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This grand display of Sikh architecture and hospitality resides in the Punjabi city of Amritsar. More than just a beautiful gilded temple, The Golden Temple (also called Sri Harmandir Sahib, or Sri Darbar Sahib) is a holy place with a rich medieval and modern history.
In fact, the city of Amritsar only exists because of the work of gurus hundreds of years ago!
Find out how the installation of this magnificent work of architecture and engineering has shaped the area in Punjab as well as Sikhs and people of other religions through history.
Building Sri Harmandir Sahib
The construction of the pool around the Temple, the Temple itself, and the surrounding town has a long history. Built over decades and requiring reconstruction several times due to damage from outside forces, Sri Harmandir Sahib is a well-loved and well-maintained landmark.
The Construction of The Pool of Nectar
In 1570, Guru Amar Das arranged for the construction of the tank, or Sarovar, for the pool surrounding the temple. The town of Amritsar was founded at the same time.
The method by which the land for Amritsar was acquired is a bit of a historical mystery. It was either purchased from local landlords (Zamindars) of the native villages or granted to Amar Das as a gift from General Akbar in 1567.
After Amar Das’s passing in 1574, the remaining construction of the Sarovar was overseen by Guru Ram Dass. Construction for this ambitious project was completed in only 7 years, in 1577, and the settlement was called Guru Da Chak.
Guru Amar Das chose the location of Amrit Sarovar because there was already a natural lake, Lake Amritsar, which could be made into the tank he envisioned. The eventual name of the town is named after both the original lake and the pool, called Amritsarovar.
Creating a Central Hub for Sikhs
Guru Ram Dass wanted to transform Guru Da Chak into a bustling spiritual and cultural center. He built his Guru center near Amritsarovar and invited people of all different castes and trades to live nearby, in the town that Ram Dass then called Ramdaspur.
After a short time, Guru Arjan was tasked with bringing the Amritsar project to further glory. In 1581, he decided to build the Sri Harmandir Sahib in the center of the Amritsrovar as a holy place for Sikhs.
From the start, the construction of the temple was meant to be a symbol that all are welcome to find spiritual peace at Sri Harmandir Sahib. The stone foundation for the Temple was laid by the person Guru Arjan chose as the Holiest man in India: Saint Hazrat Mian Mir, a Muslim. This initial act demonstrated the message of religion and the Sikh faith; that people of different creeds, faiths, beliefs, and lives can come together in peace for collaboration.
Guru Arjan decided that the Temple should be built at the lowest possible level, rather than at a great height as was tradition of other holy places, to show that worship is not above anyone.
Additionally, it has 4 entrances, symbolizing that people from all castes, religions, genders, and creeds are welcome.
The initial construction of the Temple was completed in 1601. At this point, it was made of plain stone.
In 1604, Guru Arjan compiled the text known as Adi Granth (aka Guru Granth Sahib) and installed it at Amritsar. The Adi Granth was the largest collection of hymns written by Sikh Gurus and devotional songs, making it an extremely important tome. Having the Adi Granth at Amritsar meant that the newly-built Harmandir was now the most important Sikh temple, an Ath Sath Tirath, a pilgrimage center.
Furthermore, under Guru Hargobind, the Akal Takht, the political throne of Sikhism, was established as a structure and concept within the compound with Sri Harmandir Sahib in 1606.
With the holy trifecta of the pool, the scripture, and the throne in place at the temple, it became the most important Gurudwara in Sikhism and still is today.
The gold of the temple was only installed 200 years later by Maharaja Ranjit Singh in 1809, after the temple was damaged in the war and rebuilt. This was when the nickname “The Golden Temple” was given to Sri Harmandir Sahib.
The Temple That Cannot Be Destroyed
Sri Harmandir Sahib has been through so many difficult events in history, yet it still stands because of the dedication of the Gurus and other Sikh leaders who never stopped caring about Amritsar.
From the beginning, the Gurus and their supporters wished to build a peaceful community full of opportunities for people to make a comfortable living and have comfortable connections with each other. Amritsar was built with residential areas, community gardens for food, fresh-water wells, a bazaar, and more, all with the idea that there should be a safe place for people to live well.
Early Struggles At Sri Harmandir Sahib
In 1606, in response to the martyrdom of Guru Arjan by the Mughals, the Akal Takht was created; Guru Hargobind decided that Sikhism needed to become concerned with politics and form a military force since they were being dragged into political conflict.
Inevitably, Amritsar was attacked by the Mughals in 1634 when a battle broke out. In the end, the leader of the group of Mughals was killed, the Sikhs suffered heavy losses, and relations between the two groups worsened.
Several other battles were fought in the surrounding area and by Guru Hargobind but Harmandir was unscathed, physically. Spiritually, the Temple suffered under the steward left in charge as Guru Hargobind left to tend to the other matters facing the Sikhs.
Baba Prithi Chand was left in charge of Amritsar and was upset about not being chosen as the next guru. So, he resorted to creating his own sect of Sikhism called the Miharvans, who were essentially people Prithi Chand had befriended and who agreed he should have been chosen as Guru instead of his younger brother, Arjan.
