The Golden Temple

The Golden Temple, Amritsar, Punjab India

 The Golden Temple, also called Sri Harmandir Sahib (meaning Temple of God), is a Sikh Gurdwara, built by the fifth guru of the Sikhs, Guru Arjan Dev. The temple was constructed from 1588 to 1604, when it was completed with the installation of the sacred religious text, the Guru Granth Sahib.

After Afghan attacks in the mid-eighteenth century destroyed parts of the temple, it was rebuilt in 1764. In the early nineteenth century, the building was decorated and covered in gold by Maharaja Ranjit Singh, earning the temple its nickname the Golden Temple.

 There are four entrances to the temple, symbolizing the openness of the temple, which welcomes people from all directions and ways of life. The Golden Temple is a holy place for Sikhs and a place of worship.

The Golden Temple is surrounded by a lake called the Sarovar, which contains Amrit, holy water, (also referred to as immortal nectar). Inside, are shrines to past Sikh Gurus, saints, martyrs and various historical decor. The Golden Temple is visited by more than 100,000 people every day.