Amritsar is Punjab in a nutshell. If you cannot visit many places in Punjab, visiting only Amritsar is enough. The quintessential Punjab things like its rich spicy food, warm hospitality, and the spiritual vibes inspired by Sikhism are all on show in good measure. However, Amritsar is known world over, of course, for the magnificent Golden Temple, or Gurudwara Harmandir Sahib. Amritsar has much more to offer though. Here’s my narrative of Amritsar, its Golden Temple and beyond, a unique experience.
Sikhs practice three principles in life: truthful living, service to humanity and devotion to God. It’s not easy to assess a community in terms of ‘truthful living’ and ‘devotion to God’. However, if you are in Amritsar, there will be no doubt whatsoever about the Sikh’s way of ‘service to humanity’.
If one is close to a Gurudwara, one can never be far from free food. And food is not only offered at the Gurudwara. The Punjabis and Sikhs not just love their food, but also love to make others to eat. I haven’t come across a more helpful and hospitable people anywhere else in the world. They love to eat, dance and make merry, no matter what life throws at them.
Amritsar is a reflection of the big hearted Punjabis. Amritsar is a joy, a celebration of life.
{If you are fond of spiritual destinations, have a look: Rishikesh ||| Shravanabelagola ||| Varanasi }
A brief history of Amritsar and Golden Temple:
Prior to 1574, the area where the city of Amritsar is today, was a forest with several lakes. Guru Amar Das, the third Guru in Sikhism chose this place for the Sikhs (learners) to settle down. On his orders, the fourth Guru Ram Das excavated a pond there in 1577, and established a Guru Center near it. People started calling it Ramdaspur connecting it to the Guru’s name.
Slowly, the place grew to be known as Amritsar; ‘Amrit‘ meaning nectar, and ‘Sar’ being a short form of ‘Sarovar‘ meaning pool. Thus, Amritsar literally means a pool of nectar.
Some people believe that Guru Ram Das had ordained the construction of Harmandir Sahib. However, some others view that son of Guru Amar Das had actually built the temple in the middle of the pool (Amrit-Sarovar) in 1604. And later, Guru Arjan Dev (fifth Guru) had placed the Guru Granth Sahib (Sikh religious scripture) in it.
In spite of these variations, most people credit Guru Arjan Dev for the construction of Harmandir Sahib. Interestingly, the foundation was laid in the hands of a Sufi saint- Mian Mir from Lahore. Harmandir Sahib assumed the name Golden Temple in 1830 when Raja Ranjit Singh overlaid the sanctum in gold leaf.
Tumultus Times!
Through out its history, the Golden Temple and Amritsar have faced the wrath of several invading Armies. While the Mughals attacked Amritsar several times in the 17th and 18th centuries, Afghans attacked it in 1757. Later in 1984 in the post-independence era, it was at the center of a violent political movement that led to the Operation Bluestar.
Each time, the Golden Temple bore the brunt of these fights. But each time, the Sikhs rebuilt the Golden Temple to its former glory.
My experiences of visiting Amritsar
I first visited Amritsar in the winter of 2016, the year I came to live in Delhi (click to read). In pursuit of starting the new year on a peaceful note, I decided to visit the Golden Temple solo. I took an overnight bus from Delhi to Amritsar. It didn’t really prove to be a good decision. The sleeper bus wasn’t comfortable, and it was too cold! So, I got a bad cold and fever next morning. For the next two days, I laid low.
But somehow, after taking some rest, I could visit the Golden Temple, and Jallianwala Bagh. After paying obeisance at the Golden Temple, I spent a long time hanging out in front of it. The first sight of the pure white gateway in marble was absolutely impressive. On entering the campus, I couldn’t took my eyes off the golden dome of the sanctum sitting majestically in the middle of a beautiful pool.
I loved the large clean courtyard and the peaceful vibes in spite of all the crowd. Leisurely sitting in a coffee shop near the temple, and observing the devotees in action is still fresh in the memory.
