Golden Temple, Amritsar - Symbol of Human Brotherhood and Equality

The Sikh’s holy shrine that shines in the morning light with its golden covered tomb along with little minarets is the golden temple. The Golden Temple is located in Amritsar in the state of Punjab. The Golden temple Amritsar is like a palace belonging to the fairy world to the ardent believers of Sikh faith. The golden temple displays a magnificent view as it stands in the centre of a pool and gives the innocent viewers a thrilling feeling of looking into heaven. Amritsar means ‘Pool of the Nectar of Immortality’ and thus the temple rightly gets its name as Golden temple Amritsar. The shining holy shrine of the Sikhs creates an image of ecstatic awareness and the vision has been experienced by the innumerable millions of visitors and pilgrims for many centuries. Sikhs from all over the world come to this heavenly place and experience miraculous cures by touching the pool of nectar of the golden temple.

The world famous Golden temple Amritsar was originally built as a mud house by Guru Amar Das. He found an herb along the sides of the pool which magically cured a skin disease of his Guru, Guru Angad. The pool was called as ‘Amrit Sarovar’ which meant ‘Pool of Nectar’ and remained as a village lake until when Ram Das, the fourth Guru, decided to build a permanent construction with bricks. On completion of the Holy shrine it was called as Sri Harimandir Sahib Amritsar.

Amritsar was earlier known as Chak, Chak-Guru, Guru-ka-chak, Chak-Guru-Ram-Das and Ram-Das-Pura. Craftsmen belonging to the towns of Patti, Kasur and Kalanur lived in houses that surrounded the bank of the pool of nectar. A market named Guru-ka-bazar was only present at that time, although it has become very popular now.

Guru Arjan Dev followed as the fifth Sikh Guru to decorate the spiritual throne in 1581. He sensed the upcoming popularity of the Holy Shrine as a pilgrimage centre and the importance of paving the lake’s surroundings and its steps with bricks. Receiving help from the ardent devotees he constructed the temple, which till today stands as a symbol revealing the indefinite mystery of life to the people who desire to look for it and continue to stand forever and ever. Guru Arjan Dev’s vision to build a Heaven on Earth became urgent as he saw a number of people coming with simple hearts, joining their hands to offer their prayers and touch and sprinkle the holy water onto their foreheads. Therefore Guru Arjan Dev built the structure of Sri Hari Mandir Sahib that represented a distinct identity and glory, heritage of the Sikhs. The uniqueness of the golden temple lies in the fact that it is a symbol of brotherhood and equality not only of the Sikhs but among all people. The Golden temple Amritsar was built at a level lower than the surrounding land level with four entrances to the Holy shrine, which depicts that people belonging to all classes of life can walk in without any inequality. There is a rectangular shape circumambulatory walk that ends at the entrance of the golden temple and the path to Reality begins. Guru Arjan Dev laid the foundation stone of the Golden temple Amritsar in 1588 A.D. to symbolically combine the faith of the Hindu God Hari and his many incarnations and the Muslim belief of One God taught by the divine Mian Mir of Lahore. The unique design of the Sri Harimandir Sahib exhibits the combination of rectangular form of a Hindu temple and the dome and minarets of the Muslims.

Things to Remember While Visiting Golden Temple, Amritsar

The ultimate Sikh pilgrimage which is also traditionally known as the Harmandir Sahib is the Golden Temple at Amritsar. People who visit this place are generally made aware of the tips for Devotees in golden temple. The Holy Shrine which stands at the centre of a square water pool is a symbolical sign of the Sikh faith and people who believe in this faith are called Sikhs. Sikhs follow the principles of Sikhism and all of them derive their inner strength and power from this Holy Place. The holy book of Sikhism is the Guru Granth Sahib which is placed in a unique place inside the Shrine. People who do not follow Sikhism are also welcome to enter and guides are available throughout the temple to provide Tips for Devotees in golden temple.

There are four entrances to enter the Golden Temple which is otherwise known as Gurdwara. Pilgrims and devotees who enter are expected to know the Do’s and Don’ts at golden temple. Each person either a man or a woman who enters the premises of the golden temple should cover his or her head with a cloth as a mark of respect to the temple. People who do not carry a head cover can avail them at all the four entrances of the golden temple. The devotees should remove their shoes, slippers and other footwear outside the temple. Feet of the devotees should be washed from a water trough kept at all entrances of the temple before entering. No devotee is allowed to smoke, drink alcohol, eat meat and use drugs when inside the temple. Cigarettes, alcohol and drugs are not even allowed inside. Complete cleanliness of both inside and outside the body is considered sacred once inside the temple. All people should bow before the Guru Granth Sahib and sit on the ground where a carpet is laid. A person’s back should not be shown to the Guru Granth Sahib and the feet should not be pointed towards the place where it is kept. Photographs cannot be taken inside the golden temple, but the temple can be pictured from outside in the lake area.

A number of websites provide online information regarding the Tips for Devotees in golden temple and people who wish to visit the temple are advised to gain thorough knowledge of the Do’s and Don’ts at golden temple beforehand.

Daily Donation at Golden Temple, Amritsar

The Golden Temple located in Amritsar is the holy shrine of the Sikhs, but it welcomes all people of the world. The world-famous temple is maintained by the innumerable funds that flow from all ardent devotees and pilgrims of the temple. The Golden temple donation plays an important role in new constructions, maintaining the temple premises sparkly clean and the non-stop service of Langar Seva. 

