Golden Temple Tour, India

The Golden Temple, situated in Amritsar, in the north Indian state of Punjab, is the holiest shrine of the Sikh religion. Sikhs from all over the world journey to Amritsar, India to visit this holy place of pilgrimage. Known among the Sikhs as the Durbar Sahib, this holy shrine, its architecture, symbolism and religious significance, are deeply rooted in the history and traditions of Sikhism as it grew and flourished in India before spreading across the world.

The Sikh Guru, Guru Amar Das began the construction of the Golden Temple and in his lifetime the holy city of Amritsar developed into an important town in north India. The next Guru, Guru Ram Das, began the construction of the holy lake that surrounds the temple. Guru Arjan Dev conceived the sanctum sanctorum or Harmandir Sahib, which stands today as a hallowed symbol of the Sikh faith in India and across the world. The holy book of the Sikhs, the Guru Granth Sahib was given pride of place in the Harmandir Saheb in 1604. The gurudwara and the holy book are the core of Sikhism, revered by Sikhs worldwide. The journey to Amritsar, India and this holy site is undertaken by religious Sikhs to reaffirm their faith in the holy book and the teachings of the gurus.

During the reign of the great Sikh King Maharaja Ranjit Singh, the shrine grew in wealth and importance. The golden Temple stands today, a proud monument symbolizing the religious faith of the Sikh community in India and worldwide.

A pilgrimage to this holy site is a journey that Sikhs as well as many followers of other religions make, because the sanctity and peace of the holy shrine brings peace to every pilgrim that enters its portals. The journey to the Golden Temple in Amritsar, India is a spiritually-fulfilling journey, for the beneficient ambience of this holy shrine has to experienced to be appreciated.