AMRITSAR, Punjab

Main Attraction: SRI HARMANDIR SAHIB

Sri Harmandir Sahib, is also known as Golden Temple. It is located in Amritsar District. Guru Arjan Dev Sahib, conceived the idea of creating a central place of worship for the Sikhs and he himself designed the architecture of Sri Harmandir Sahib. Guru Arjan Sahib got its foundation laid by a Muslim Saint Hazrat Mian Mir ji of Lahore on 1st of Magh, 1645 Bikrmi Samvat (December,1588). Sri HarmandirSahib, is built on a 67 square ft. platform in the centre of the Sarovar. The Darshani Deori (an arch) stands at the shore end of the causeway. A regular recitation of Sri Guru Granth Sahib ji is held there.

Brief History

Amritsar the most populous district in the state, is one of the border districts, which share Common boundaries with Pakistan. It is situated in the north-western part of the state in the Bari Doab, a territory situated between Beas and Ravi rivers. The district is the heart throb of Majha tract, now forming the district of Amritsar and Gurdaspur, ruled by Manjh Rajputs.

The district takes its name from the city of the same name which is the seat of district headquarters and best known as the home of Golden Temple, also called “Hari Mandir” or “Darbar Sahib”. The city, however, derives its name from the tank surrounding the Golden Temple. Literally speaking, Amritsar means “The tank of nectar or the tank of immortality”. The shrine is considered sacred and a bath (Ashnan) therein is considered as purifier. The shrine and the tank were built by Guru Ram Das the fourth Sikh Guru, who is the founder of Amritsar city. The fifth Sikh Guru Arjun Dev completed the project and built a temple known as Hari Mandir, the foundation stone of which was laid by saint Mian Mir a sufi saint who had good relation with Guru Arjun Dev.

The legend goes that after Sagar Manthan (Charming of Sea), the pot containing Amrit ask (nectar), hidden here was forgotten. It so happened that a lady who was married to a leper came here along with her husband. She left her husband near the place where present Sarovar is located, which was then only a small pool. The leper saw a crow turned white after a deep in a pool, so he jumped in the pool and was cured of the disease. Thereafter the miraculous powers of the pool were recognized and a temple was built in the centre of the pool by Guru Arjun Dev. The Sikhs were called upon to pay homage at the temple after a bath in the Sarovar. Later Akal Takat was constructed near the temple complex where Sikhs used to assemble twice a year on Baisakhi and Diwali festivals to discuss their common problems for unanimous and common actions.

The city became an important religious centre for the Sikhs. The Gurus invited traders and others to settle at the place which became an important centre for trade and commerce also. However the city owes much to Maharaja Ranjit Singh, who for the protection of the residents built a 14 feet high boundary wall, with 12 gates. He also laid out a beautiful garden called Ram Bagh.