Next day, I mustered enough energy to visit the Wagah border. But unfortunately, by the time I reached there around 4 PM, all the seats were taken! So, I couldn’t enter the stadium to watch the beating retreat ceremony. Since I couldn’t explore much of Amritsar on this trip, I was eager for a second trip.
Delhi- Amritsar Road Trip, October 2022
My next visit was much better, and this time it was with family and friends in the autumn of 2022. Prakash, Moksha and Siri came in from Raipur, and all of us decided to drive from Delhi to Amritsar. On the way, we visited the Gurudwara Darbar Sahib in Tarn Taran Sahib. And while coming back, we spent a day in Patiala.
We started from Hauz Khas Village (click to read more) in Delhi in the morning ~ 9Am on a Friday. Considering the drive time of 9 hours from Delhi to Amritsar, plus the pit stops, we were expecting to reach Amritsar by evening ~8 PM. But we actually reached there quite late ~ 11 PM. Because we decided to visit Gurudwara Darbar Sahib on the way. By the time we reached Tarn Taran Sahib, it was ~ 8 PM.
Gurudwara Darbar Sahib, Tarn Taran:
Guru Arjan Dev founded Gurudwara Shri Darbar Sahib in Tarn Taran in the last decade of 16th century. Quite notably, Darbar Sahib’s pool is the largest among all Gurudwara-pools in India. It looked truly impressive under lights.
When we reached the temple campus, the final rituals for the day were in progress. On enquiry, we realized that the ritual was ‘Sukh-Asan‘, meant to put the Guru Granth Sahib (holy scripture) to rest for the day. A group of priests of the temple carried the holy book in a procession leading to the resting room. Devotees kept chanting “Jo bolae so nihaal, Satsri Akaal“, meaning “blessed is the one who chants God is great”. The atmosphere was spiritually charged, and we felt lucky to witness the ritual.
After witnessing the ceremony, we had langar (community eating) at the Gurudwara. As we were getting late, we soon proceeded to Amritsar. From Tarn Taran Sahib to Amritsar, it was a short drive of 45 minutes.
Amritsar Diary:
Next day, first we visited the Partition Museum and Jallianwala Wagh before proceeding to the Wagah Border. As it’s important to reach the border gate on time to secure seats for witnessing the ceremony, we kept enough time on hand. After enjoying the beating retreat ceremony, we returned to Amritsar, and headed to the Golden Temple.
On the morning of second day in Amritsar, we visited the Golden Temple again in order to pay obeisance to the Guru Granth Sahib. Afterwards, we experienced langar at the temple. Then it was time for shopping and exploring some Amritsari food & beverages. Late in the afternoon, we left for Patiala on the way to Delhi.
Significance of the Golden Temple in Amritsar
There are seven Gurudwaras that every Sikh wants to visit at least once in their lives. Five of them are called ‘Panj Takht‘ or five thrones of spiritual authority. The most important of these thrones is the Akal Takht at Golden Temple in Amritsar. The others are: Gurudwara Damdama Sahib in Bathinda, Gurudwara Sri Keshgarh Sahib in Anandpur Sahib, Gurudwara Patna Sahib in Patna and Gurudwara Hazur Sahib in Nanded.
Apart from the Panj Takht, Guru Nanak’s (first Guru) birthplace- Nankana Sahib near Lahore and Kartar Sahib in Kartarpur, where Nanak ji breathed his last, also hold a special place in the hearts of Sikhs. Both these places are in Pakistan now.
The Golden Temple Campus
The Golden Temple in Amritsar is a sight to behold, especially at night. At the center of the Amrit Sarovar is the central sanctum where sits the Guru Grant Sahib. Isn’t it unique that unlike other religions, the holy scripture is at the center of worshipping at Golden Temple? The central sanctum rising out of the water, covered in gold leaf looks stunning from a distance.
Surrounding the pool are several important buildings, the Akal Takht being the most prominent. Akal Takht is the chief authority of the Sikhs. It is just opposite the path leading to the central sanctum. The other buildings comprise several guesthouses for the devotees, an Assembly Hall, a Sikh museum, and the Community Kitchen-cum-Dining Hall.
