State: Amritsar, Punjab

Sri Harmandir Sahib, also known as Sri Darbar Sahib or Golden Temple, is the most important temple of the Sikhs in the country. It is situated in Amritsar, Punjab, India. The temple that is considered as the best architectural works of the world, represents a unique harmony between the Muslims and the Hindus way of construction.

The temple is built on a 67ft. square platform in the centre of the Sarovar (tank) and has a door facing in all the four directions

History

The idea to build a temple for the Sikhs was conceived by Guru Arjan Sahib, the Fifth Nanak. The Guru got its foundation laid by a Muslim saint Hazrat Mian Mirji of Lahore in December 1588. And, the work was directly supervised by Guru Arjan Sahib himself and he was assisted by the prominent Sikh personalities like Baba Budhaji, Bhai Gurdasji, Bhai Sahloji and many other devoted Sikh leaders.

The construction was completed in 1604 A.D. and Guru Arjan Sahib installed newly created Guru Granth Sahib, in the temple and appointed Baba Budhaji as its first Granthi.

The Golden Temple was invaded and destroyed several times by the Indian as well as the foreign invaders. The Afghan ruler Ahmedshah Abdali invaded the temple several times. Each and every time the Sikhs had to sacrifice their lives in order to liberate it and restore its sanctity. Lakhpat Rai, a Hindu Diwan of Lahore also attacked the temple in 1746 as he had vowed to finish the entire Sikh Nation. The Mughal forces also marched against the Sikhs in the same year in which around 7000 Sikhs were martyred and 3000 of them were put to death publicly at Lahore, (now called Shaheedganj).

In June, 1984 it was attacked by the Indian Army, under operation Blue Star in which several hundred innocent Sikh pilgrims were killed.

Places to see

At the Golden Temple, you can see various things like Akal Takhat that faces the temple. A number of weapons used by Guru Hargobind, Guru Gobind Singh and other Sikh leaders are preserved at Akal Takhat. You can also see Baba Atal that is a nine-storied tower, built in memory of Atal Rai. Guru ka langar is the kitchen in the Golden Temple where cooked food is given to all the visitors irrespective of any religion.

How to reach here

Amritsar is connected to all major cities of India by a fine network of railways, roadways and airways. The city airport offers regular flights to important towns of the country. Amritsar is directly connected to other parts of the country via rail route. Grand Trunk Karnal Road connects Delhi to Amritsar.
Best time to visit

Amritsar experiences extreme type of climate. The summers are too hot and winters are too cold. You can visit the city between the months of October and March.