The Miharvans controlled Sri Harmandir Sahib for much of the 17th century. Prithi Chand died in 1618, leading to the disorganization of the Miharvans. In the 19th century, they eventually faded out of existence. In 1699, Guru Gobind Singh’s trusted representative, scholar Bhai Mani Singh, arrived in Amritsar and restored normal Sikh order to Sri Harmandir Sahib.
Battles of Amritsar
Amritsar was the site of many skirmishes between the Mughals and the Sikhs. Not long after the restoration of the main Sikh rule in Harmindir, in 1709, the second Battle of Amritsar occurred. Sikhs were gathered in Amritsar for Vaisakhi. A disagreement occurred and a battle broke out, resulting in the Sikhs defeating the Mughals.
The governor of Lahore sent his army to prevent Sikhs from gathering for Vaisakhi and Diwali, but Sikhs gathered at Sri Harmandir Sahib regardless. In 1716, Banda Singh and many other Sikhs were arrested by the Mughals and executed.
In 1737, the governor of the Mughals had the leader of Harmandir executed and blocked the city of Amritsar with 2,000 troops. The Sikhs would sneak into the compound at night to bathe in the holy water of Amritsarovar. If they were found, they would be arrested or slain. The Sikhs attempted a battle but lost heavily.
The Mughal leader chosen to occupy the temple was Massa Ranghar, who defiled the holiness of the gurudwara by having dancing girls perform the nautch. In 1740, two Sikhs decided to assassinate Ranghar for sullying the Temple. Sukha Singh and Mehtab Singh disguised themselves as tax collectors and made their way into Ranghar’s chambers, killing him while he was enjoying a dance.
This was a temporary victory for the Sikhs, as they did not regain control of Amritsar and the assassination led to increased persecution of the people as a whole, and tensions rose even higher.
In 1746, Diwan Lakhpat Rai filled the Amritsarovar with sand. The Sikhs were angered even more. Then, Ahmad Shah Abdali began invading India, which drew the Mughals’ attention away from Amritsar. The Sikhs took advantage of the situation, laid siege to their own occupied city, and successfully retook the city.
They repaired the temple and the Amritsarovar, and the Sikhs could again enjoy their gurudwara.
The Persistent Spirit of Sri Harmandir Sahib
Even after all this trouble, the Sikhs would never give up on taking care of their holy temple. And more trouble was to come.
In 1757, Amritsar was attacked by Afghans, and the Amritsarovar was again desecrated. The Siks cleaned the pool and restored it.
In 1762, the same Afghani ruler blew up the Temple with gunpowder. Nevertheless, the Sikhs gathered for Diwali. In 1764, the Afghans attacked the Temple again, ensuring its third destruction.
That same year, Jassa Singh Ahluwalia collected enough funds to begin rebuilding the temple and improving the compound.
In 1802, Ranjit Singh began leading the construction of a new and improved Sri Harmandir Sahib, to be made with marble and gold. In 1834, the exterior of the Temple was fully gilded; the Golden Temple was born.
Each time the temple was destroyed, defiled, or taken by enemies, the Sikhs always found a way to return their gurudwara to its glory.
After Indian Independence
Unfortunately, there was more destruction in the Golden Temple’s future.
In 1955, after about 120 years of peaceful worship at Harmandir, the Sikhs began to experience injustice at the hands of the newly formed independent Indian government. Teargas was released unto the Sikhs at the Golden Temple in response to unrest. The goal was to demoralize the Sikhs.
In 1984, attacks were staged across many other gurudwaras in Punjab, including Amritsar, known as Operation Blue Star. After facing more fearsome Sikh fighters than anticipated, the government used tanks to destroy the Akal Takht. They destroyed the Sikh’s library eliminating centuries of history. The Temple was full of bullet holes and the Sarovar was full of blood.
The temple and Akal Takht were rebuilt between 1995 and 1999.
Even to this day, Sikhs worshipping at Sri Harmandir Sahib are not able to do so with complete ease. In May of 2023, three separate small, homemade bombs contained in drink canisters were detonated, resulting in several injuries and some damage to the Temple.
Why Is The Golden Temple Visited By Millions?
With all the danger surrounding Sri Harmandir Sahib, why do people continue to go there?
Simply put, the Sri Harmandir Sahib is such a sacred and revered place by the Sikhs and is simply so beautiful to behold to sightseers that it is irresistible. This behaviour also falls in line with the history of the location; no amount of hardship or suppression can keep the devotees away.
Since it’s still an active Gurudwara, it also offers many programs daily for Sikhs and non-Sikhs alike. It’s estimated that the Temple sees about 1 lakh (100,000) visitors per day during the week and up to 2 lakh on weekends and during religious holidays. It’s unclear how many people are local visitors and how many are on pilgrimage.
The SGPC in March 2005 prohibited Sikhs from referring to the Sri Harmandir Sahib as the Golden Temple.
