Harmandir Sahib or Darbar Sahib(also Hari Mandir, Harimandar and other variants; Punjabi: ਹਰਿਮੰਦਰ ਸਾਹਿਬ) is the most sacred shrine in Sikhism, located in Amritsar, Punjab, India. It is widely known as the Golden Temple, but its true name is Harmandir Sahib. Literally, Harmandir means "the Temple of God", 'Har' being a term for God and 'Mandir' meaning Temple. Sikh devotees from all over the world come to the Temple to enjoy its blissful environs and offer their prayers. In addition, the sacred shrine is increasingly becoming a tourist attraction for visitors from all over the world. The Temple is located in India at 31°37′12″N, 74°52′37″E. Punjabi (also Panjabi; in GurmukhÄ«, PanjābÄ« in ShāhmukhÄ«) is the language of the Punjab regions of India and Pakistan. ... The Golden Temple is a sacred shrine for Sikhs Sikhism (IPA: or ; Punjabi: , , IPA: []) is a major religion that found its genesis in sixteenth century northern India with the teachings of Nānak and nine successive GurÅ«s. ... Amritsar (Punjabi: , , Hindi: . ), meaning Pool of the Nectar of Immortality, is the administrative headquarter of the Amritsar District in Punjab, India. ... This article details the Indian state of Punjab. ... A Sikh man wearing a turban A Sikh is a follower of Sikhism, a religious faith originating in the Punjab. ...

History

Golden Temple, Circa 1870

Image File history File links Download high resolution version (857x712, 247 KB) Photographer: John Edward Saché Medium:Photographic print, 23. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (857x712, 247 KB) Photographer: John Edward Saché Medium:Photographic print, 23. ...

The Amritsar area

Amritsar is located in the Majha region of the Punjab. Majha is also known as the Bari Doab, since it is the Doab or (fluvial) tract of land which lies between two of the five great rivers of the province, the Ravi and the Beas. As such, Majha lies in the heart of the ancient Punjab region. Besides Amritsar, it comprises of Gurdaspur, Batala and Tarn Taran Sahib. Majha is name of the region of Punjab (India) comprising of the districts of Amritsar, Gurdaspur and Tarn Taran Sahib. ... A Doab, meaning two waters in Persian, is a term used in India and Pakistan for a tract of land between two confluent rivers. ... Ravi could refer to any of these : Ravi, a Hindu solar deity. ... Beas is a small town in the Punjab state of India, located between the cities of Amritsar and Jalandhar along the banks of the river Beas. ... Gurdaspur is one of the 17 districts of India. ... Batala, a town located on the Amritsar-Pathankot railway line, is a sub-divisional headquarters of Gurdaspur district of Punjab state, India. ... Tarn Taran Sahib is a city with population of more than 100,000 and is situated near Amritsar, in the state of Punjab, India. ...

Amritsar is one of the most ancient and legendary sites in the Punjab. The origin of the place where the Sri Hari Mandir stands is shrouded in mystery. Some trace its origin to the pre-historic, Vedic-epic period as a place of considerable religious importance in the form of an Amrit Kund (Spring of Nectar). But the site seems to have lost its eminence under the sway of the Buddhist movement, which swept away most of the important Hindu holy places. According to popular belief – Valmiki wrote his celebrated epic, the Ramayana, near around this hallowed site of the "Pool of Nectar". It was here, too, that Sita stayed during the period of her vanavasa (banishment). Here again, the twin sons of Sri Rama, were taught the Ramayana. Yet another legend identifies the site of this pool with the place where the whole of Sri Rama's army was destroyed by his sons, Lava and Kusha, and relates how at that time a jug of nectar descended from heaven to restore the soldiers to life. The adjective Vedic may refer to The Vedas, the oldest preserved Indo-Aryan texts. ... A replica of an ancient statue found among the ruins of a temple at Sarnath Buddhism is a philosophy based on the teachings of the Buddha, Siddhārtha Gautama, a prince of the Shakyas, whose lifetime is traditionally given as 566 to 486 BCE. It had subsequently been accepted by... This article or section is missing references or citation of sources. ... Maharishi Valmiki is the author of the Hindu epic Ramayana. ... The Rāmāyaņa (Sanskrit: रामायण (a sandhi form of rāma-ayana = march or journey (Ä€yana) of Rāma) is part of the Hindu smriti, written by Valmiki. ... Sita Devi SITA ... Lord Rama (center) with wife Sita, brother Lakshmana and devotee Hanuman. ... Look up lava, Aa, and pahoehoe in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Kusha (also spelt Kush and Kusa) has more than one meaning:- Kusha and his twin brother Lava are the children of the Hindu God Rama and his wife Sita Devi, whose story is told in the Ramayana. ...

