Guest Author: Carl Zainaldin

A few weekends ago I visited the Golden Temple at Amritsar, a city located in the state of Punjab, located about 30 km from the India-Pakistan border.

The Golden Temple was first conceived in the 16^th century by Guru Raam Das., and was completed in 1604. In 1830, the Temple was renovated and plated with gold, and in 1993 a prominent Sikh sponsored its renovation and subsequent revival.

The golden temple is truly awe-inspiring. It sits in the middle of a huge, man-made lake with white stone and marble structures surrounding the water. The Golden Temple is a popular attraction for Indian nationals and foreign tourists alike; for Sikhs it is an important sacred sight.

A huge part of why I had such a great experience at the Golden Temple was due to the sincere hospitality and kindness that I was shown. The Sikhs are known for their hospitality, and this is on keen display at the golden temple: everything provided by the temple is free of charge, and is supported through volunteers and donations. They offer a 24-hour shoe and bag check (you can’t wear shoes anywhere inside the golden temple complex),  accommodation in one of 3 godwaras (lodging provided by the Temple), and meals provided throughout the day and night. While in Amritsar, I stayed in the main godwara, in a  designated section for foreigners. While the accommodations here were certainly hostel-styled, it was amazing to be able to walk in from off the street and be offered a bed.

One of the dining halls sponsored by the Temple

By far, my favorite thing about visiting the golden temple was how the changing light throughout the day or night changed its appearance. It was quite an experience to spend so much time at the temple and see the effects of the mid-afternoon sun, night sky and sunrise on the intricate buildings.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

In the Golden temple there were Sikhs reading from their Holy Book, the Guru Granth Sahib. The book is treated almost as a deity itself: it is located on a beautiful cushion and surrounded by flowers and other decorations. Sikhs kneel to the book, and the book is “woken up” and “put to sleep” every day, similar to Hindu deities.

What I took away from this trip was more than just what I saw and witnessed: it was the Golden Temple experience. That is, staying there, eating at the dining hall, enjoying chai under the stars provided by the worshippers, watching the sunrise, listening to the Sikh music; these things gave me the opportunity to ‘step into the shoes’ of Sikhs who were visiting this sacred sight on pilgrimage. In order to fully experience the Golden Temple, one should not treat it as simply another landmark to check off one’s list. Instead, view it as a cultural experience in itself, a very beautiful one at that!

About the author: I am a third year student at Emory University, currently studying Tibetan Buddhism and Culture in Dharamsala, India. This is my first time in India, and I look forward to sharing some of my experiences here with all of you!