04.12.2004

Golden Temple - Amritsar

Posted by justin

Founded in 1577 by Ram Das, fourth guru of the Sikhs, Amritsar is the centre of the Sikh religion. Although Amritsar is just another dusty indian city, albeit with some interesting old-city alleyways, the main attraction, the Golden Temple, is an exceptionally beautiful and serene place.

Gosh we're getting lazy when we start quoting verbatim from the Lonely Planet. It must mean we're hitting the tourist highway again after three weeks living at a deeper level. I've noticed this shifting of gears as we putter along across Asia and Central Asia. At times you do become the tourist visiting every museum, temple, and 'must-see' that you - well - 'must see'. But then you get over it, and realise there's much more to travelling than that. Sometimes spending a couple of days hanging out with locals and getting invited back for a cup of tea and a chat are worth three Angkor Wats. But once the tea and conversation runs out you realise there's a few things you must see, and so the wheels turn.

Amritsar really is just another dusty, and colourful, Indian city - but there's a distinctly middle-eastern feeling throughout - in architecture, dress, and dust. The Sikh men with their imposing figures, large turbans, handlebar moustaches, long beards, and swords also add to the cultural flavour, and they really do justice to their image as holy warriors. Constantly agitating to create an independant Sikh state. Great historicial suffering when Indian Independance also resulted in half their state being hived off into Pakistan. Some of them still look mad.

They still have their Golden Temple though, and that's enough to make anyone smile. It's most definitely a must-see, once you've offed your shoes, washed your feet and hands, and put on your headgear. As we entered we received an impromptu tour and lesson on Sikhism from a Malaysian pilgrim, who told us in very certain terms that Sikhism's holy book, the Guru Granth Sahib, came directly from God, and that any Sikh would fight to the death to protect it. He was very believable.

The massive complex is dominated by the sacred Amrit Sarovar (Pool of Nectar), with the very Golden Hari Mandir Sahib Temple. Although now I do recollect the Malaysian pilgrim sternly lecturing that they are called gurdwaras, not temples - so Golden Gurdwara it is. The complex is also dominated by the musical sounds from loudspeakers carrying the Punjabi chants of four priests who sit in the Golden Gurdwara flipping through the Guru Granth Sahib.

The pilgrims were all in Sunday best and the Sikh guards were looking pretty special too. Proudly holding ceremonial spears that added rather more atmosphere than if they were carrying the regulation issue automatic weapons of the Indian police. Slowly walking back and forth and obliging to repeated photo requests from Danielle.

The Gurdwara itself is said to be 750kg Golden. As we did the circuit around to the Gurus' Bridge to get a closer look at it an old Sikh with two words' worth of English took on the role of second guide for the day. He took us on a tour into the Akal Takhat building where the Holy book is returned each night. Handpainted ceilings were being given a retouch under the watchful eye of holy men, while some pilgrims prayed and others chanted from old religious scriptures.

As we walked up to the third level our self-appointed guide made his play, asking for a photo with us to be taken, printed and posted to his address. I've done enough time in India handling photo requests to know they're not after a photo with me, but we both obliged.

Right now I'm not quite sure why you've read this far and this many words on one temple visit, you really should get back to work to start saving to take you're own trip here. I'm just writing enough words to fill quota so we can have a purty strip of all those photos down the side here.