The construction of the Harmandir

Originally during 1574, the site of the temple was surrounded by a small lake, in a thin forest. The third of the six grand Mughals, emperor Akbar, who visited the third Sikh Guru, Guru Amar Das at the neighbouring town of Goindval, was so impressed by the way of life in the town that he assigned the revenues of several villages in the vicinity to the Guru's daughter, Bhani as a gift on her marriage to Ram Das Sodhi, who later became the fourth Sikh Guru, Guru Ram Das. He enlarged the lake and built a small township around it. The town was named after Guru Ram Das as 'Guru Ka Chak','Chak Ram Das' or 'Ram Das Pura'. It was during the leadership of the fifth Guru, Guru Arjan Dev (1581-1606), that the full fledged Temple was built. In December, 1588, the great Sufi of Lahore, Hazrat Mian Mir, who was a friend of Guru Arjan, initiated the construction of the building by laying the foundation stone. It was completed in 1601. The temple was later attacked by the Afghans under Ahmed Shah Abdali and had to be substantially rebuilt in the 1770s. Events April 14 - Battle of Mookerheyde. ... The Mughal Empire (alternative spelling Mogul, which is the origin of the word Mogul) of India was founded by Babur in 1526, when he defeated Ibrahim Lodi, the last of the Delhi Sultans at the First Battle of Panipat. ... Jalaluddin Muhammad Akbar (Persian: جلال الدین محمد اکبر), (alternative spellings include Jellaladin, Celalettin) also known as Akbar the Great (Akbār-e-Azam) (October 15, 1542 – October 27, 1605) was the son of Humayun whom he succeeded to become ruler of the Mughal Empire from 1556 until 1605. ... Sri Guru Amar Das Ji (Punjabi: ) (5 April 1479 – 1 September 1574) was the third of the Ten Gurus of Sikhism and became Guru on 26 March 1552 following in the footsteps of Guru Angad Dev, who died 29 March 1552. ... Goindval(also known as Goindwal) is a place in Amritsar district in the states of Punjab in India. ... Sri Guru Ram Das Ji (Punjabi: ਸ੍ਰੀ ਗੁਰੂ ਰਾਮ ਦਾਸ ਜੀ) (24 September 1534 – 1 September 1581) was the fourth of the Ten Gurus of Sikhism and became Guru on 30 August 1574 following in the footsteps of Guru Amar Das. ... Guru Arjan Dev (Punjabi: ) (15 April 1563 - 30 May 1606) was the fifth of the Ten Gurus of Sikhism and became Guru on 1 September 1581 following in the footsteps of Guru Ram Das. ... Events January 16 - English Parliament outlaws Roman Catholicism April 4 - Francis Drake completes a circumnavigation of the world and is knighted by Elizabeth I. July 26 - The Northern Netherlands proclaim their independence from Spain in the Oath of Abjuration. ... Events January 27 - The trial of Guy Fawkes and other conspirators begins ending in their execution on January 31 May 17 - Supporters of Vasili Shusky invade the Kremlin and kill Premier Dmitri December 26 - Shakespeares King Lear performed in court Storm buries a village of St Ismails near... Sufism (Arabic تصوف taṣawwuf) is a system of esoteric philosophy commonly associated with Islam. ... The Minar-e-Pakistan represents Pakistani independence The Hazuri Bagh, looking towards the Roshnai Gate Lahore (Urdu: لاہور; Hindi: लाहौर) is a major city of Pakistan and is the capital of the province of Punjab. ... Mir Mohammed Muayyinul Islam, (1550-1635) popularly known as Mian Mir was a famous Muslim Sufi saint who resided in Lahore (in present-day Pakistan). ... Ahmad Shah Durrani Ahmad Shah Abdali (c. ... Events and Trends For more events, see 18th century United States Declaration of Independence ratified by the Continental Congress (July 4, 1776). ...

The Golden Temple Complex and areas in its vicinity

The Harmandir Sahib.

Valmiki's ashram, it is said, lay within a short distance of the renowned "Pool of Nectar". In Valmiki's time, the area was a thick forest. There were around Valmiki's ashram some more tanks with historical associations. One such hexagonal tank, Ram Tirth, is at a distance of around 1.1 kilometres from Amritsar; the others are Ramsar, Santokhsar, Ram Talai and Durgiana. Guru Ram Das must have known-the legendary importance of the place when he sanctified the pool of nectar in the sixteenth century. The Golden Temple, the most important sacred shrine for the Sikhs Source: Swedish Wikipedia sv:Bild:Golden temple. ... The Golden Temple, the most important sacred shrine for the Sikhs Source: Swedish Wikipedia sv:Bild:Golden temple. ...

