Here I am with the second article on my “Wonders of India” series. In this, I will showcase you another mind-blowing place, with its interesting facts. These places are something one should definitely visit, if you are there in India.
So, let’s start.
Golden Temple (Harmandir Sahib)
It is the one of the biggest sacred places of Sikhs in India and has a historical linkage with Sikhism. It is located in the city of Amritsar in Punjab (India).
Here, I’m listing the facts which makes it a Wonder !!!
A gold foil covers the entire gurudwara structure and thus, the name “Golden Temple” is derived from this.
It was attacked many a times by the enemy forces, but rebuilt later by some kings and nobles.
The foundation structure of this gurudwara was kept by a Sufi saint Mian Mir.
It is open to all people – irrespective of their religion, caste, status, gender, etc. It has 4 entrances – which depict openness to everyone.
The gurudwara is encircled by a pond – which is called as Amrit Sarovar. It is considered as sacred, and devotees take a dip before going inside the gurudwara.
Many people consider it to be a blend of Hindu and Islamic architectural styles. This can be perceived from marble structures inside the gurudwara – which looks similar with Taj Mahal.
The most interesting fact – It is said to run the Largest Free Kitchen in the world. Yes, the gurudwara offers free meal to any person. It is estimated to offer about 50,000 meals daily and the number rises to about 100,000 daily during festive times.
The food served here is basically prepared from donations of devotees, and it is considered that they have never run out of money.
Apart from this, the task of preparing food (cooking, serving, cleaning, etc.) is all done by volunteers – devotees who like to give their time here.
You can also view my post about Sikhism (related to this), if you want to read more.
Thanks for sharing your amazing photos and all the details about the Golden Temple. I don’t think I have seen it before so it was interesting for me to read about it. Do you know what kind of food they serve at the free kitchen? That was a surprising fact that I didn’t expect.
It is also my favorite topic and thanks for such a detailed information please must mention Hazarat Mian mir was Muslim Saint for Inter religion Harmony
thank you for this interesting post, the Golden Temple looks fantastic and your photos are so beautiful, very special to know also about the free kitchen concept.
Thank you very much for your words !!! The food served here is a basic one - to fulfil one’s hunger. The food is considered to be blessings of God, which needs to be distributed among all.
Another major fact is that you can see there even a billionaire and a beggar sitting together and eating - giving a message that all are equal in front of God.
Almost, all major gurudwaras throughout the world offer food to devotees for free
