Golden Temple

The Golden Temple, properly Sri Harmandir Sahib, is the holiest gurdwara of Sikhism and stands in the middle of the Amrit Sarovar in old Amritsar. Its name joins Hari (God) and mandir (temple), with Sahib added as a mark of respect. Guru Ram Das, the fourth Guru, founded it, and Guru Arjan Dev carried on the building of the shrine and its tank from 1588. Maharaja Ranjit Singh later had the upper storeys sheathed in gold, which gave it its popular name. It draws millions of visitors a year and is open to people of every faith.

The architecture mixes Islamic and Hindu forms, and repeated renovations have added marble inlay to the floors. Gateways decorated with frescoes and gilded verses open onto the marble walkway around the tank, whose water many believe to heal; the northern entrance gives the classic reflected view. In the Darbar Sahib the Guru Granth Sahib is read through the day. The complex also holds the Akal Takht, one of the five seats of Sikh authority, a museum, a clock tower and the langar. Baisakhi, Guru Nanak's birthday, Guru Ram Das's birthday and Guru Tegh Bahadur's martyrdom day are major occasions, and on Diwali the shrine is lit with oil lamps.