In the city of Amritsar in Punjab stands the Harmandir Sahib — the Golden Temple, Sri Darbar Sahib — the holiest shrine of the Sikh faith, its gilded sanctum shimmering at the centre of the sacred Amrit Sarovar, the pool of nectar from which the city takes its name. Adorned and completed under the Sikh Gurus, it was here that Guru Arjan Dev installed the Adi Granth, the Sikh scripture, in 1604.
Open on all four sides, the temple welcomes people of every faith, caste, and background — a living expression of the Sikh teachings of equality and the oneness of God. Within, the Guru Granth Sahib is recited and sung as sacred kirtan through the day, and the vast community kitchen (langar) serves free meals to all who come, without distinction.
Serene upon its glowing waters, the Golden Temple is among the most beloved sacred places in the world.
