A Sacred Site for Sikhs: The Golden Temple

This is Harmandir Sahib, better known as the “Golden Temple” in Amritsar, India. It has become a holy place of worship for Sikhs. And, it is remarkably beautiful. I absolutely had a lovely experience visiting this sacred site. The moment I stepped inside the temple area, I was overcome by a sense of serenity and happiness. Aside from the mellow sounds of prayer, the water and massive space surrounding the temple created a very soothing atmosphere. It was a haven away from the hectic narrow and chaotic streets of Amritsar.

Dedicated Sikh worshipers line up in an orderly fashion to have the chance to enter and pray inside the Golden Temple. The inside of the temple was just as beautiful as the outside, only much more crowded. Worshipers sat on the floor, chanting hymns and praying passionately.

Amazingly, free food and drinks are provided to anyone who enters the temple area. The Sikhs have a strong community of dedicated worshipers, who volunteer their time to make food, clean dishes and do other chores around the temple. The above photo shows worshipers, peeling and cutting onions. I was impressed at how the Sikhs worked together so harmoniously and efficiently. It appeared that everyone did whatever they could to help out their community and keep the Golden Temple a very special place.

We stayed at the Golden Temple for the whole day. Experiencing the Golden Temple at night was also a treat. The temple’s reflection in the water looked stunning at night.