten Human Gurus, for the present Sikhs.

The routine followed at the opening and closing time of golden temple is the non-stop singing of Gurbani Kirtan from opening the doors in the morning at the Sri Harimandir Sahib to their closing in the night. The summer and winter seasons experience little changes in the above daily routine. After the palanquin that carries the Sri Guru Granth Sahib leaves to the Akal Takhat, the worshippers and the temple staff clean the Sri Harimandir Sahib for about an hour. As the cleaning process goes on the devotees sing the Gurbani Kirtan in soft devotional tunes. After the shrine is cleaned the rugs are spread and a small cot called the Peera Sahib is kept to place the Sri Guru Granth Sahib during the next day early in the morning. The Ardas or the Sikh Prayer is offered and on its completion, Karah Prasad or the holy offering is given to the worshippers. After the Rehras or the Evening Scripture is read at the Sri Akal Takhat Sahib the weapons that belong to the Sikh Masters and Martyr Sikhs are exhibited to the worshippers at 8.00 p.m.