Golden Temple - 'The Temple of God'
The
Golden Temple is the holiest shrine of the Sikhs. It is the centre of the
old part of Amritsar. Today the temple is famous as the Golden Temple, but
its original name is Harmindar Sahib. Harmandir means the 'Temple of God',
is thronged by Sikh devotees from all parts of the world. In addition, the
sacred shrine has been a major tourist attraction. We offer golden temple tour with sightseeing tour of Amritsar, Chandigarh and Ludhiana.
Construction of the Golden Temple
Guru Arjan Dev, the fifth Guru, conceived the idea to built the temple. He
himself designed the architecture of the temple, and he was assisted by many
prominent Sikh personalities. A Sufi saint Hazrat Mian Mir laid the
foundation of the temple in December 1588 and the construction work was
completed in 1601.
The Structure of the Temple
The Golden Temple stands on a rectangular platform surrounded by a pool of
water called the Amrit Sarovar. The entrance to the temple complex is
through an ornate archway, which is intricately decorated with inlay word.
On the doorway the verses from the Granth Sahib are inscribed. The main
entrance to the temple, known as the Darshani Deori is under a Victorian
clock tower. The two storey marble temple can be reached by a bridge known
as Guru's Bridge. The temple architecture is a blend of the Hindu and Muslim
styles. The lower floor made of white marble, has nicely decorated walls
with inlaid flowers and animal motifs. The upper storey is gold plated,
which is capped with a golden dome, shaped like an inverted lotus.
Entrances to Golden Temple
The
Golden Temple has four entrances, which is the symbol of the openness of
Sikhism.
The inside wall are nicely decorated with carved wooden panels and
extensive inlay work in silver and gold.
Attractions near the Golden Temple
Akal Takht : Situated next to the Golden Temple, the
Akal Takht is the seat of the Shiromani Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee ( the
religious governing body of the Sikhs). The construction of the building was
started by Guru Arjan Dev and completed by Guru Hargobind in 1609. The Adi
Granth is housed here, an it taken out in procession daily in the morning to
the Golden Temple and brought back at night.
Adi Granth : The holy book compiled by Guru Arjan Dev,
lies on a throne beneath a jewel-encrusted canopy. The Sikh Priests
continuously recite verses from this holy book.
Shrines : The Shrines situated on the northern corner of
the corridor are venerated as the 68 holy shrines of the Hindus. Guru Arjan
Dev said, that it is enough for the devotees to visit these shrines and not
visit all the original Hindu Shrines. Now many of these shrines are
converted into a martyr's gallery, which reminds the gruesome history of the
Sikhs.
Guru Ka Langar : The Guru Ka Langar is a community
canteen, which was started in the 16th century. The kitchen feeds up to
10,000 people in daily, without any charges.
The Jubi tree : The Jubi Tree stands at the northwestern
edge of the complex, is believed to be planted around 450 years ago. The old
tree is believed to have some special powers as childless women tie strips
of cloth here to blessed with sons.
Reaching
Air : Amritsar airport has flights from Delhi, Srinagar,
Chandigarh and other major cities.
Rail : Amritsar is well-connected by rail to major town
and cities of the country. The trains are available from Delhi, Mumbai and
other cities of the country.
Road : Good network of roads connect Amritsar with the
state as well as other states of country.
Where to Stay
The city has several hotels, guest houses and hostels, which offer
accommodation facility. The Golden Temple offers free accommodation facility
in its hostels. In addition there are small guest houses and a youth hostel
of the Punjab Tourism Department.
Hotels in Punjab
