SUVARNA MANDIR(GOLDEN TEMPLE) IN AMRITSAR PUNJAB

GOLDEN TEMPLE(SUVARNA MANDIR) 

Sri Harimandir Sahib (Harimandar Sahib, Harmandir Sahib), also known as Darbar Sahib or Golden Temple, is the holiest shrine or most prominent Gurdwara of Sikhs. It is located in the city of Amritsar in the Indian state of Punjab and is the biggest attraction here. The entire Amritsar city is situated around the Golden Temple. Thousands of devotees and tourists visit the Golden Temple every day. Amritsar is actually named after the lake which was built by Guru Ram Das himself with his own hands. This Gurudwara is situated in the middle of this lake. The outer part of this Gurudwara is made of gold, hence it is also known as Golden Temple . 

Sri Harimandir Sahib is also known as Darbar Sahib. Although it is a Sikh Gurudwara, the addition of the word Mandir in its name makes it clear that all religions are considered equal in India. Not only this, the foundation of Sri Harmandir Sahib was also laid by a Muslim. According to history, Arjun Dev Ji, the fifth Guru of the Sikhs, had laid the foundation of the Gurudwara in December 1588 from a Sufi saint of Lahore, Sai Mian Mir Ji. The Golden Temple is very important for the Sikhs. Apart from the Sikhs, many devotees also come here, who have unwavering faith in the Golden Temple and Sikhism.

The map of this gurudwara, about 400 years old, was prepared by Guru Arjun Dev Ji himself. This Gurudwara is a unique example of craft beauty. Its carving and exterior beauty are made on sight. There are doors all around the Gurudwara, which open in all four directions (East, West, North, South). Even at that time the society was divided into four castes and people of many castes were not allowed to go to many temples etc., but these four doors of this Gurudwara used to invite those four castes to come here. Followers of every religion are welcomed here.

The Golden Temple has been destroyed several times. But due to devotion and faith, the Sikhs made it again. It was rebuilt again in the 17th century by Maharaj Sardar Jassa Singh Ahluwalia.

The number of times it has been destroyed and the number of times it has been rebuilt is depicted in the temple. It was completely destroyed in the 19th century by Afghan raiders. Then Maharaja Ranjit Singh had it rebuilt and decorated it with gold lining.

There is also a place called Dumanjali Beri here for Sikh pilgrims taking a ritual bath in the holy lake. According to the legend inscribed on the wall of the gurudwara, once a father got his daughter married to a man suffering from leprosy. The girl believed that the leper, like everyone else, is alive at the mercy of God. He gives her everything to eat. Once the girl after marriage made her husband sit on the bank of this pond and went out in search of food in the village. Then suddenly a crow came there, took a dip in the pond and came out as a swan. Seeing this the leprosy man was very surprised. He also thought that even if I go to this pond, I will get rid of leprosy.

He jumped into the pond and when he came out he saw that his leprosy was destroyed. This is the same lake in which Harmandir Sahib is situated today. Then it was a small pond, surrounded by berry trees. The size of the pond has become much bigger than before, yet there is still a berry tree on one of its banks. This place is considered very sacred. Devotees bow their heads here too.

Tradition is that devotees from here go to the Gurudwara only after taking a bath in the lake. As far as the cleanliness of this huge lake is concerned, there is no specific day fixed for it. But its water is changed almost daily. For this there is a system of filters. Apart from this, the lake is completely cleaned every five to ten years. During this time the lake is also repaired. This work takes a week or more. This work i.e. kar seva (work service) is mainly done by the sevadars, but apart from them, the common sangat also takes an active part in it.

Nearby Gurdwara and other places of interest are Gurdwara Baba Atal and Gurdwara Mata Kaulan near Sri Harimandir Sahib. Both these gurudwaras can be reached on foot. Near it there is a place called Guru ka Mahal. This is the same place where the Guru lived at the time of the construction of the Golden Temple. Gurdwara Baba Atal is a nine storeyed building. It is the tallest building in the city of Amritsar. This Gurdwara was built in the memory of the son of Guru Hargobind Singh Ji, who attained Kaal at the age of only nine.

Many paintings have been made on the walls of the Gurudwara. These pictures display the biography of Guru Nanak Dev Ji and the Sikh culture. There is Mata Kaulan Ji Gurudwara near it. This Gurdwara is smaller than Baba Atal Gurdwara. It is built in the lake just near the Harimandir. This Gurdwara is dedicated to the sad lady who was allowed by Guru Hargobind Singh to stay here.

Nearby is Gurdwara Saragarhi Sahib. It is located in Kesar Bagh and is very small in size. This Gurudwara was built by the British Government in 1902 to pay tribute to the Sikh soldiers who were martyred in the Anglo-Afghan War.

There are many other important places around the Gurudwara. Smaller Gurdwaras like Thada Sahib, Ber Baba Budha Ji, Gurdwara Lachi Bar, Gurdwara Shaheed Banga Baba Deep Singh are situated around the Golden Temple. They also have their own importance. Nearby is the historic Jallianwala Bagh, where there are signs of General Dyer's brutality. Going there the memory of the sacrifices of the martyrs is refreshed.

Another important place is the Wagah border on the Indo-Pak border, a short distance from the gurudwara. Here the armies of India and Pakistan organize the hoisting of their country's flag in the morning and unloading in the evening. A parade is also held on this occasion.