Visit Amritsar only for this experience. Whatever your faith, you will be moved at the Golden Temple – the tranquility is palpable in the air. One of the most secular religious centres on India, everyone is welcome here. The sublime strains of the shabad kirtan resound within the white walls of the complex.
Deposit your shoes and socks at the counter, cover your head (scarves, handkerchiefs, even a hat will do although bandannas are sold outside the temple complex), ensure you are not carrying any form of tobacco or alcohol, and then wade through the shallow pool towards the interiors. This is where you have your first glimpse of the Harmandir, God’s Temple, seen from between the marble arched doorway, shimmering golden, surrounded by the Amrit Sarovar, the Pool Of Nectar that endows Immortality.
Guru Arjan Dev compiled the teachings of all Sikh gurus in the Adi Granth and in the late 16th century he built the Harmandir to have the Adi Granth rest in it. The Adi Granth is the holy book of the Sikhs, the centre of their faith. The temple has four doors that indicate that it is open to people of all faiths as well as the four caste divisions of Hindus. The large dome is shaped like an inverted lotus, covered in gold. Guru Gobind Singh in 1708 declared that he was the last Sikh guru and that the Adi Granth would continue after him to guide the community. Hence, the Guru Granth Sahib rests on a throne beneath a silk canopy inside the Harmandir. Devotees file past, touching their foreheads to the floor in supplication and the granthees continuously intone readings from the holy book, never stopping.
The atmosphere would touch the staunchest of atheists, not for its religious significance but for the feelings of calm and peace it evokes.
Golden Temple at night, or dawn
These are the best time to visit the temple, when the rays of the rising sun reflect off the golden domes, imbuing the air with tranquility. At night the temple shimmers golden, lit by floodlights and its dappled reflection lights up the Amrit Sarovar. A gentle breeze ruffles the water and the lights shimmer in it while the strains of the Shabad Kirtan lull you into peace. The Shabad Kirtan is sung according to the ragas of the time of the day and the mood is the most spiritual you might have encountered in your life. Just sit by the pool and soak it in. Truly sacred, it’s a humbling experience like no other.
*The inner sanctum, Harmandir, closes at 11 pm and reopens at 2 am. The rest of the complex is open round the clock
Jallianwalla Bagh
One of the most gory symbols of the sinister side of colonial rule in India, the Jallianwala Bagh is where on 13 April, 1919, British Brigadier General Reginald Dyer opened fire at a peaceful gathering of about 3000 people, come together in a non violent protest against the Rowlatt Act that allowed imprisonment without trial. The five-feet wide only entrance to the park was blocked by Dyer and 1600 rounds were fired for 10 minutes at the protestors of all religions, ages and sex. Over a thousand people died, 2000 were wounded. Many jumped into a well in the park and later over 120 bodies were recovered from the well alone.
This brutal massacre remains one of the most evocative in the history of India’s struggle for independence. Today the Jallianwalla Bagh has been converted into a leafy park with a memorial dedicated to all the innocents who lost their lives and an eternal flame burns here to commemorate them. The bullet holes can still be seen on the walls and the well, now boarded, stands as a reminder of all that India sacrificed to attain prized freedom.
* Timing: Daily, 5 am – 7 pm
Wagah
About 29 km from Amritsar lies the Wagah border, the only point on the India-Pakistan border which is open. An elaborate ceremony takes place here every evening wherein with much foot stamping and high kicking by the army personnel, amid cheers and jeers of the crowd on both sides of the border, the flags of India and Pakistan are lowered simultaneously and put to rest for the night and the gates slammed shut. It depends how you see it – an unbridled display of patriotism or a needlessly pompous show of military bravado.
Your experience may vary with the crowd of the day. At times there is much empathy between people across the border and Indians and Pakistanis come together and embrace. At other times, both sides try to drown the other in a cacophony of respective patriotic songs and raucous noise. If you are lucky, you might witness the former. Wagah is a must visit for the atmosphere and the perspective it provides you on the strange love-hate relationship of the common people of India and Pakistan.
Taxis run from Amritsar to take you to the border. A private, non air conditioned car will cost you about Rs. 500 while you can also board a shared cab which will come out to be much cheaper. Stop for tea at the any of the numerous dhabas on the way and top it off with great Amritsari samosas. That the border is more of a tourist attraction than anything else is proved by the rows of dhabas that perch right before the customs clearance area serving everything from Chhole-Kulche to lassi to fruit juice to kachauris.
* The ceremony lasts from 6:30 pm – 7 pm but it’s advisable to reach the venue by at least 5:45 pm to ensure you get good seats in the amphitheatre, so crowded it usually is. Avoid on weekends and public holidays as it’s a complete bedlam with people squeezed in everywhere. Do remember to carry a bottle of water.
