Golden Temple

Golden Temple is a shrine place of Sikhs. It is located in the city of Amritsar, Punjab, India. It is also known as the Harmandir Sahib. It was built by fifth Sikh Guru, Guru Arjan Dev in sixteen century. The meaning of Harmandir Sahib is the Temple of God. It is made of gold that is why it is also known as the Golden Temple. The purpose of its construction was to make a central place of worship for Sikhs. It is a famous place in the world because of the philosophy behind the construction of it. It is a Sikh temple but  it welcomes people of all regions without any discrimination of caste, sex, and religion.

Architecture of Golden temple: 

 

It has Sikh architecture because it was designed and built by Sikh Guru Arjan Sahib. Its construction work  started in December, 1588 and finished in September, 1604. It is constructed in the middle of holy tank that is known as the Sarovar.  After finishing the construction, Guru Arjan installed Guru Granth Sahib. Guru Granth Sahib is a holy text book that was written by Sikh Gurus. Moreover, Guru Arjan hired Baba Budha Singh as its first Granthi. Granthi is a designation to give the reader of Sikh holy book (Guru Granth Sahib).

Harmandir Sahib grabs 40.5ft square in the middle of tank. It has three-stories and the whole building made from gold. It has four doors in all directions. Each door is decorated in Artistic Style. In the middle of this building, Guru Granth Sahib placed and recited every day. This building has a dome on the top in lotus shape which gives it classical look.

Here are some restrictions before entering into the Harimandir Sahib. Visitors must:

• Remove shoes,
• Wash hands and feet before entering,
• Cover head with cloth,
• Not consume any alcohol, non-veg, and cigarettes.

 

Dining Hall:

 

It has a big dining hall where people of all walka of life sit down  in a queue and eat regardless of cast, sex or religion. More than 10,000 people every day eat  free meals from here. This meal is also called "Guru ka Langar".

Festivals at Harmindir Sahib:

The birthdays of all ten Gurus of Sikh are celebrated here along with other religious festivals such as Diwali, Lohri, and Holi. Baisakhi is one of the greatest festivals which takes place here every year in the second week of April. It is a special festival for Sikhs because it is the birthday of their religion.

Tourist Attraction:

 

It is the biggest tourist spot in Punjab. Sikh people not only from India but also from all over the world come here to pay their obeisance. Thousands of people who belong to other religions come here as well.

Which one thing do you like most about Golden Temple?

1. It welcomes all religions.

2. Its building.

3. Dining System.

   I am waiting for your comments

References

Harmandir Sahib - Photo 1002. (n.d.). Inside view of Harmandir Sahib [Image file]. Retrieved from http://travelcie.com/view/india/harmandir-sahib

Harmandir Sahib. (2014, February 26). Retrieved February 26, 2014 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harmandir_Sahib

Harmandir Sahib. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://sgpc.net/golden-temple/index.asp

Hundreds of people in the communal dining hall in Guru-Ka-Langar - See more at: http://www.adventuresofagoodman.com/golden-temple-free-kitchen-amritsar/#sthash.CP9V4hA1.dpuf

Hundreds of people in the communal dining hall in Guru-Ka-Langar. (2014). Golden Temple free kitchen [Image file]. Retrieved from http://www.adventuresofagoodman.com/golden-temple-free-kitchen-amritsar/

Sri Darbar Sahib Asr. (2012). Outside view of Harmandir Sahib [Image file]. Retrieved from http://www.trekearth.com/gallery/Asia/India/North/Chandigarh/Chandigarh/photo786759.htm

Hundreds of people in the communal dining hall in Guru-Ka-Langar - See more at: http://www.adventuresofagoodman.com/golden-temple-free-kitchen-amritsar/#sthash.CP9V4hA1.dpuf