Amritsar is one of the punjab’s principal cities in history over 400 years.It is known as Golden temple also Darbar sahib,the seat of sikh religion situated on the north western border of india,the city also gateway for the travelers on the overland route through Pakistan.Amristar literally means ‘the pool of nectar’.The name derived from a pool constructed at the sacred site in the 16th century,gifted by the moghul emperor akbar to guru ramdas,the fourth preceptor of the sikh faith.Guru ramdas sahib began exacavtion of the Amritsar Sarovar(tank) in 1577.It was ready in 1581.This tank was renovated by Guru arjan sahib on January 3,1588.The building of Akal Takht sahib was revealed by Guru Hargobind sahib in 1609 and it was twice demolished by Afghan armies and got damaged by the Indian regime in 1984.The Indian government repaired it in 1984.The Sikhs begans demolishing it on janurary 26,1986.The present structure has been constructed by five service groups headed by Baba thakar singh of bhindran Mehta Jana.
The Golden
temple is the gurudwara of worship of Sikhs.The decorative gold and marblework seems to be early 19th
century and it were conducted under the patronage of Hukam singh chimni and
Emperor Ranjit singh,Maharaja of the sikh empire of the Punjab.It is 202 feet(62m)
and 21 feet(6m) in width.The gold plating on the Harmandhir Sahib was done by Ranjit
singh and finished in 1830.Maharaja Ranjit singh donated major wealth and
materials for the shrine and he is remembered by the Punjab people and the sikh
community in particular.The celebrations at the Golden temple during the
important festivals of Sikhs such as foundation of khalsa was laid down by the
tenth guru of sikhs,Guru Govind singh and martyrdom day of Guru Teg Bahadur,the
birthday of Guru nanak,Bandi chhor Divas.
The Golden temple considered as holy and the sikh
people try to visit to this temple and for taking a holy bath at the tanks of
temple.It is believed that a single bath at this holy water will properly
cleanse the soul.This holy tank of Harmandhir sahib was built by Guru Arjan
Dev.The water in those tanks is believed to have therapeutic purpose.Peoples
visit from the different society irrespective of caste,gender,race and
religions come and worship the almighty.Golden temple is the symbol of peace,strength,magnificence
and it is the main pilgrimage and spiritual place for the sikh people
throughout the world.