The temple is surrounded by a pool of water, known as the Sarovar. There are four entrances to the temple, signifying the importance of acceptance and openness. Anyone who wants to enter the Golden Temple may do so, irrespective of religion, colour, creed or sex. The only restrictions are that the person must not drink alcohol, eat meat or smoke cigarettes or other drugs while in the shrine. All Sikh temples(Gurdwaras) in the world follow this traditional rule that everyone is welcome to enter. Gurdwara Sri Guru Singh Sabha, Southall, UK. A Gurdwara (Punjabi: , or , ), meaning the doorway to God, is the Sikh place of worship and may be referred to as a Sikh temple. ...

Art

The Golden Temple.

Much of the present decorative gilding and marblework date from the early 1800s. All the gold and exquisite marble work were conducted under the patronage of Ranjit Singh, Maharaja of the Sikh Kingdom of the Punjab. The legendary warrior king was a heavy donor of wealth and materials for the shrine and is remembered with much affection by the Punjabi people in general and the Sikh community in particular . ImageMetadata File history File links Download high resolution version (1792x1200, 421 KB) Bold text Bold textGolden Temple 1 File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... ImageMetadata File history File links Download high resolution version (1792x1200, 421 KB) Bold text Bold textGolden Temple 1 File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Events and Trends Beginning of the Napoleonic Wars (1803 - 1815). ... Maharaja Ranjit Singh (Punjabi: ), also called Sher-e-Punjab (The Lion of the Punjab) (1780-1839) was a Sikh ruler of the Punjab. ... The Sikh Empire could be defined as early as beginning as early as 1707 starting from the death of Aurangzeb and the downfall of the Mughal Empire. ... The Punjabi people (also Panjabi people) are an Indo-Aryan people and speakers of the Punjabi language, an Indo-Aryan tongue, and can be found primarily in the Punjab region of Pakistan and Northern India. ...

Recent events

On July 6, 2005 the SGPC decided to install closed circuit television cameras around the Harmandir Complex and will be adding more security due to other attacks in India on other religious areas. July 6 is the 187th day of the year (188th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 178 days remaining. ... Template:Diffgggtgerent calendars 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Shiromani Gurudwara Prabhandak Committee is a sikh religious organization responsible for the upkeep of Gurudwaras. ... The two-year-old Jamie Bulger being led away by his killers, recorded on shopping centre CCTV. Closed-circuit television (CCTV), as a collection of surveillance cameras doing video surveillance, is the use of television cameras for surveillance. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

Operation Blue Star

Main article: Operation Blue Star

The Akal Takht, after Operation Blue Star.

In June 4-6, 1984 Prime Minister of India Indira Gandhi ordered Operation Blue Star, a military assault on the Golden Temple, which had been occupied by Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale. The army unit involved was headed by Major General Kuldip Singh Brar, GOC, 9 Infantry Division. The occupiers refused to depart from their holiest shrine and a firefight ensued, with many killed and injured. Akal Takht building after Operation Blue Star The Operation Blue Star (June 4 to June 6, 1984) was the Indian military attack on the Golden Temple in Amritsar, Punjab, the holiest temple of the Sikh religion. ... Image File history File links Blue_star_akal_takht. ... Image File history File links Blue_star_akal_takht. ... The Akal Takht (Punjabi: , ) is the second holiest shrine of the Sikhs. ... Akal Takht building after Operation Blue Star The Operation Blue Star (June 4 to June 6, 1984) was the Indian military attack on the Golden Temple in Amritsar, Punjab, the holiest temple of the Sikh religion. ... June 4 is the 155th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (156th in leap years), with 210 days remaining. ... June 6 is the 157th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (158th in leap years), with 208 days remaining. ... 1984 (MCMLXXXIV) was a leap year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Prime Minister of India is, in practice, the most powerful person in the government of India. ... Indira Priyadarshini Gandhi (इन्दिरा प्रियदर्शिनी गान्धी) (November 19, 1917 – October 31, 1984) was Prime Minister of India from January 19, 1966 to March 24, 1977, and again from January 14, 1980 until her assassination on October 31, 1984. ... // Early Background Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale or Jarnail Singh Brar (Punjabi: ) was the leader of Damdami Taksal, a Sikh organisation based in India. ...