Guru Ka Langar, world’s largest kitchen:
Community eating, or langar holds a special significance in Sikhism. Started by the first Guru- Nanak Sahib, this is one of the most pious acts in Sikhism. Though the principle behind langar is ‘feeding the poor’, a visit to a Gurudwara is incomplete without having langar with the fellow devotees. This act accomplishes quite a gigantic height at the Golden Temple as 50,000 to 100,000 people eat at its langar everyday! This makes it the world’s largest community kitchen.
It runs 24 hours a day, everyday of the year. It cooks about 200,000 rotis and 1.5 tons of daal (lentils) everyday. The two dining halls at the langar can serve 5000 people at once! Interestingly, this gigantic task is carried out all by volunteers!
The langar not only embraces people from all faiths to have a meal together, it also encourages them to serve. It’s completely managed by the devotees- from preparing food, to washing the utensils to serving the devotees. Participating in a langar is such a wonderful experience!
The three Ber (Jujube) trees
In the days when there was no boundary wall around the Golden Temple, there were many trees around. However, when the boundary came up, only three trees survived. These three ber (jujube) trees are: Baba Buddha Ber, Laachi Ber and the Dukh Bhanjani Ber. The Dukh Bhanjani Ber tree, opposite the main gate of the shrine, on the other side of the pool has a special significance. Sikhs believe that it was here that a person had got rid of leprosy by taking a dip in the pool. Thus, thousands of Sikhs take a dip here everyday to get rid of their sorrows.
Tips for getting the most out of the visit
Among the daily rituals at the Golden Temple are the Prakash and Sukh-Asan. During the Prakash ritual ~4.30 AM, the holy scripture (Guru Granth Sahib) is brought from the Akal Takht to the sanctum. Similarly, the scripture is taken back to the Akal Takht ~10.30 PM. Irrespective of whether you are a devotee or not, both these ceremonies are great times to visit the Golden Temple.
Besides, evenings are good times as well to witness the buzz around, and see the Golden temple under lights. The white marbles of the building under colourful lights look stunning. So, one way is to visit during ‘Prakash’ and then come back in the evening. Or, come late in the evening, and hang around till Sukh-Asan time.
To get the best vibes, one may choose a festive occasion (check the dates). The important Sikh festivals are: Guru Nanak Jayanti (Nov), Diwali (Oct/ Nov) and Baisakhi (Apr).
Beyond the Golden Temple in Amritsar
Of course, all roads in Amritsar lead to the Golden Temple. But the city has so much more to offer to travellers: historic landmarks, food, and cultural experiences. Here’s a list of places/ experiences not to miss.
Wagah Border:
I have not heard about another international border where a closing ceremony can be as interesting as at Wagah. At about 30 kms from Amritsar, the border between India and Pakistan has always been in the news. It’s here every evening, the Army personnel from both the sides shake hands and close the borders for the night in a ceremony. I don’t know who came up with the idea of having a stadium for visitors to sit down to witness the ceremony. But over the years, it has become a top side attraction for visitors to the Golden Temple in Amritsar.
On my first visit, I had gotten a little late to reach the stadium, and had to miss out on a seat. But the second time around, we made it a point to reach well in time, and secured our seats. The chest thumping, adrenalin rousing Army personnel make it worth their time for the visitors. With loud patriotic music playing through out, it’s natural for majority of visitors do get emotional.
{Read experience of another border town: Tawang in Arunachal}
Jallianwala Bagh Memorial:
April 13, 1919, the day of Baisakhi, the Sikh New Year. At least 10,000 men, women and children had gathered at Jallianwala Bagh, a walled public park. In a heinous act of violence, a British officer of the colonial era- General Dyer opened fire at the peaceful gathering after blocking off the only exit. Fearing for their lives, unarmed people jumped into a well one over another, killing everyone! According to official reports, 379 were killed (but the figure might be ~1500) and more than 1200 wounded.
