Visit to the Golden Temple in Amritsar City, India
The Golden Temple (ਹਰਿਮੰਦਰ ਸਾਹਿਬ), also known as the Harimandir Sahib (lit. ’abode of God’), or the Darbār Sahib, ‘exalted court’) is a gurdwara located in the city of Amritsar, Punjab State, India.
A gurdwara or gurudwara is a place of assembly and worship for Sikhs. Sikhs also refer to gurdwaras as Gurdwara Sahib. People from all faiths are welcomed in gurdwaras.
It is the preeminent spiritual site of Sikhism. It is one of the holiest sites in Sikhism, alongside the Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur in Kartarpur, and Gurdwara Janam Asthan in Nankana Sahib.
The man-made pool on the site of the temple was completed by the fourth Sikh Guru, Guru Ram Das, in 1577.
In 1604, Guru Arjan Dev, the fifth Sikh Guru, is the prominent figure in the development of gurudwara who built it in the 16th century.
The Golden Temple is an open house of worship for all people, from all walks of life and faiths. It has a square plan with four entrances, and a circumambulation path around the pool.
The four entrances to the gurudwara symbolises the Sikh belief in equality and the Sikh view that all people are welcome into their holy place. The complex is a collection of buildings around the sanctum and the pool. One of these is Akal Takht, the chief centre of religious authority of Sikhism.
The Gurdwara complex has been nominated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and its application is pending on the tentative list of UNESCO.
Video Source: Golden Temple Amritsar | Complete Virtual Tour | Amritsar Dairies from TRAVEL INFO’S on Youtube ⁄ CC BY
