Golden Temple is situated in Amritsar City.Amritsar, literally means the Pool of Nectar. Amritsar derieves its name from Amrit Sarovar, the holy tank that surrounds the fabulous Golden Temple. The name of the city derives from the name of the pool around the Golden Temple (aka Harmandir Sahib) and means "holy pool of nectar" (Amrit: elixir; Sar: (short for sarovar) lake). The Sikh cult largely dominate the city. During centuries, this complex of Sikh culture grew from a sacred village pond into a spiritual-temporal center. Golden Temple is the spiritual and cultural center of the Sikh religion, and they are rightfully very proud of the city and their very beautiful and unique Gurdwara (place of worship). Guru Arjan Sahib, the Fifth Nanak, conceived the idea of creating a central place of worship for the Sikhs and he himself designed the architecture of Golden temple also known as Sri Harmandir Sahib. The Golden Temple was initiated by Guru Ramdaas Ji, the fourth Sikh Guru, and completed in 1601 by his successor Guru Arjan Dev Ji. It is now a major pilgrimage and tourism center. Guru Arjan Sahib got its foundation laid by a muslim saint Hazrat Mian Mir ji of Lahore in December 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, Bhai Gurdas ji, Bhai Sahlo ji and many other devoted Sikhs.
The temple is located on a small island in the centre of a pool called the amrit-sar ('pool of nectar') and is connected to land by a marble causeway. It is the main attraction in the city, and the most important religious place to the Sikhs. It's a stunning complex, and always full of thousands of pilgrims from all over India, excited to be at a place that they usually only see on television. Golden Temple has a unique feature, here the devotees have to step down to offer their homage unlike other temples where the devotees have to climb up to offer their salutation. The excitement to be here is infectious, and many people will be more than happy to tell you all about their religion and customs, and show you around the temple itself. Cover your head, remove your shoes and wander around one of the most amazing places in India. This wonderful temple of God has been built at the lowest level because it represents the humility of Guru Nanak. The architecture of the temple is considered as the epitome of dexterity and creativity and it represents a unique harmony between the Muslims and the Hindus. he complex is open almost 24 hours (from 6AM until 2AM) and is worth visiting twice: once during the day, once at night, when it's beautifully lit up. As long as the rules are respected, visitors of all religions are given a warm welcome. Symbolically, it has entrances on all four sides to show that it is open to worshippers of all castes and creeds.
Around Golden Temple :
1) Akal Takth : All commandements affecting the community as a whole were and still are issued from here. Meaning "The Timeless", this is where the highest council of Sikhs sits and deliberates. At night, the Guru Granth Sahib is taken to the Akal Takht. It is directly opposite the Harmandir Sahib.
2) Guru Ka Langar : Cooked food is serviced in the kitchen of the Golden temple24 hours to all visitors irrespective of their caste, creed or nationality. It has ensured the participation of women and children in a task of service for mankind. Women play an important role in the preparation of meals, and the children help in serving food to the pangat. Everyday approximately around 40,000 visitors share their meals here. Everyone is welcome to share the Langar; no one is turned away. The food is normally served twice a day, every day of the year. Each week a family or several families volunteer to provide and prepare the Langar.
3) Central Sikh Museum : This museum has paintings of Sikh Gurus, saints, Sikh warriors and other prominent leaders who have contributed towards the development of Sikh religion. It is at 2nd floor (entrance on the right side of the main side of the main entrance). Devoted to large gallery of paintings, mostly showing the gruesome ways countless Sikhs have been martyred, and various knick-knacks from the gurus. 4) Amrit Sarovar : The giant pool of water that surrounds and reflects the Golden Temple. This is the holy reservoir where worshippers wash their hands and feet before entering the temple.
Get IN :
By Air : Sri Guru Ram Das Jee International Airport is about 11 km and a 15-20 minutes drive from the city center. Amritsar is connected by air with Delhi and Srinagar.
By Rail : Amritsar is an important railway station and is well connected to major cities in India through daily trains. And it is well connected by rail with Delhi, Calcutta, Bombay, Varanasi, Wagah (Attari Border) and some other places in India. It is is well linked to other rail heads in the state and also connected to most of the cities in India. It has a connection railway line to Pakistan.
By Road : Amritsar is well-connected by bus to most major cities and the northern areas within a days drive. Amritsar is connected by bus with Ambala, Chandigarh, Delhi, Ferozepur, Jammu etc. Some of the road distances are as follows:- Jammu 216 kms, Ferozepur 160 kms, Chandigarh 235 kms, Delhi 435 kms and Wagah 29 kms. State run public buses and private buses are available to move in and out from Amritsar. Grand Trunk Road connects Delhi to Amritsar. Luxury buses are available from Delhi.