Many Sikhs were outraged at the desecration of their holiest shrine and their alienation had deep and dramatic consequences: on October 31, 1984, Indira Gandhi was assassinated by two of her Sikh bodyguards, Beant Singh and Satwant Singh. Indira Priyadarshini Gandhi (इन्दिरा प्रियदर्शिनी गान्धी) (November 19, 1917 – October 31, 1984) was Prime Minister of India from January 19, 1966 to March 24, 1977, and again from January 14, 1980 until her assassination on October 31, 1984. ... Beant Singh (Left) & Satwant Singh (Right) Beant Singh was one of the bodyguards to the former Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. ... Satwant Singh (son of Tarlok Singh, of Agwan village in Gurdaspur District) and Beant Singh were bodyguards to the Prime Minister of India Indira Gandhi, who on 31 October 1984 assassinated her at her residence. ...

The temple and the surrounding complex, was later repaired to correct the damage made by the militants and the military. Common people helped in that by acting as Kar Sevas. The term Kar Sevak is used to refer to people who offer their services for free (volunteer) to a religious cause. ...

The Golden Temple.

The Golden Temple at night.

Download high resolution version (1702x1131, 442 KB)Golden Temple 3 File links The following pages link to this file: Golden Temple List of Sikhism-related topics ... Download high resolution version (1702x1131, 442 KB)Golden Temple 3 File links The following pages link to this file: Golden Temple List of Sikhism-related topics ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (974x640, 77 KB) Summary The Golden Temple (Harmandir Sahib) at night. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (974x640, 77 KB) Summary The Golden Temple (Harmandir Sahib) at night. ...

In film and television

• The Temple is one of the locations of Bride and Prejudice (2004).
• The Temple is also in the Indian(Hindi) serial Jassi Jaissi Koi Nahin (2005).
• The Temple is also one of the places visited by the BBCs Michael Palin for the documentary 'Himalaya' (2004).
• The Temple is a highlight in the Bollywood movie, Rang De Basanti (2006) starring Aamir Khan.

Bride and Prejudice is a 2004 Bollywood adaptation of Jane Austens 1813 novel Pride and Prejudice. ... Hindi (हिन्दी hind), an Indo-European language spoken mainly in North, Central, and West India, is the official language of the Indian Union. ... Michael Palin (1999) Michael Edward Palin, CBE (born May 5, 1943 in Broomhill, Sheffield, Yorkshire, England) is an English comedian, actor and television presenter best known for being one of the members of the comedy group Monty Python, as well as for his travel documentaries. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Typical Bollywood movie poster—Devdas (2002) Bollywood (Hindi: बॉलीवुड, Urdu: بالیوُڈ) is the informal name given to the popular Mumbai-based Hindi language film industry in India. ... Rang De Basanti (Devanagari: रंग दे बसंती) is a Hindi movie, a product of the Bollywood film industry of India. ... Aamir Hussain Khan (Devanāgarī: आमिर ख़ान), born March 14, 1965, in Mumbai, India, is a prominent Bollywood actor. ...

Notable visits

• Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip of Great Britain — October 14, 1997
• Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs— John Manley —January 2002
• Prime Minister of Canada— Jean Chretien —October 2003
• Television Presenter and Actor; Michael Palin 2004
• Indian President— A.P.J. Abdul Kalam —August 2004
• Indian Prime Minister— Manmohan Singh —September 2004
• British Foreign Secretary— Jack Straw —February 2005

Elizabeth II in an official portrait as Queen of Canada (on the occasion of her Golden Jubilee in 2002, wearing the Sovereigns badges of the Order of Canada and the Order of Military Merit) Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary) (born 21 April 1926), styled HM The... HRH The Duke of Edinburgh His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh (Philip Mountbatten), styled HRH The Duke of Edinburgh (born June 10, 1921), is the consort of Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. ... Former Canadian MP John Manley John Paul Manley, PC , BA , LL.B is a Canadian lawyer, businessperson and politician, was born on January 5, 1950 in Ottawa. ... The Right Honourable Joseph Jacques Jean Chrétien, PC (born January 11, 1934, Shawinigan, Quebec) was the twentieth Prime Minister of Canada, serving from November 4, 1993, to December 12, 2003. ... Michael Palin (1999) Michael Edward Palin, CBE (born May 5, 1943 in Broomhill, Sheffield, Yorkshire, England) is an English comedian, actor and television presenter best known for being one of the members of the comedy group Monty Python, as well as for his travel documentaries. ... Dr. Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam (born October 15, 1931, Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu, India), usually referred to as Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, is the President of India. ... Dr. Manmohan Singh (Punjabi: , Hindi: ) is the 14th, and current Prime Minister of India. ... John Whitaker Jack Straw (born August 3, 1946, Buckhurst Hill) is a British Labour Party politician. ...

