Amritsar -- The Golden Temple

Amristar – Golden Temples and Scars of the Past

The city of Amritsar in the farthest western reaches of the Indian state of Punjab is known primarily for two things – the Golden Temple revered by the people of the Sikh religion and the ceremonial changing of the guard at the Indian-Pakistani border.

Neither of these attractions failed to impress in this city that really represents the diversity of India’s culture but underneath those shiny gems is also a rich history amid the struggle for independence from British rule that is interwoven with tragedy and trauma.

A Day in the Park

Seina and I arrived in Amritsar about 11 a.m. Sunday and started exploring shortly after I found a good budget hotel near the bus stand. Jitin had to cancel because of stomach issues.

The first stop, obviously, was the Golden Temple that the city is known for.

After we checked our shoes and made sure our head scarves were in place, in accordance with Sikh tradition, we made our way inside the walls that surround the 24-karat gold gilded temple. The sun reflected dazzlinly off the golden surfaces of the structure at the center of the square pond.

It was quite a sight to behold. We went to the line to go inside the structure and learned that it would be at least two to three hours wait. Since Seina had limited time in the city, we decided to forego the wait and see the rest of the city.

First stop was the temple’s museum, which featured countless paintings of the Sikhs’ many wars, many of the works of art showing graphic depictions of bloodshed and torture.

After leaving there, we found the Jallianwala Bagh, a park that commemorates an April 13, 1919, incident in which hundreds of peaceably assembled Indians were gunned down by a military unit led by British Brig. Gen. REH Dyer.

The people had assembled to protest the Rowlatt Act, which was passed amid escalating tension between the Indian people who were struggling against the increasing oppression of the British rule. In the days leading up to the massacre, an Ensglish schoolteacher was injured in an incident and Gen. Dyer was brought in specially to calm the situation.

His solution was to have his troops enter into the tightly walled square and block the only exit. Without warning he ordered his men to fire on the crowd.

Altough the piece of history it commemorates is tragic, the park itself is quite beautiful and well-maintained. It is a reminder that if we forget our past we are doomed to repeat it.

Seina and I also visited the Partition Museum, which commemorates another traumatic part of India’s struggle for independence.

The Partition is the name for the line on the map that was drawn to separate the Hindu state of India from the Muslim state of Pakistan during the British Empire’s withdrawal from India on Aug.14 and 15, 1947.

Following the announcement of this partition line, mass bloodshed ensued at the Indian Pakistan border. People fleeing in both directions were attacked and countles were killed; women were assaulted and raped; there were “honor killings” of sisters to avoid harming family reputations; and some some women through themselves down wells to avoid these fates.

People of all ethnicities suffered from these horrendous fates. According to one female Indian visitor to the museum I spoke with, this was more than just violence, it was a trauma on the nation’s past.

We inquired about the change of the guard ceremony, but it was much too late for Seina to make her bus back to Dharamshala. So we killed the remainder of the time with a tour of the Durgiana Temple, which is much like the Golden Temple, but for people of the Hindu faith.

A Golden Evening

Around the time Seina’s bus was scheduled to depart, I got a call from Harman, who I had met previously on the hike up to Hemkund Sahib. He was just finishing up work for the day and wanted to meet up at the temple.

For as impressive as the Golden Temple is during the day, its elegance at night is even more stunning. The temple itself shines in its golden brilliance as the subtle lights of the surrounding walls and other structures glow with pastel hues. And all this amazing color is reflected off the waters of the nearly one-acre pond.

Harman explained much of the Sikh history of the spot and encouraged me to take pictures. The line to enter the temple was still long, but it had been closed to new entrants. I would have to wait until morning to try to get a glimpse of the inside.

Harman and I made our way outside for some street food. He knew I had a sweet tooth so he took me to a place he called the “food corner” for a sweet treat called jalebi that is deep batter coated with sugar syrup. I had tried it once in Rishikesh, but this batch, hot out of the oil from the street vendor, was so much better.

I got a last piece of advice from Harman on where to get the best plate of one of Amritsar’s signature dishes called kulcha. He recommended a street vendor called Ram’s Kulcha Point, which I would try two days later and it did not disappoint.

Inside the Golden Temple

The following morning, I went back to the Golden Temple and jumped into line immediately. I started very near the bridge entrance so it only took about an hour to get through the line.

The interior is just as ornate as the exterior and a melodious hum of the Sikh hymns wafts throughout the temple.

I found a window nook on the second story where no one was sitting and sat for about 15 minutes of meditation before moving along. Unfortunately, photography is prohibited inside the temple. It is quite exquisite and impressive beyond my words to express. Even the ornate top was available to tour before I found my way out of the temple.

Upon leaving the temple, I made my way around to the public baths and did the Holy Dip. This time, however, the water was not quite as cold and I already knew about the five-dip minimum rule bfore getting into the water. It was actually quite refreshing. I think I failed to mention that Amritsar is a much lower altitude than the Dharamshala area so it was pretty hot while I was there. Sort of like being in Texas in the United States.

To make my trip to the gurudwara, which is the all-encompassing name Sikhs use for the campuses of holy places like this, I visited the langar hall, or the community kitchen. I ran into a young man named Sudeher whom I had also met the day before. His passion for telling the Sikh history is unparelleled so I stopped for photos with several people who wanted to stop and do selfies with the fair-skinned foreigner.

I went up to the langar and tried the food – a simple but nutritious meal of beans and creamy rice along with some roti (bread).

With all the check boxes ticked on my third and final visit to the Golden Temple, I left to take care of some banking business I needed to arrange my upcoming trek at Sandukphu.