Harmandir Sahib Amritsar
Sri Harmandir Sahib — the Golden Temple of Amritsar, holiest Gurdwara of Sikhism, open to all faiths around the clock.
About this yatra
Sri Harmandir Sahib (the Abode of God) — universally known as the Golden Temple — in Amritsar, Punjab, is the most sacred Gurdwara in Sikhism and one of the most visited religious sites in the world, drawing over 100,000 pilgrims daily. Founded by the fourth Sikh Guru, Sri Guru Ram Das ji, in 1577 around the Amrit Sarovar (the pool of nectar that gave the city its name), the temple was completed by the fifth Guru Sri Arjan Dev ji in 1604, who also installed the Adi Granth (now the Guru Granth Sahib) inside the sanctum. The structure stands on a 67-foot square platform in the middle of the sarovar, accessible via a single causeway (the Guru's Bridge), with four doors facing the cardinal directions — symbolising openness to people of all four varnas, all four religions of the time, and all directions of the world. The upper levels of the temple were gilded with 750 kg of pure gold by Maharaja Ranjit Singh in 1830, giving it the name by which the world knows it. Inside, the Guru Granth Sahib is read continuously, with kirtan broadcast 22 hours a day. The adjoining Guru-ka-Langar serves free vegetarian meals to 100,000 pilgrims daily — the world's largest free community kitchen — operated entirely by volunteers (sewadars) without distinction of religion, caste, or class.
Best time to visit
October to March. Gurpurab (Guru Nanak Jayanti, November), Vaisakhi (April 13-14, the founding of the Khalsa), and the early-morning Palki Sahib procession (the ceremonial carriage of the Guru Granth Sahib from the Akal Takht to the sanctum at 4 AM) are unforgettable.
How to reach
Fly to Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport Amritsar (ATQ, 11 km from temple), with direct flights from Delhi, Mumbai, Birmingham, Toronto. Train to Amritsar Junction (ASR) on the Delhi-Amritsar Shatabdi route. Drivable from Delhi in 7-8 hours via NH44.
What to expect
Pre-dawn Palki Sahib procession (4 AM), parikrama (circumambulation of the sarovar), darshan inside the sanctum, Guru-ka-Langar communal meal (sitting cross-legged in pangat, 100% free, all faiths welcome), optional Wagah Border ceremony at sunset (32 km, ticketed), Jallianwala Bagh memorial (200 m from temple), Durgiana Temple, Mata Lal Devi.