Golden Temple ….. ‘The Abode of God’

On the auspicious occasion of the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev ji, the first Guru of Sikhs I thought nothing more will be more apt than taking you all on a short trip to the Golden Temple.

Brief History….

The Golden Temple or the ‘Harmandir Sahib’ meaning ‘The Abode of God’ was completed by the fourth Sikh Guru, Guru Ram das in 1557. A copy of the Adi Granth was placed in the Gurudwara in 1604 by Guru Arjan Dev. Maharaja Ranjit Singh rebuilt the structure in marble and copper in 1809 and overlaid the sanctum with gold foil in the year 1830. The architecture reflects a mix of Indo, Islamic, Mughal and the Rajput cultures.

The Place…..

The Golden Temple is an open house of worship for men and women from all walks of life. There are entrances in all four directions. The other important structures within the complex are the Akal Takht meaning the ‘Throne of Timeless’ (Centre of authority Sikhism), Ramgarhia Bunga, the clock tower, the Ber Trees (Ber Baba Buddha and the Lachhi ber and the Dukh Bhanjani). The Ath Sath Tirath is underneath the Dukh Bhanjani Ber tree and it is believed that bathing in the Sarovar (pool) near this place is equivalent to visiting 68 famous pilgrimage places in India.

My Belief…..

I have never been a big fan of religious places because of my own reasons. However, since the time I first stepped inside the Golden Temple in 1987 I have gone back there nearly every second year. I normally just prefer to do a Parikarma (circumambulation) and come out. The peace and calmness prevalent in the environment matter more than anything else to me. You are not being unnecessarily pulled, pushed or questioned. Thousands pay obeisance in the Gurudwara every day but still there is no one between you and your God.

The Images….

Please enjoy the small video, the pictures have been clicked by me on my mobile phone during different visits.

Travel to learn, rejuvenate and building bonds

“Satnam Shri Waheguru”