Pilgrimage & Daily Rituals
Making the journey to Sri Harmandir Sahib is a highly-regarded pilgrimage for Sikhs. In addition to visiting the sacred text Adi Granth and the Akal Takht, there are many rituals performed in which Sikhs can devote time to their beliefs.
Every day, many Sikh ceremonial activities are performed in accordance with the months in the Punjabi/Nanakshahi calendar.
The daily rituals Sikhs can participate in include:
- Kiwad
- Kirtan
- Asa di Var
- Hukamnama and Ardas
- Asa Di War Samapti
- Holy reading of Rehras Sahib
Cleansing in the Holy Waters
Sikhs and non-Sikhs are welcome to experience spiritual cleansing by taking a dip in the Amrit Sarovar. However, no soaps or shampoos are allowed, swimming is forbidden, and you may not bathe in the area known as Har Ki Pauri, which is for drinking.
The Nectar Water is believed to cleanse the spirit and even heal physical ailments. It is kept clean with state-of-the-art filtration and fish that eat algae. When needed, the tank is emptied and thoroughly cleaned by devotees.
Feeding the Community
One of the most important tenets of Sikhism is Langar Sewa (or seva), which means to feed anyone in need of a meal for free.
Every day, Sri Harmandir Sahib’s Langar feeds 50,000 to 60,000 people per day, and as many as 1 lakh during religious gatherings. People from any religion, creed, caste, or gender can enjoy this service. It is the largest community kitchen in the world.
The meals are always prepared by volunteers performing sewa, or voluntary community service. You may be able to help with Langar or another volunteer opportunity if you only ask!
Unmatched Architecture & Art
Of course, you cannot talk about The Golden Temple without mentioning its breathtaking architecture and art.
The domes exhibit embossed copper panels covered in gold leaf. Furthermore, there exist beautiful examples of precious and semi-precious jewels and marble used to create beautiful inlay art.
The architecture is a beautiful example of a blend of Hindu, Sikh, and Islamic stylings with influence from the Jats, Pakistani style, and general Indian style. The buildings themselves combined with the art simply must be seen to be fully appreciated.
Visiting the Golden Temple
When visiting the temple, there are a few things you must know.
How to Get There & Open Hours
The compound is technically open all the time, however, you’ll only be able to enter the Temple between 2 or 3 AM (depending on the time of year) and 10 PM.
It is free for everyone to visit the Temple, but you can donate money as you leave if you want to.
To get to the Temple, you can fly to Golden Temple Amritsar airport which is 13 km away, and take a bus, taxi, or auto to the compound. The Golden Temple Trust operates a free bus service to and from the Temple.
Cleansing the Feet and Hands
Visitors must remove their shoes and dip their feet in cleaning water before and after visiting the temple. It is also recommended to wash your hands. Dipping in the Amritsarovar is optional, however, since there are other places you can wash up inside the temple.
Covering the Head
Everyone must cover their heads and shoulders before entering the temple. If you do not have a scarf, you can purchase one at a low price just outside the Temple. Visitors must also not wear dresses, skirts, or pants that are higher than the knees. Sunglasses are not allowed.
No Photography
No photography is allowed inside the temple without prior-approved special permission.
Refrain From Certain Behaviors
Visitors must not gamble or play card games, read or sell newspapers, chew gum, drink alcohol, smoke tobacco, or eat anything inside the Temple. Mobile phones must be switched off before entering the Temple.
Utmost respect should be shown at all times to the premises and the people working at the temple.
Sri Harmandir Sahib has been an important site for hundreds of years and will continue to play a pivotal role in the history of Sikhism and India as a whole as the years go on.
References
- Singh, Satbir. “Golden Temple, Amritsar, Sri Harmandir Sahib, Darbar Sahib, Hari Mandir, Sikhism, Famous Temples of India, Ancient Temples of India, Temples India, Darbar Sahib, Swaran Mandir.” Golden Temple Amritsar, www.goldentempleamritsar.org/. Accessed 27 Nov. 2023.
- “Sri Harmandir Sahib (Golden Temple ).” Sri Harmandir Sahib (Golden Temple ) | District Amritsar, Government of Punjab | India, amritsar.nic.in/tourist-place/sri-harmandir-sahib/. Accessed 27 Nov. 2023.
- “Sri Harmandir Sahib.” Sgpc, sgpc.net/sri-harmandir-sahib/. Accessed 27 Nov. 2023.
- User, Super. “Golden Temple / Harmandir Sahib Amritsar.” Amritsar Tourism, amritsartourism.org.in/golden-temple-harmandir-sahib-amritsar. Accessed 27 Nov. 2023.
- Yeung, Jessie, and Manveena Suri. “Five Suspects Arrested in India after Bomb Blasts near Golden Temple, Sikhism’s Holiest Shrine.” CNN, Cable News Network, 11 May 2023, edition.cnn.com/2023/05/11/india/amritsar-golden-temple-blasts-arrests-intl-hnk/index.html.
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