Amritsar Golden Temple – The Glittering Abode
Golden Temple, also known as Sri Harmandir Sahib, is a prominent spiritual centre in Punjab, India and is considered the holiest shrine in Sikhism. Located right in the heart of Amritsar, Golden Temple is visited by people from all over the world who come here to seek spiritual solace and religious fulfillment. In spite of the thousands of daily visitors, often the only voice you will hear around you is sweet silence, interspersed with chants of the Sikh prayers. The first Harmandir Sahib was built in 1604 by Guru Arjan, the fifth Sikh Guru and subsequently the temple was destroyed several times by Afghan invaders. It was rebuilt in marble and copper, overlaid with gold foil, during the reign of Maharaja Ranjit Singh (1801–39). This structure came to be known as the Golden Temple. The Harmandir Sahib itself sustained damages on June 6, 1984, when Indian troops fought their way into the temple complex to dislodge Sikh extremists who had been using it as a fortress and refuge. The Akal T