The Golden Temple, located in the city of Amritsar in the
state of Punjab,is a place of great beauty and sublime peacefulness. Originally
a small lake in the midst of a quiet forest, the site has been a meditation
retreat for wandering mendicants and sages since deep antiquity. The Buddha is
known to have spent time at this place in contemplation. Two thousand years
after Buddha's time, another philosopher-saint came to live and meditate by the
peaceful lake. This was Guru Nanak (1469-1539), the founder of the Sikh
religion. After the passing away of Guru Nanak, his disciples continued to
frequent the site; over the centuries it became the primary sacred shrine of
the Sikhs. The lake was enlarged and structurally contained during the
leadership of the fourth Sikh Guru (Ram Dass, 1574-1581), and during the
leadership of the fifth Guru (Arjan, 1581-1606), the Hari Mandir, or Temple of
God was built. From the early 1600s to the mid 1700s the sixth through tenth
Sikh Gurus were constantly involved in defending both their religion and their
temple against Muslim armies. On numerous occasions the temple was destroyed by
the Muslims, and each time was rebuilt more beautifully by the Sikhs. From 1767
onwards, the Sikhs became strong enough militarily to repulse invaders. Peace
returned to the Hari Mandir.
The temple's architecture draws on both Hindu and Muslim
artistic styles yet represents a unique coevolution of the two. During the
reign of Maharaja Ranjit Singh (1780-1839), Hari Mandir was richly ornamented
with marble sculptures, golden gilding, and large quantities of precious
stones. Within the sanctuary, on a jewel-studded platform, lies the Guru Granth
Sahib, the sacred scripture of the Sikhs. This scripture is a collection of
devotional poems, prayers, and hymns composed by the ten Sikh gurus and various
Muslim and Hindu saints. Beginning early in the morning and lasting until long
past sunset, these hymns are chanted to the exquisite accompaniment of flutes,
drums, and stringed instruments. Echoing across the serene lake, this
enchantingly beautiful music induces a delicate yet powerful state of trance in
the pilgrims strolling leisurely around the marble concourse encircling the
pool and temple. An underground spring feeds the sacred lake, and throughout the
day and night pilgrims immerse themselves in the water, a symbolic cleansing of
the soul rather than an actual bathing of the body. Next to the temple complex
are enormous pilgrims' dormitories and dining halls where all persons,
irrespective of race, religion, or gender, are lodged and fed for free.
Amritsar, the original name of first the ancient lake,
then the temple complex, and still later the surrounding city, means "pool
of ambrosial nectar." Looking deeply into the origins of this word amrit,
we find that it indicates a drink of the gods, a rare and magical substance
that catalyzes euphoric states of consciousness and spiritual enlightenment.
With this word we have a very clear example of the spirit, power, or energetic
character of a particular place becoming encoded as an ancient geographical
place name. The myth is not just a fairy tale. It reveals itself as a coded
metaphor if we have the knowledge to read the code: The waters of Amritsar
flowing into the lake of the Hari Mandir were long ago - and remain today - a
bringer of peacefulness.
How to Reach:
Golden Temple is one of the most visited pilgrimage
centers in India. It boasts of a well-developed infrastructure, which allows
for an easy accessibility from every part of the world. It is conveniently
connected to the outside world by road, rail as well as by air. Read on to know
more about how to reach Golden Temple.
By Air
Amritsar has an extremely well developed airport, named
as Raja Sani international Airport. It has a chain of flights operating both
within and outside the country. In fact, it is the only airport in Punjab to
operate international flights. It is located hardly 11 km away from the city
centre. The proximity of the airport from the city accounts for a comfortable
tour to the tourists. Various domestic flights like the Indian Airlines, Air
Deccan, Kingfisher, Spice Jet and others come in and go out of this airport, at
regular intervals, connecting Punjab with major cities of India, like Delhi,
Bangalore, Chennai, Kolkata, Mumbai and others. Besides, international flights
like Turkmenistan Airlines, Uzbekistan Airlines, Air India and others connect
Punjab with foreign countries like London, Toronto via Birmingham, Singapore,
Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan and others. There is also another airport in Amritsar
called Guru Ram Das International Airport, which operates flight from different
corners of the world.
By Rail
Amritsar has an extensive rail network, connecting the
city to all the major places of the country, like Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata,
Bangalore etc. If you are traveling from Delhi, Shatabdi Express will be the
best option. The journey takes around 6 hours and the train passes via Ambala,
Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Phagwada and Beas. Amritsar is connected with Lahore
(Pakistan) by the Samjhauta Express. The railway station in Amritsar is centrally
located; of hardly 15-minutes drive from the Golden Temple. It has the
facilities of ATM Centre and tourist information centre. Make sure you book
your train tickets well in advance, as the trains to and from Amritsar usually
run full, owing to the high tourist traffic.
By Road
A broad network of roads runs through Amritsar,
connecting it well to different places. One can reach Amritsar from most of the
northern states in just a day's time. Pathankot is about two and half hours
drive from Amritsar. Grand Trunk Karnal Road connects Delhi to Amritsar.
Regular buses are available from Delhi I.S.B.T Delhi to Amritsar. There are
daily direct buses operating to Jammu, Katra, Chandigarh, and Dharamshala as
well, from the city, A number of government and private buses run on regular
basis to and from Amritsar. Thus, Amritsar is adequately connected by road to
both the places within Punjab as well as outside the state.
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