History Of Golden Temple :
Sri Harmandir Sahib, popularly known as Golden Temple, literally means “the House of God”. The shrine consists of Darbar Sahib, which is surrounded by the Holy Tank (Amrit Sarovar). It was constructed under the aegis of Guru Arjan Dev Ji, the Fifth Sikh Guru. He wanted to build a common place of worship for the Sikhs, providing a common platform where all the Sikhs could gather and offer prayer to the Almighty. This wish initiated the idea of constructing Golden Temple and subsequently, he designed the architecture of the temple. Prior to him, Guru Amardas Sahib, the third Guru, had planned the excavation of the Holy Tank (Amrit Sarovar), but it was executed only by Guru Ramdas Sahib, under the supervision of Baba Budha Ji. The earlier Guru Sahibs acquired the site from the Zamindars (landlords) of native villages. The plan to establish a town settlement was also made. Therefore, the construction work on the Sarovar (The Tank) and the town started simultaneously in 1570. The tank was excavated in 1577 A.D. and was subsequently called “Amritsar”, meaning the pool of the nectar of immortality. This contributed in naming the city, which grew around it (Amritsar). In due course, a splendid Sikh edifice, Darbar Sahib (Temple of God) was constructed in the middle of this tank, which became the prime centre of Sikhism. The work on both projects was completed in 1577 A.D. Guru Arjan Dev Ji laid the foundation of Golden Temple with the help of a Muslim saint Hazrat Mian Mir Ji of Lahore, on 1st of Magh (December, 1588). The construction work was directly supervised by Guru Arjan Sahib, with the assistance of prominent Sikh personalities like Baba Budha Ji, Bhai Gurdas Ji, Bhai Sahlo Ji and many other devoted Sikhs. Guru Arjan Sahib built the building on the lower level, unlike the traditional Hindu Temple architecture, where it is normally built on a higher structure. Golden Temple deviated from a temple in another aspect, by being open from all four sides, rather than having only one gate for both entrance and exit. This symbolized the dawn of a new faith, which embraces people without any distinction of caste, creed, sex and religion. The building work was completed in 1604 A.D and Guru Arjan Dev Ji installed the Adi Granth in it. He appointed Baba Budha ji as its first Granthi i.e. the reader of Guru Granth Sahib. After this event, it attained the status of ‘Ath Sath Tirath’.
Legends Connected With Amrit Sarovar:
The most popular legend connected with (Amrit Sarovar) is the story of Rajni, the daughter of Rai Duni Chand. Rajni was an ardent devotee of Guru. One day, her father got some gifts for all the three daughters. While the other two daughters praised the father, Rajni stated that the gifts were actually from God and that her father was only the medium to deliver it. Hearing this, the father got very angry and made her marry a patient of leprosy. From then onwards, Rajni started struggling to sustain herself and her husband. One day, Rajni she placed the basket containing her husband near a pool and went for some work. In the meantime, her husband saw a crow plunging into the water of the pool and coming out transformed into a white bird. Excited over the sight, he too plunged into the water and the miracle transformation occurred. He turned into a handsome young man, with all diseases cured. The couple thanked God and went to their Guru to narrate the happening. It is believed that since then, the tank came to be known as the “Amrit Sarovar” meaning “the pool of nectar”.
General Information about Golden Temple :
Location: Amritsar
State: Punjab
Capital: Chandigarh
Language: Panjabi, Hindi, English
Temperature: Max 37˚C, Min 23˚C (summer), Max 27˚C, Min 8˚C (winter)
Best Season: November to March
How to Reach Golden Temple :
By Air
Amritsar has an extremely well developed airport, Raja Sani International Airport. It has a chain of flights operating both within and outside the country. In fact, it is the only airport in Punjab to operate international flights. It is located hardly 11 km away from the city centre. The proximity of the airport from the city accounts for a comfortable ride to the visitors. Various domestic airlines, like the Indian Airlines, Air Deccan, Kingfisher, Spice Jet and others, come in and go out of this airport at regular intervals, connecting Punjab with major cities of India, like Delhi, Bangalore, Chennai, Kolkata, and Mumbai. Besides, international flights like Turkmenistan Airlines, Uzbekistan Airlines, and Air India also connect Punjab with foreign countries like London, Toronto (via Birmingham), Singapore, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, and others.
By Rail
Amritsar has an extensive rail network connecting the city to all the major places in the country, like Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Bangalore, etc. If you are travelling from Delhi, Shatabdi Express will be the best option. The journey takes around 6 hours and the train passes via Ambala, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Phagwada and Beas. Amritsar is connected with Lahore in Pakistan by the Samjhauta Express. The railway station in Amritsar is centrally located; at a distance of hardly 15 minute drive from the Golden Temple. It has the facilities of ATM Centre and tourist information centre. Make sure you book your train tickets well in advance, as the trains to and from Amritsar usually run full, owing to heavy tourist traffic.
By Road
A broad network of road runs through country, connecting it to different places in and around the state. One can reach Amritsar from most of the northern states in just a day’s time. Pathankot is about two and half hours drive from the city. Grand Trunk Karnal Road connects Delhi to Amritsar. Regular buses are available from I.S.B.T Delhi to Amritsar. There are daily direct buses operating to and from Jammu, Katra, Chandigarh, and Dharamshala as well. A number of government and private buses run on regular basis to and from Amritsar. Thus, Amritsar is adequately connected by road to the places within Punjab as well as outside the state.