This event irked the Indians so much that it became a turning point in Indo-British relationship. In the aftermaths, the Indian leadership went all out to secure Indian independence. Today, Jallianwala Bagh is a National Memorial paying respect to the martyrs of the day.
10 other notable things to do:
- Govindgarh Fort: An eighteenth century fort; houses a museum; especially good to visit in the evening.
- Gurudwara Baba Atal Rai: Not far from the Golden Temple, this Gurudwara has an interesting architecture.
- Durgiana Temple: Resembles the Golden Temple; also known as Durga Tirath/ Laxmi Narayan Temple/ Sitla Temple.
- Partition Museum: Dedicated to the history of Indian partition.
5. Jama Masjid Khairuddin: Established in 1876, it’s an important Islamic monument with rich history.
6. Khalsa College: Established in 1892, its Indo-Saracenic style architecture is really photogenic.
7. Ram Tirath Ashram: According to mythology, Lord Ram’s two sons- Lav and Kush took birth here. Though the original Ashram is no longer here, a temple stands in its place.
8. Walk around Amritsar old town: Amritsar old town has a very unique vibe of its own. I love taking a stroll around the market place, especially in the evening.
9. Immerse in some great Punjabi food: A visit to Amritsar is never complete without enjoying quintessential Amritsari food. Do try: Lassi, Amritsari kulcha, Makke ki roti & sarson ki saag, Chicken tikka masala.
10. Shopping in Amritsar: One cannot emphasize the variety of shopping options in Amritsar at reliable moderate prices. Best things to shop: Phulkari embroidery kurtis, Amritsari Jootis (shoes), artificial jewelry, woolen garments. Best markets: Hall Bazaar, Guru Bazaar, Lahori Gate market.
Travel Tips: Amritsar and Golden Temple
Best time to visit:
- Good weather: October to March
- Festive time: November (Diwali/ Guru Nanak Jayanti) | April (Baisakhi)
How to reach:
- By flight: Amritsar has an airport
- By train: Well connected with major Indian cities
- By bus: Regular buses from north Indian cities
Where to stay:
- Budget hotels: Grand Cabbana || California Heights || Basera Boutique || FabHotel Aman Residency || Hotel 49 || Bindra Paradise
- Hostels: Madpackers || The Hosteller || goSTOPS || Backpackers’ Nest || Nutz Backpackers
- We stayed at a nice guesthouse owned by an ex-Army officer; read more: Lodging Choices
How to move around:
- Auto-rickshaws and local buses available everywhere in the city for budget travellers
- Shared auto-rickshaws also go to Wagah border
Where to eat:
Kesar Da Dhaba || Bharawan Da Dhaba || Beera Chicken || Kulcha Land || Masala Darbar
Concluding Thoughts
Spirit of service:
The culture of ‘service to humanity’ manifests itself in terms of ‘volunteering’ at the Golden Temple in Amritsar. It’s so heartening to see how the volunteers happily and tirelessly working towards keeping everything in order.
Before you enter the Golden Temple in Amritsar, you have to take off your shoes at the main entrance. At the shoe-house, you find these well dressed, well mannered people helping you out in keeping your shoes safe. They are volunteers. After entering the premises, you take a walk around the lake; most probably you will come across people sweeping the courtyards clean. They are volunteers. A little ahead, you will find people offer you drinking water and kada prasad. They are volunteers. And then you will proceed to have langar. All of them preparing the food and serving it, are volunteers.
The volunteering, and the philosophy behind it is so inspiring! It fills me with positive energy and gives me spiritual strength.
Historic vibes:
Be it Jallianwala Bagh or Wagah Border, Amritsar serves as a reminder of India’s colonial history. Though some of the memories give a somber feeling, it also fills people with pride about the sacrifices made by the patriots for invaluable freedom. Besides, it houses all the rich Sikh history.
Last, but not the least, one must not forget the vibrant Punjabi culture and rich food. This encapsulates all the reasons to visit Amritsar, and fall in love with the city of the Golden Temple.
Jayvanti Einjen
Nice trip v.nice information
stampedmoments
Thank you! 🙂