The Golden Temple

The Golden Temple is built on the land which was gifted to Mata Bhani, wife of Guru Ram Das Ji, as wedding present by the Emperor Akbar. The Emperor was a good friend to Guru Amar Das, her father.

There was already a small lake at the location. Te lake was very beautiful and was renowned for its medicinal properties. Guru Ram Das started excavating the first pool there as instructed by his Guru, Guru Amar Das in 1570. Therefore the work on the sarovar (holy pool) and the city surrounding it began simultaneously.

It was the fifth Sikh Master, Guru Arjan Dev Ji, that asked the Muslim saint Mian Mir to lay the foundation brick to the temple in December of 1588. The construction work was directly supervised by Guru Arjan Sahib himself and he was assisted by the prominent Sikh personalities like Baba Budha ji and Bhai Gurdas ji.

Instead of erecting the structure on the higher level(a tradition in Hindu Temple architecture), Guru Arjan Sahib got it built on the lower level and unlike Hindu Temples having only one gate for the entrance and exit, Guru Sahib got it open from four sides. Thus he created a symbol of new faith, Sikhism. Guru Sahib made it accessible to every person without any distinction of Caste, creed, sex and religion.

The building work completed in 1604. Guru Arjan Sahib installed newly created Guru Granth Sahib in Sri Harmandir Sahib and appointed Baba Budha ji as its first Granthi i.e. the reader of Guru Granth Sahib.

Sri Harmandir Sahib, is built on a 67ft. square platform in the centre of the Sarovar(tank). The temple itself is 40.5ft. square. It has a door each on the East, West, North and South. The Darshani Deori (an arch) stands at the shore end of the causeway. The door frame of the arch is about 10ft in height and 8ft 6inches in breath. The door panes are decorated with artistic style. It opens on to the causeway or bridge that leads to the main building of Sri Harmandir Sahib. It is 202 feet in length and 21 feet in width.

The bridge is connected with the 13 feet wide 'Pardakshna' (circumambulatory path). It runs round the main shrine and it leads to the 'Har ki Paure' (steps of God). On the first floor of 'Har ki Paure', there is continuous reading of Guru Granth Sahib.

The main structure of Sri Harmandir Sahib, functionally as well as technically is a three-storied one. The front, which faces the bridge, is decorated with repeated cusped arches and the roof of the first floor is at the height of the 26 feet and 9 inches.

At the top of the first floor 4 feet high parapet rises on all the sides which has also four 'Mamtees' on the four corners and exactly on the top of the central hall of the main sanctuary rises the third story. It is a small square room and have three gates. A regular recitation of Guru Granth Sahib is also held there.

On the top of this room stands the low fluted 'Gumbaz'(dome) having lotus petal motif in relief at the base inverted lotus at the top which supports the 'Kalash' having a beautiful 'Chhatri' at the end.

Its architecture represents a unique harmony between the Muslims and the Hindus way of construction work and this is considered the best architectural specimens of the world.

The gilding, marble, mirror and inlay work on the Golden Temple came much later. It was the nineteenth century during the reign of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, that the proud people of Punjab lavished their wealth on their shrine in Amritsar.

The Temple complex houses many buildings such as:

=> AKAL TAKHAT

Akal Takhat faces the Golden Temple. Built by the Sixth Master Guru Hargobind (1606-44) in 1609, has been the nerve centre or the Sikhism ever since. All commandments affecting the community as a whole were and are issued from here. The Akal Takhat was used for holding court and Sikh congregations in the days of its builder.

The Akal Takhat was pulled down several times by the Muslim raiders. The ground floor of the present building was constructed in 1874. Three storeys were subsequently added by Maharaja Ranjit Singh. A number of weapons used by Guru Hargobind, Guru Gobind Singh and other Sikh heroes are preserved at Akal Takhat. In 1984 during Operation Blue Star Akal Takhat was badly damaged by the Indian Army.

=> BABA ATAL

A nine-storeyed tower, built in memory of Atal Rai (D. 1628), a son of Hargobind, is called Baba Atal. Atal Rai died at nine. He was called 'Baba' (an old man) head over young shulders. The tower was built between 1778 and 1784. It is the only of its kind in the city with 108 ft. height.

=> GURU KA LANGAR
A Sikh temple without a Community Kitchen is inconceivable. Cooked food is serviced in the kitchen of the Golden Temple 24 hours to all visitors irrespective of religion, caste, creed and nationality. The expenses are met out of the Temple funds. Approximately 40,000 visitors share the meals everyday presently.

=> SRI GURU RAM DAS NIWAS
The Niwas is a free hostel for the pilgrims maintained by the Temple authorities. It has been built by the Gurdwara Committee. It has 228 rooms and 18 big halls. Unlike the ordinary 'Daramsalas' the Niwas supplies the facilities of free beddings, cots, lights and fans etc. to the lodgers. A lodger is not generally allowed to stay here for more than three days at a time. The doors of the hostels are open to all. The lodgers however must not do anything repugnant to the teachings of Sikhism.

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The origin of the place where the Sri Hari Mandir stands is shrouded in mystery. Some trace its origin to the pre-historic, Vedic-epic period as a place of considerable religious importance in the form of a Amrit Kund (Spring of Nectar). But the site seems to have lost its eminence under the sway of the Buddhist movement, which swept away most of the important Hindu holy places. Before its association with the Sikh Gurus, the site of the Hari Mandir was a low-lying area, with a small pond (at the present site of the Dukh Bhanjani Beri - Healer of Sorrows), set in jungle terrain, surrounded by tiny hamlets. But the place was on the route of caravans passing to the North-West frontier and other old trade centers. However, the site of the temple lay desolate before it began to be visited by the Sikh Gurus.

Many popular myths and legends are connected with the origin of the Amrit Sarowar (Tank of Nectar). It is said that Guru Amar Das found on the banks of the pool the desired herb for the skin ailment of Guru Angad (the second Guru of the Sikhs). A persistent local tradition highlights the medicinal properties of the waters of the pond: Rajni, the daughter of Rai Dhuni Chand, a kardar (revenue collector) of Patti, brought her leper husband here and he was cured after having a dip in the pond. It is said that Ram Das (at that time, on a visit to a nearby area) came to the place to investigate the above episode and was so much impressed with the beauty of the surroundings that he decided to make it a pilgrim center.

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A Sikh man praying in Golden Temple Complex.

Wide view of the temple.

The Golden Temple at Night.

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Golden Temple reflected in the water.

Simply Magnificent!

Evening at the temple.

People admiring the temple.

Golden Temple in daytime.

A Sikh standing guard at the temple.

Sikh lady admiring the temple.

Dawn at the Golden Temple.

Sikhs infront of the temple.

Priests inside the temple.

Birds flying around the Golden Temple.

Walkway to the temple.

Inside view of the temple complex.