The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) is a non-profitable organisation that is responsible for the day-to-day operations at the Golden Temple premises in Amritsar. Golden temple donation can be made through this organisation that claims itself responsible for the overall development of Sikh community across the globe. Golden temple donation can also be made through the 147 branches of HDFC Bank in Punjab and the money will be delivered to the temple committee.

Nowadays Golden temple donation is made easy with the availability of internet facilities. Devotees who are not able to go personally to the Golden temple at Amritsar can send in their Gurdwara donation online from their home itself via HDFC Bank’s online website. Golden temple donation is exempted from tax payments. Gurdwara donation online can be made by Sikhs who live in different places other than India through their Debit or Credit cards, via Virgin Money or through Paypal Account. The Central Gurdwara Bank also facilitates gurdwara donation online through its website. Golden temple donation for long-term projects such as building a new roof, new kitchens etc., can be made via Standing Order donations by downloading a form from the internet.

Ways of Reaching to Golden Temple, Amritsar

Amritsar is the name of a well established town in the state of Punjab and is widely known all over the world as the Golden temple location. Visitors, pilgrims, travelers from all over the country and the world come to the Golden temple location to wholly experience the wonderful feeling while viewing and praying inside the temple. An excellent network of railways, roadways and airways connects Amritsar to all the important cities in India.

Through Airways

Raja Sansi International Airport is the name of the Amritsar Airport, which provides wonderful airline services for visitors. Situated at about 11 km from Golden temple location this airport is very well connected to other places by regular flights from different parts of the country. A number of airlines from India, Singapore, London, Birmingham and Toronto also offer flight services for visitors from abroad to the Amritsar Airport.

Through Railways

The important railhead of the Northern Railways is the Amritsar Railway Junction. Most of the express and mail trains connect Amritsar via rail route to other parts of the country.

Through Roadways

The Grand Trunk Karnal Road connects Amritsar to Delhi via road. Amritsar’s bus stand is located 3 km away from Amritsar Railway Station. People can reach the Golden temple location by buses that offer regular direct trips from Delhi to Amritsar. For people who come to Amritsar from other localities have to change their buses and take the corresponding bus routes to reach the Golden temple location.

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.

Golden Temple: Most Famous Pilgrimage Place for Sikhism

The important knowledge to gain about golden Temple is that in spite of its immense Holiness, the Golden Temple is open to all visitors irrespective of their religions, like all other Sikh temples. Another important Golden temple info is that people who are visiting the Holy place should not drink alcohol, consume non-vegetarian food or smoke in the shrine. The pleasant Golden temple info is that people who come to The Harmandir Sahib feel that they are truly welcome and are not forced in any way to buy anything, which happens in a lot of other Indian temples.

 The office situated at the left of the main gate gives complete information about golden Temple and booklets based on Sikhism are available. All devotees of the Golden Temple irrespective of their religions experience immense peace within themselves by the most actual sacred and holy place in the country. The specialty about golden Temple is that people who come and spend a few good hours literally get lost in its magical beauty. Before entering the shrine people should leave their footwear at the entrance, cover their head with bandanas that are given, (if needed they can buy a bandana as a souvenir from a shopkeeper), and clean their feet by walking through the shallow pool. The Sri Harimandir (Divine Temple) or Darbar Sahib (Court of the Lord) is the most popular and the holy part of the Golden Temple complex. It is a beautiful golden construction in the middle of a large pool of water. The golden plated building has copper cupolas and white marble walls covered with invaluable stones that are arranged decoratively exhibiting the Islamic flower pattern style. Also the construction has verses from the Granth Sahib (Holy Book of the Sikhs) written all over the inside and outside walls. The Sri Harimandir Sahib is engulfed by the Holy pool called as Amrit Sarovar which means Pool of Nectar. The temple is reached by walking over the path surrounding the Amrit Sarovar called the Parikrama, which confines the sacred pool in a clockwise direction. 

This path then connects with the Sri Harimandir through a land bridge made of marble and is called as the Guru's Bridge. This bridge resembles the journey of the soul after death of human beings. An information about golden Temple is that the gateway to the bridge called the Darshani Deorhi has wonderful doors made of silver. The happenings inside the Sri Harimandir are known to the Sikhs all over India through television relay. Another interesting info about Golden temple is that verses from the Holy Book are sung amidst the crowds that throng under a sunshade that is studded with jewels. The Holy Book is continuously waved by a chauri (whisk) and rows and rows of Sikh bow themselves such that their foreheads touch the temple floors and walls and move in a clockwise direction to a pace to relax. The most interesting and important Golden temple info is that there is a dining hall called the Guru-ka-Langar in which nearly 35,000 people are given free meals every day by the volunteers. All are welcome to participate in this free meal scheme irrespective of their caste, wealth or religion, which brings about equality among people, the most sacred doctrine of the Sikhs. Sikh devotees who come from far away places can avail guest rooms for free and Sikhs who come from other countries can avail rooms for a small fee. Golden temple info will be complete with the mentioning of the Central Sikh Museum at the main entrance, where pictures and commemoration of Sikh gurus, saints, and warriors are displayed in galleries. Graphic portraits of the sufferings and execution of gurus are also displayed, which is additional information about golden Temple.