GIT India

The Golden Temple is a major tourist attraction India, in large part this is because it is a place of pilgrimage for Sikhs. However the architecture and artwork of the temple have made it popular destination for non-Sikhs as well. It used to be a challenge to reach the city of Amritsar where the temple is located but this really not the case anymore. Therefore it is well worth taking the time to visit.

The Golden Temple of Amritsar is the major house of worship for Sikhs. Officially it is known as the Harmandir Sahib and it was built starting in 1585 by the Guru Arjen Dev. The construction took until 1604, however as he was soon forced to flee the city for many years the temple was in the hands of hostile forces. The temple didn't actually become golden until the early nineteenth century when the upper floors were covered in gold.

The Golden Temple was initially constructed to house the most holy document in the Sikh religion the Sri Guru Granth Sahib. This is what makes the temple the most holy place in the Sikh religion since where ever this document is located is considered to be the most important site for Sikhs. This makes the Golden Temple an important place of pilgrimage for followers of the religion.

Due to the fact that the Golden Temple has become a major place of Pilgrimage for Sikhs and a major tourist attraction for non-Sikhs it has become quite a bit easier to get to than it used to be. The city of Amritsar is located the province of Punjab close to the border with Pakistan. The city can be easily reached by rail from other cities in India. These days there are also flights from many international airports that will take you directly to Amritsar. There are also quite a few hotels in the city now as the tourist infrastructure has really been developed.

If you decide to visit the Golden Temple you need to make sure that you keep in mind that it is a place of worship. That means that there are rules that visitors need to follow. One of the tenets of Sikhism is that anybody should be allowed to visit regardless of religion or gender. Before you visit it is a good idea to stop at the information center first just to make sure that you are familiar with what is expected of visitors.

The main rules on entering the Golden Temple are that you must remove your shoes and wash your feet in the basin at the entrance. You must also cover your head while you are in the temple, scarves will be provided if you haven't brought anything to cover your head. Smoking, drinking alcohol and eating meat are of course forbidden. You are also required to remain sitting while you are in the temple.