Description of the attraction
The Harmandir Sahib Temple, also known as Darbar Sahib, is located in the city of Armitsar in the Indian state of Punjab. But most often it is called the "Golden Temple" due to the fact that almost all of its outer surface up to the top of the dome, except for the lower tier, is covered with gilding. This Gurdwara of the Sikhs, in other words a place of worship, was created by the fifth Sikh Guru, Guru Arjan Dev, around the 16th century. And when in 1604 the scriptures of this religion, which are called Adi Granth, were completed, they were transferred for storage to the Harmandir Sahib temple.
It acquired its current appearance after the restructuring, which was made in 1764 at the initiative of the outstanding spiritual leader of the Sikhs, Sultan ul Kwam Nawab Jassa Singh Ahluwalia. In addition, in the 19th century, another Sikh leader, the ruler of Maharaja, Ranjit Singh, ordered to cover the upper floors of the temple with gilding, for which, as already mentioned above, Harmandir Sahib received his one more name "Golden Temple". The official name "Harmandir-Sahib" literally translates as "Temple of God".
In general, Harmandir Sahib is a real complex located around a small lake Sarovar, in the center of which there is the building of the temple itself. The water in this lake is considered curative, people believe that it is a mixture of holy water and the elixir of immortality.
The Golden Temple can be accessed through one of the four doors available there - one on each side, which symbolizes the openness of the Sikh temples to all people, regardless of their nationality and religion. It is thanks to this that about one hundred thousand people visit Darbar Sahib every day.
