Sikh temples are built in honor of the holy Guru Granth Sahib and one can find innumerable temples spread across the country. Although all the temples are equally holy, the Golden Temple in Amritsar is the most culturally significant temple of Sikhs. It is officially named as Harmandir Sahib or Darbar Sahib.
The story of the Golden Temple in Amritsar
Guru Ram Das, who was the forth Guru of Sikhism, excavated a tank in 1577 AD. He named it Amritsar, meaning ‘pool of nectar of immortality’. That was the beginning and soon a city grew around it to form the present day Amritsar. Along the course of the formation of the city, a splendid Sikh temple was built with the name of the Harmandir Sahib, meaning ‘the abode of God’. The compilations of all the Gurus and saints of Sikhism, called the Adi Granth, are kept in this temple.
Features of the Golden Temple of Amritsar
The marble work and gildings dates back to the early 1800s when the temple was built. These exquisite decorations say little about the turbulent history of the temple, like the Mughals attack and the militant Sikh interference. The four entrances into the temple signify that all are welcome. The gold decorations and marble work were possible because of the patronage of Hukam Singh Chimni and Emperor Ranjit Singh.
The Darshani Deorhi Arch stands imposingly at the beginning and leads to the entrance of the Golden Temple of Amritsar. The Sher-e-Punjab (Lion of the Punjab) was a generous donor for the temple and is highly respected by the Sikh community for their generosity and help. By the time the temple was completed in 1830 AD, it had plenty of gold plating and other decorations in place.
International interest
The Golden Temple of Amritsar is well known for its beauty. It glows with a bright gold shine at night when the lights are switched on. Unlike the past, the area is now very secure from militant activities after Operation Black Thunder created a strip of land to form a security belt around the Golden Temple. Since then, many high profile delegates have visited the temple like Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Philip, Manmohan Singh, and a lot of ambassadors from different countries.
Lonely Planet Bluelist 2008 has selected the Golden Temple in Amritsar as the holiest place in the world. Pilgrims and visitors can avail the Amritsar International Airport to reach the temple.
To get more information on popular pilgrimage sites in India keep browsing the website allindiaportal.com.
|
