Visiting the Harmandir Sahib Gurudwara in Amritsar is a lifetime event. The Gurudwara is the place of worship for the followers of the Sikh religion and also for the Hindus. It is also popularly known as The Golden Temple since the entire temple is covered with pure Gold plating by the affluent and progressive Sikh community who are concentrated in the state of Punjab in India but also spread out all over India and in every corner of the world, more prominently in Canada and the UK.
The Gurudwara is open 24x7 for Darshan and is typically maintained in a super clean condition thanks to the volunteering by the devotees. I reached the Gurudwara late in the evening after 7:30 last week and the atmosphere was supercharged with the pond lit with the golden reflection and Gurubani being chanted over loudspeakers. The Gurudwara looks equally spiritually enchanting during the day time as well as seen in the collage above.
There is a grand entrance to the Gurudwara complex and after entering through it I realized that there are 3 more that make the entire area a bit symmetric. The queue for Darshan could be slow-moving in the evening at the time of the grand recitation of the Guru Granth Sahib that is the central religious text of Sikhism.
Caption: Collage of the Golden Temple Entrance in Amritsar Made by Local Guide @Tushar_Suradkar
There is a free shoe storage facility and the market outside has been converted into a walking and shopping plaza with a well-paved tiled floor and no entry for any type of vehicles.
Caption: Collage of the Walking Plaza outside Golden Temple in Amritsar Made by Local Guide @Tushar_Suradkar
Monument Tips:
• Do no necessarily stop when devotees in front of you stop; They tend to take Darshan at several places, especially at the main entrance at first sight of the Golden Temple.
• Do not be tempted to take photos though it is allowed within the temple premises until you have first had the Darshan. All photo opportunities exist on the return path.
• Do not park your vehicles in the Gurudwara parking since a lot of walking will be involved. Instead, leave your vehicle at the hotel and take the dirt-cheap public transport available in Amritsar that drops you very close to the temple.
• Make sure you make note of the hotel name, address, and phone number before leaving for the temple since you have to return back as well.
It is worth reiterating that India is the origin and home to 4 major religions of the world- Hindu, Sikh, Jain, and Buddhism.
Takht Sri Akal Sahib in Amritsar is one of the 5 Takhts meaning the Sikh imperial thrones. The Sikhs recognize five places as Takhts listed below:
- Akal Takht at Amritsar.
- Takht Keshgarh Sahib at Anandpur Sahib.
- Takht Damdama Sahib at Talwandi Sabo.
- Takht Patna Sahib in Bihar.
- Takht Hazur Sahib at Nanded in Maharashtra.
Have you been to a Gurudwara or place of worship with significant religious importance? I’d be interested in knowing your experiences.
Until then… Happy Guiding ?
Accessibility Features
The Golden Temple premise has plenty of facilities to facilitate navigation of a wheelchair and also several ramps to ease the movement of differently-abled including at the parking and the toilets.
Ramp Access.
A wheelchair-accessible Entrance.
A wheelchair-accessible Parking.
A wheelchair-accessible Restroom/Toilet.
What Else To Do In Punjab
While you are traveling in Punjab, these are some top-recommended places:
- Akal Takht at Amritsar
- Takht Keshgarh Sahib at Anandpur Sahib
- Takht Damdama Sahib at Talwandi Sabo
- Rock Garden, Chandigarh
- Pinjore Garden, Chandigarh
- Sukhna Lake, Chandigarh
- Wagah Border, Amritsar
- Jallianwala Bagh, Amritsar
