The Harimandir
Sahib (meaning Temple of God) is also commonly known as the Golden
Temple or Darbar Sahib (Divine Court). It is situated in the city of
Amritsar in Punjab. The Golden Temple is a living symbol of the
spiritual and historical traditions of the Sikhs. It is a source of
inspiration for all Sikhs and their chief place of pilgrimage. The
temple with it's glistening gold covered exterior stands in the
middle of a square tank with each side about 150m with an 18m path
on all four sides. A 60m causeway traverses the pool to reach the
Temple itself which is 12m square and rests on a 20m square platform
in the middle of The Pool of Nectar. The Harimandir Sahib has
entrances and doors on all four sides. Guru Arjun Dev exclaimed;
"My faith is for the people of all castes and all creeds from
whichever direction they come and to whichever direction they
bow."
Guru Amar Das the Third Sikh Guru asked Ram Das (who
would go on to become the Fourth Sikh Guru) to build a central place
of congregation for the Sikhs. Guru Ram Das started excavation work
in 1577 during his lifetime. Guru Arjun Dev the Fifth Sikh Guru
completed excavation of the Tank known as Amritsar (The Pool of
Nectar) in 1588. Guru Arjun Dev then started construction of the
Temple building itself which was finally completed in 1601. The
first edition of the Holy Book of the Sikh's The Guru Granth Sahib
was installed there in 1604 with Baba Buddha as the first granthi
(caretaker of the book). The last Sikh Guru to live in Amritsar was
the Sixth Guru, Guru Hargobind. In 1664 Guru Tegh Bahadur the Ninth
Sikh Guru visited The Golden Temple but was refused entry by the
corrupt temple caretakers, The Masands. The Golden Temple has always
been a rallying point for Sikhs throughout it's history. Around 1740
Massa Ranghar, the ruler of Amritsar desecrated the Temple by using
it as a dancing hall. He was killed by Mahtab Singh. In 1761 Ahmed
Shah Abdali blew up the Temple and filled in the Sacred Tank with
refuse. The great Sikh martyr Baba Deep Singh laid down his life in
revenge. The construction of the Golden Temple as it appears today
was begun in 1764 when Jassa Singh Ahluwalia laid the foundation
stone. Many of the doors and domes were covered with copper sheets
overlaid with gold during the reign of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. The
Golden Temple was partially damaged by the military invasion of the
Indian Army during June 1984.
Experience
Sri Harimandir Sahib
Gurdwara
(SSCI) | 1821 South Hairston Rd | St. Mtn GA 30088 |
Tel: 404-808-6320
The Harimandir
Sahib (meaning Temple of God) is also commonly known as the Golden
Temple or Darbar Sahib (Divine Court). It is situated in the city of
Amritsar in Punjab. The Golden Temple is a living symbol of the
spiritual and historical traditions of the Sikhs. It is a source of
inspiration for all Sikhs and their chief place of pilgrimage. The
temple with it's glistening gold covered exterior stands in the
middle of a square tank with each side about 150m with an 18m path
on all four sides. A 60m causeway traverses the pool to reach the
Temple itself which is 12m square and rests on a 20m square platform
in the middle of The Pool of Nectar. The Harimandir Sahib has
entrances and doors on all four sides. Guru Arjun Dev exclaimed;
"My faith is for the people of all castes and all creeds from
whichever direction they come and to whichever direction they
bow."
