The Golden Temple in Amritsar, located in the state of Punjab, India, is the holiest shrine for Sikhs around the world. The temple was founded in 1577 by guru Ram Das (the fourth guru). Amritsar is 32 kilometres (20 miles) east of Lahore, Pakistan and therefore, very close to India's western border with Pakistan.
It's our first destination after our group meets in Delhi in the upcoming Gems in the Desert Spiritual adventure to northwestern India.
Last year I was fortunate enough to be in India during Diwali and took the opportunity to visit the Golden Temple during this festival. Here are some photos and notes from my visit.
"I was fortunate enough to arrive this morning (4th Nov, 2010) in Amritsar. It's Diwali day and this festival of lights is grandly celebrated here as it is all around India. The streets were quiet in the wee hours of the morning but as the sun made its way across the sky, thousands of people started to gather in and around the temple.
Here are a few photos from my morning visit to the temple."
The Golden Temple
A Sikh elder bathes in the sacred pool known as the Amrit Sarovar (Pool of Nectar), which gave the town the name.
Pilgrims came from far and wide and many stay in and around the temple complex. This lady patiently waits for her sari to dry.
The Golden Temple as it is commonly known is called the Hari Mandir Sahib. Here the original copy of the Sikh holy book, the Guru Granth Sahib is kept.
The Guru's Bridge leads pilgrim across the sacred pool to the Hari Mandir Sahib.
Entrance to the bridge. The bridge is filled with pilgrims patiently queuing to enter the Hari Mandir Sahib. Chants from the Sikh holy book can be heard broadcasted around the temple complex as four priests inside the temple continuously chant from the book.
The Akal Takhat. The Guru Granth Sahib is ceremoniously brought out from the Akal Takhat each morning and placed in the Hari Mandir Sahib then returned at night to the Akal Takhat.
