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20 spring 2013
GOLDEN
Even for the large and populous country of India, the scale of what happens at the Golden Temple in Amritsar, India, on a day-to-day basis is nearly overwhelming. But that shouldnt stop you from visiting. This most sacred of Sikh sites is open to anyone, whether they are curious to learn more about the Sikh religion or just want to visit an extraordinary place.
Temple
By Emily Bell
The famous Golden Temple is the central building of a larger complex called Harmandir Sahib. First constructed in the sixteenth century, the complex houses the most famous Sikh temple in the world. Pale walls surround a massive open courtyard dominated by a large pool called Amrit Sarovar (Pool of Nectar). The gilded temple glitters in the center of the lake, accessed by a causeway with a hefty line of people. This temple is primarily run by volunteer Sikhs, whose religion places an emphasis on seva, or selfless service. One of the ways they can live out this principle is by volunteering at a gurdwara (Sikh Temple) such as Harmandir Sahib. Types of seva at the temple include cleaning, organizing, serving meals, and donating the supplies used to make the food. in longbut fast-movinglines to exchange their shoes for tokens at one of the dozens of volunteer desks. Theres no need for visitors to worry about the state of their bare feet. Thanks to the extra care of another set of temple workers, there are small pools of water to walk through right before entering the doors of the complex.
100,000 visitors. 200,000 shoes. 35,000 meals. 4 sacred doors. 1 holy book.
Amritsar can be accessed from Delhi via train, taxi, or plane. By car, it takes about seven hours to get to Amritsar; by plane, it takes about one hour. The Amritsar airport is small, and most flights are to and from Delhi. Once in the city, you can reach the temple by taxi or auto-rickshaw.
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In the Kitchens
The kitchens of Harmandir Sahib are a sight to behold. Various curries and dahls (legume-based dishes) are cooked in pots nearly as big as the people who stir them. The chapati (a type of Indian flatbread) is made factory-style, baked in discs that are carried by conveyor belt through an oven before getting dumped into large buckets. But unlike most places where food is mass-produced, nothing here will be shipped out to other locationsall of it is for the temples visitors. The whole operation is supervised and monitored by yet another set of dedicated volunteers. The temple is mostly run by volunteers, Mr. Singh says proudly. People try to contribute whenever they can. Once the food is made, it is served with remarkable speed and efficiency, which is paramount, since guests are fed in groups of thousands. Theres no need to wait in a line this time around. Instead, guests sit on mats and are served by quickly moving volunteers who offer them one savory vegetarian dish after another, all served with steaming hot bread. Best of all, its completely free and available to anyone. From beggar to businessman to tourist, all people are welcome to sit down and eat together, emulating Sikh values of equality. I expected the food to be not so great, being made in bulk like that, says visitor Melissa Cowles. But it was delicious!
Meals at the temple often include chapati (a type of flatbread), dahl (a legume-based dish), steaming hot curry, and kheer (a rice pudding).
22 spring 2013
At the Shrine
The best time to visit the gilded shrine at the pools center may be in the evening when the temple lights up the whole courtyard and the temples sheen is reflected by the still waters. The line to enter the shrine is worth the wait. Inside, the walls are beautifully decorated with engravings of sacred verses and other ceremonial items of Sikhism, such as candles and mosaics. Every night the Guru Granth Sahib, the most sacred book in Sikhism, is delivered via procession to its resting place, the seat of Sikh parliament. The large book is carried in a velvet-lined palanquin (a covered sedan chair) decorated with flowers. Sikh devotees line up and take turns shouldering the palanquin, forming a human conveyor belt to carefully ensure the books safe journey. Typically this ceremony happens at 11:00 pm in the summer and 9:00 pm during the rest of the year, but visitors should know that the exact time may vary. The temple as a whole is open almost 24 hours, from 6:00 am to 2:00 am. As the evening falls and the book is delivered, the pace of temple life declines. Pilgrims and wanderers alike sit at the waters edge and stare out at the glittering temple. Some visitors even bring mats to sleep on; their desire to stay close to the shrine does not die with the sun. The shrine itself stays lit up all night, a beacon of harmony and sanctity. Mary sums up the peace of night at the temple best. I was able to chat, to relax, to think. I felt so content there.
Sikhism:A monotheistic
religion of Indian origin.
Sikh:A practitioner
of Sikhism.
Gurdwara:A place of
worship for Sikhs. All public gurdwaras include a place for the sacred text, a community kitchen, and a daily routine that involves hymn singing and readings from the sacred text.
GuruGranthSahib:
The sacred text of Sikhism. Also known as Ad-Granth, it features hymns that ponder on Gods nature as well as reasons to meditate on his name.
origin denoting a spiritual guru who founded Sikhism was Guru Nanak.
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