India (Frommer's, 4th Edition) (327 page)

To reach the temple, follow the
parikrama
(walkway), which circumscribes the sacred water tank—known as
Amrit Sarovar,
or the Pool of Nectar—in a clockwise direction. You’ll need to cross a marble causeway,
Guru’s Bridge,
which symbolizes the journey of the soul after death, in order to reach the
bangaldar
pavilion on which the temple stands. Access to the bridge is through marvelous
Darshani Deorhi,
a gateway marked by magnificent silver doors. Here, you will join the many devotees who, especially early and late in the day, pass through the temple to pay their respects (and give a donation) to their Holy Book. Within Hari Mandir, the scene—which is almost constantly being televised for Sikh viewers around India—is fascinating. Beneath a canopy studded with jewels, scriptures from the Holy Book are sung, while a crowd of fervent yet solemn devotees immerse themselves in the moment. A
chauri,
or whisk, is repeatedly waved dramatically in the air above the Book, while new musicians and singers continually join the ensemble after another participant has paid his respects. Like an organic human machine, lines of Sikhs pay their respects by touching their foreheads to the temple floor and walls, continuing in a clockwise direction at a moderate pace. After the long, sometimes crushing, wait in the nonstop queue on the causeway, finally being among such gracious devotion will fill you with a sense of inner calm. Once you’ve passed through Hari Mandir, either climb the narrow stairwells and take your time to drink in the atmosphere or head back along Guru’s Bridge. It is along this bridge that the
Granth Sahib
is carried between Hari Mandir and
Akal Takht
(see “Spiritual Weightlifting,” below), the seat of the Sikh parliament, built in 1609 and located directly across from Hari Mandir.

Don’t miss
Guru-ka-Langar,
a community kitchen where each day around 35,000 people are fed by temple volunteers. In an act that symbolizes the Sikh belief in equality of all people, irrespective of caste or creed, everyone is welcomed and invited to join the communal breaking of bread—a simple and unlimited meal of chapatis (wheat bread) and
dal
(lentils) is served. Simply raise your hands palm-up in order to receive more chapati; the servers will continue dishing
dal
until you’ve had your fill. Before or after you join in for a meal, make a point of going behind the scenes to witness the extraordinary activities in the various industrial-size
temple kitchens
that prepare the food. There are three distinct sections. In one kitchen,
chapattis
are prepared by automated machines on a conveyor belt system that’s as fascinating to observe as the unit where they’re made by hand—you’re even welcome to join in. Somewhat more medieval is where gigantic cauldrons of
dal
are cooked over burners and stirred with paddle-size ladles. In the
Central Sikh Museum
at the main entrance, galleries display images and remembrances of Sikh gurus, warriors, and saints; note that it includes some graphic portraits of gurus being tortured and executed in terrifying ways.

Unlike in many other temples in India, here you feel genuinely welcome and not at all pressured to take out your wallet. In fact, the local Sikhs are so proud of their religion, culture, history, and temple that you will almost certainly be offered enthusiastic conversation and valuable information by one of the regular devotees—in return for nothing more than your attention. The welcoming information office to the left of the main gate gives helpful advice and information, as well as free guides and booklets on Sikhism (see our “India in Depth” chapter for a brief summary). Guest quarters are also available for visitors (for a nominal fee), and at least 400 simple rooms are provided free of charge to pilgrims (and you do not need to be Sikh to stay here—the atmosphere will be very welcoming).

For further information, contact the
Temple Manager
(
0183/255-3953,
-3957, or -3958; fax 0183/255-3919), or call the
Information Office
(
0183/255-3954
). Daily 7:30am–7:30pm in summer and 8am–7pm in winter. Activity at the temple goes on till late, and even when the last ceremonies of the evening have been concluded, volunteers get to work by cleaning or preparing for the next day. The main gate never closes, and the Hari Mandir is open according to hours determined by the lunar cycle—some 20 hr. in summer and 18 hr. in winter. In summer, the closing ceremony takes place at 11pm and the sanctum is reopened at 2am; winter times are usually 9:30pm and 3am. Best to call and check, although your hotel or guesthouse will know all the details, too.

Spiritual Weight Lifting

The best time to visit The Golden Temple is during
Palki Sahib
, or the
night ceremony,
during which the Granth Sahib is carried from the main shrine in Hari Mandir to the sanctum, where it rests for a few hours until the opening ceremony the following morning. Any man can take part in this ceremony by joining one of the queues that form behind and ahead of the heavy palanquin on which the Holy Book is moved. Several devotees simultaneously help support each arm of the palanquin, giving each person a few seconds to take part in the auspicious event. As though it were being transported along a human conveyor belt, one person from each side moves away from the palanquin and is replaced by a new shoulder from each of the lines; in this way, everyone gets at least one chance to participate, and you can join the end of the line again and again until your shoulder refuses to cooperate.

Bloody History of the Holy Temple

In 1984, the Sikh fundamentalist Sant Bhindranwale and his followers armed themselves and occupied The Golden Temple as part of a campaign for a separate Sikh state, which they wanted to call Khalistan. Acting on Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s orders, the Indian Army attacked, killing Bhindranwale and others and causing serious damage to the temple. Sikh honor was avenged when Indira Gandhi was later assassinated by two of her Sikh bodyguards, which in turn led to a massacre in which thousands of Sikhs lost their lives. The Sikh community refused to allow the central government to repair the damage to the temple, instead undertaking the work themselves. Although most of the cracks and crevices have been repaired, the incident has not been forgotten, and you will find many people in Amritsar keen to explain the Sikh side of the story.

Flag Ceremony at Wagah Border
Direct from the Monty Python Ministry of Silly Walks, this early evening border closing ceremony has grown into one of the most spectacularly bizarre attractions in all of India. A thrillingly pompous display of military bravado, it attracts countless Indian tourists every day, and is some of the most delightfully fun modern-day events you’ll ever get around to witnessing in India. It’s an intricately choreographed high-kicking, toe-stepping, quick-marching ceremony wherein the Indian and Pakistani flags are lowered on either side of the only border that remains open between the two more-often-than-not hostile countries. As the event has grown into a full-blown spectator sport, organizers have added an emcee and laid on many more grandstands (and security measures) to ensure that each show is a mighty success, not to mention ego-stoking celebration of all things “Indian”—when we last visited, part of the warm-up included children dancing passionately to
Jai Ho,
the hit tune from
Slumdog Millionaire,
while whistle-blowing soldiers try their darndest to keep the crowd seated. A number of officers from each team put on a raised-eyebrow performance to the satisfaction of the cheering, chanting crowds, and the atmosphere is nothing short of electric. The pointless exercise ends with the furious slamming of the border gates, at which time each side’s flag is urgently carried to a room for overnight safekeeping. For anyone interested in unbridled nationalist pride, the Flag Ceremony is an unforgettable outing (only half an hour from Amritsar). Arrive well ahead of the crowds in order to get a close-up seat—the grimaces of the mighty military men in their rooster caps add to the fun, and you’ll get a better look at the Pakistani delegation. Foreigners are entitled to occupy one of the better-situated grandstands (bring your passport, just in case someone wants to check), but there are even better “VIP” seats for which you can arrange access through political connections (or, if you’re a guest there, from the manager of the Ista hotel).