Golden Temple

The Golden Temple, formally Sri Harmandir Sahib, is the holiest gurdwara of Sikhism, in the centre of Amritsar, Punjab. The Golden Temple stands in the middle of the Amrit Sarovar, the pool of nectar, and is reached by a marble causeway. Its four entrances, one on each side, express the Sikh teaching that it is open to people of every faith, caste and background.

The fourth Sikh Guru, Guru Ram Das, had the sacred pool dug in the 1570s, and his son and successor, Guru Arjan Dev, built the temple in the 1580s and installed the Adi Granth, the Sikh scripture, in 1604. The temple was destroyed and rebuilt several times in the 18th century. Maharaja Ranjit Singh covered the upper floors in gilded copper in the early 19th century, which gave the Golden Temple its name. The Guru Ram Das Langar serves free vegetarian meals to tens of thousands of people every day, cooked and served largely by volunteers, and anyone can sit down to eat or help in the kitchen.

What to see

• The gilded Harmandir Sahib and its reflection in the Amrit Sarovar
• The Akal Takht, the seat of Sikh temporal authority, facing the causeway
• The Guru Ram Das Langar, with its huge kitchens
• The parikrama, the marble walkway around the pool
• The Central Sikh Museum at the main entrance
• The Palki Sahib ceremony, carrying the scripture to rest at night and back before dawn

What to wear

Everyone must cover their head at the Golden Temple; scarves are handed out, but bringing a bandana or dupatta is easier. Shoes and socks are left at the free shoe counters, and you walk through a shallow foot bath at the entrance. Cover shoulders and knees, and do not bring tobacco or alcohol. The marble can burn in summer afternoons and chill in winter nights. Punjabi dress means the salwar kameez with a phulkari embroidered dupatta for women and the turban, kurta and pyjama for men.

Local food to try

The Golden Temple langar of dal, roti, sabzi and kheer is the first meal to try. In the lanes around, Amritsar is famous for Amritsari kulcha, a stuffed bread baked in a tandoor, served with chole and butter; tall glasses of lassi; and, outside the temple zone, Amritsari fish fried in spiced batter. Kesar Da Dhaba and Bharawan Da Dhaba, both near the temple, serve vegetarian Punjabi meals.

Good to know

• Best time: October to March; come before dawn or after dark for the lit temple
• Hours: complex open 24 hours; the inner sanctum follows a daily ritual schedule
• Entry: free, including langar
• Allow 2 to 3 hours, and return at night
• Getting there: about 11 km from Amritsar airport; walkable from the old city
• Photography is not allowed inside the Harmandir Sahib itself

Nearby places

Jallianwala Bagh is a few minutes' walk from the Golden Temple, and the Wagah border ceremony is about 30 km west. In the hills, McLeod Ganj is about 200 km north-east.