Harmandir Sahib - Holiest Sikh Gurudwara in Amritsar

The unique feature about Harmandir Sahib’s construction is that it represents peace between the Hindus and the Muslims, and is considered as one of the best architectural splendour of the world. Harmandir Sahib is encircled by a huge pond and it is known as the Sarovar. This pond’s water is said to be known as Amrit, which means "holy water" or "immortal nectar." The Harmandir Sahib or the Gurdwara has four entrances which imply that all human beings are accepted as one in the Holy Shrine of the God. There are places of worship for the Sikh Gurus, Saints and Martyrs inside Harmandir Sahib. An interesting thing about Harmandir Sahib is that three holy trees known as bers, each representing a historical happening of a Sikh saint is present inside the temple. Harmandir Sahib houses a number of imprinted tablets that remind visitors about the historical events of the Sikhs, saints and martyrs in the past. It also includes memorable stone inscriptions of all the Sikh warriors who fought in both the World Wars and died. 

The important historical event about Harmandir Sahib was the Operation Black Thunder in 1988. With the view of creating a security barrier, the Central Government obtained a narrow piece of land including buildings after the Operation Black Thunder. A number of residential and business holders had to be removed from their place as a result of this. This project was strongly opposed by the normal and aggressive Sikhs groups and an engineer who worked for the government was killed, which led to the abandonment of the project. In 1993 the Deputy Commissioner Karan Bir Singh Sidhu revived the project and was appointed as the project director of what was later popularly called as the Galliara Project. He consulted with the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC), decided to change the existing security method, and built a quiet and peaceful landscape that was completely reliable with the outwardly beauty of the Harmandir Sahib. The specialty about Harmandir Sahib is that nowadays people have to walk in the Galliara and vehicles are not allowed near the temple.

Based on the rules followed at all Sikh temples in the world, the Harmandir Sahib is open to all people irrespective of religion, colour, caste or sex. However the important thing to remember about Harmandir Sahib is that visitors have to follow certain rules when visiting and when inside the temple. They are:

To maintain the holiness of the sacred place and themselves when inside:

• Remove the shoes or slippers after entering the temple and wash the feet in the small pool of water given, 
• Do not drink alcohol, eat meat, smoke cigarettes or consume drugs when inside the temple, 

To Dress in a Proper Way:

• The head should be covered as a sign of respect with a cloth. The Harmandir Sahib distributes head scarves for visitors who do not have a proper head covering. 
• Do not wear shoes or slippers as mentioned above.

Way to Behave: 

• When inside the Darbar Sahib the visitor has to sit on the ground as a mark of immense respect to both the Guru Granth Sahib and the God.
• People who visit for the first time are asked to go the information office given in the map to know about Harmandir Sahib and then carry on to the Central Sikh Museum located at the main entrance and clock tower

 

 

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.