Harmandir Sahib, famously known as the Golden Temple, is a Gurudwara in Amritsar. This is considered to be the holiest shrine among Sikhism. The place has golden walls with intricate designs which makes the place all the more magnificent.
It is believed that the Buddha, the founder of Buddhism, spent some time at this place. Later, Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism spend some time here. Over time, several of his followers visited the place and it became a sacred shrine of the Sikhs. Later, Guru Ramdas Sahib, the 4th of 10 Sikh gurus, constructed the Hari Mandir or Temple of God in the 1500s.
The Golden Temple derives its name from the outer layer of gold foil that covers the temple. The gurudwara was attacked several times by Islamic rulers after the death of Guru Govind Singh. In 1762, the place was completely blown away with gunpowder and therefore, Maharaja Ranjit Singh rebuilt the gurudwara with marble and covered it with gold.
The temple is surrounded by a sacred pond which is also known as the Amrit Sarovar. People bathe in this pond before they offer their prayers. It is also believed that a dip in the sacred pond can cure several ailments.
The first floor of the Golden Temple is submerged in the sacred pond. The stairs to the temple go downwards and it is believed that this signifies humble living.
The Golden Temple offers langar sewa and it is the largest free kitchen in the world. The place serves more than fifty thousand meals every day. Moreover, on days of events, the number crosses more than one lakh.
The Guru Granth Sahib, the holy scripture of Sikhism is present inside the Golden Temple. The holy scripture is a collection of poems, prayers and hymns composed by the ten Sikh gurus and also several other Muslim and Hindu saints.
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