The Golden Temple in Amritsar: The Heart of Sikhism
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TRAVEL
Amritsar: A City of Faith, History, and Never Giving Up
Up in northwestern India, you'll find Amritsar, which is like the heart of Punjab's culture and religion. It's about 234 meters above sea level and around 460 kilometers northwest of New Delhi. Back in 2011, about 1.18 million people lived here. The city was started in 1577 by Guru Ram Das, the fourth Sikh Guru, and it's full of old stories, important religious spots, and lively traditions.
### Where It Is and the Weather
Amritsar sits on the flat lands of Punjab, with the Ravi River flowing through it. It's not far from the Pakistan border (about 27 km from Wagah), which makes it a meeting point for different cultures. The weather can be extreme, with summers (May-June) getting as hot as 46°C and winters (December-January) dropping to 4°C. The rainy season (July-August) brings about 600-700 mm of rain. August of 2025 had some typical showers, which made everything greener but caused a little bit of flooding. Luckily, it was all gone by early September.
### A Look Back
Amritsar started back in 1574 when Guru Ram Das made a pool, which became known as Amrit Sarovar (Pool of Nectar). It's meant to be a place for spiritual cleaning. The city's name means Pool of the Nectar of Immortality, which shows how sacred it is. Guru Arjan Sahib started building the Golden Temple in 1588, and it was finished in 1604. Now, it's the most holy place for Sikhs. In the 1700s, invaders came from Mughal and Afghanistan. Ahmad Shah Abdali even attacked in 1762. But the people rebuilt everything. The British took over in 1849 after some wars, and they left behind buildings like the Town Hall. The Jallianwala Bagh tragedy in 1919, where British soldiers killed many people, is still a sad memory. It's now a memorial.
### Culture and Religion
The Golden Temple (Harmandir Sahib), with its gold dome (750 kg of gold), is like the center of the city. It's open all the time, and about 100,000 people visit every day. They serve free meals (langar) to 50,000-100,000 people, which they've been doing since 1481. The Akal Takht, built in 1606, is where the Sikh leaders make important decisions. There are also many Gurdwaras, like Dukh Bhanjani Beri and Baba Atal Rai, along with Hindu temples and Muslim shrines, which shows how everyone gets along. Festivals like Baisakhi (April) and Diwali fill the city with parades and fireworks.
### Money and Jobs
Farming is big here, with wheat and rice growing well because of the Bhakra-Nangal Canal. Trade is also important because the city is close to the Wagah border, where they have a daily ceremony that people like to watch. Local crafts, like Phulkari embroidery and woolen shawls, and food, like Amritsari kulcha and lassi, help the local businesses. The Kartarpur Corridor, which opened in 2023 and connects to a Sikh shrine in Pakistan, has increased trade between the two countries.
### Things to See
- Golden Temple: It's amazing with marble and gold, and the way it reflects in the water is really something. People read from the Guru Granth Sahib here every day.
- Jallianwala Bagh: This garden is a memorial to the 1919 tragedy. You can see a well where people jumped to escape and walls with bullet marks.
- Wagah Border: The flag ceremony here is full of energy and culture. It's about 30 km from the city.
- Partition Museum: Opened in 2017, it tells stories about the people affected by the partition in 1947.
- Ram Bagh and Gobindgarh Fort: These places show what life was like during colonial and Sikh times.
### What's Happening Now
The monsoon rains in August 2025 were a bit heavier than usual, which made the parks look nice but caused some flooding near Hall Bazaar. It's all cleaned up now. The Kartarpur Corridor had 200,000 visitors in 2024, and more are coming. The city is easy to get to by road (NH-1) and plane from Delhi (Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee Airport), but snow can sometimes cause problems in the winter.
### Tips for Your Trip
The best time to visit is from October to March when the weather is nice. Dress respectfully when you visit religious places. You can visit the Golden Temple for free, but you need to cover your head and take off your shoes. There are plenty of ATMs, but it's good to have cash for the markets. If you don't like crowds, avoid visiting during big festivals.