Diwali Celebrations at the Golden Temple

Diwali being celebrated at the Golden Temple in Amritsar, India.

Diwali usually occurs in October/November, and is one of the most popular and eagerly awaited festivals of India. Hindus, Jains and Sikhs alike regard it as a celebration of life and use the occasion to strengthen family and social relationships. Image File history File links Diwali_goldentemple. ... Image File history File links Diwali_goldentemple. ... Deepavali is the Hindu Festival of Lights. The festival symbolizes the victory of good over evil, and lamps are lit as a sign of celebration and hope for mankind. ... Deepavali is the Hindu Festival of Lights. The festival symbolizes the victory of good over evil, and lamps are lit as a sign of celebration and hope for mankind. ... This article is about the Hindu religion; for other meanings of the word, see Hindu (disambiguation). ... The hand with a wheel on the palm symbolizes the Jain Vow of Ahinsa, meaning non-injury and nonviolence. ... A Sikh man wearing a turban The adherents of Sikhism are called Sikhs. ...

Sikhs celebrate Diwali to commemorate the laying of the foundation stone for the Golden Temple in 1588. It is also known as Bandi Chhorh Divas('The Day of the release of the captives'). The Mughal emperor Jahangir, had the sixth Sikh Guru, Guru Har Gobind arrested and imprisoned in the city of Gwalior(in present day Madhya Pradesh, Central India). Later Jahangir relented and released the Guru. The Guru insisted that he would walk out of the prison only if 52 rulers from different parts of India, who had been imprisoned in Gwalior by Jahangir along with him, were also released. To this, Jahangir agreed. Guru ji had a gown made with 52 pieces of string for the rulers to hold as he walked out of prison. Nuruddin Jahangir (Persian: نور الدین جہھانگر) (August 31, 1569 – October 28, 1627) was the ruler of the Mughal Empire from 1605 until 1627. ... Mid-nineteenth century miniature of Guru Hargobind. ... Teli-ka-Mandir Fortress of Gwalior Gwalior is a city in Madhya Pradesh, India. ... Madhya Pradesh (मध्य प्रदेश) is a state in central India. ... The geography of India is extremely diverse, with landscape ranging from snow-capped mountain ranges to deserts, plains, hills and plateaus. ...

To the joy of the Sikhs, the Guru returned to Amritsar on Diwali and it prompted his disciples to celebrate the day with joy and happiness.

On the day of Diwali, early in the morning, Sikh and Hindu pilgrims take a dip in the sacred tank surrounding the Golden Temple while reciting the Japji Sahib,the great morning prayer of the Sikhs, and then pray at the Temple. Circumambulation of the tank(Parikrama) is done. In the evening, the Harmandir Sahib is illuminated with Deewé or Diyas (earthen oil lamps) or candles. There is also Aatishbazi(fireworks display). Japji Sahib consists of the Mool Mantra, a set of 38 hymns and a final Salok which appear at the very beginning of the Sri Guru Granth Sahib, the Holy Book of the Sikhs. ...

External links

• Sri Harmandir Sahib
• SikhWiki
• AmritSarovar.com
• Sikhnet.com
• SacredSites.com
• Sgpc.net
• SriGuruGranthSahib.org
• Pictures of the Golden Temple Pictures of the Golden Temple from a backpackers trip around India.

 Topics in Sikhism  

Gurus:	Guru Nanak Dev | Guru Angad Dev | Guru Amar Das | Guru Ram Das | Guru Arjan Dev | Guru Har Gobind | Guru Har Rai | Guru Har Krishan | Guru Teg Bahadur | Guru Gobind Singh | Guru Granth Sahib | Sikh Bhagats
Philosophy:	Beliefs and principles | Underlying values | Prohibitions | Technique and methods | Other observations
Practices:	Ardās | Amrit Sanskar | Chaṛdī Kalā | Dasvand | Five Ks | Kirat Karō | Kirtan | Langar | Nām Japō | Simran | Three Pillars | Vaṇḍ Chakkō
Scripture:	Guru Granth Sahib | Adi Granth | Dasam Granth | Sarbloh Granth | Bani | Chaupai | Jaap Sahib | Japji Sahib | Mool Mantar | Rehras | Sukhmani | Tav-Prasad Savaiye
More:	History | Ek Onkar | Gurdwara | Harmandir Sahib | History | Khalsa | Khanda | Literature | Music | Names | Places | Politics | Satguru | Sikhs | Waheguru | Bhagat Farid | Bhagat Kabir | History of the Punjab | Sardar | Takhat