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Golden Temple [ Harmandir Sahib ]
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| The Harimandir
Sahib (meaning Temple of God) is also commonly known as the Golden
Temple or Darbar Sahib (Divine Court). It is situated in the city
of Amritsar in Punjab. The Golden Temple is a living symbol of the
spiritual and historical traditions of the Sikhs. It is a source of
inspiration for all Sikhs and their chief place of pilgrimage. The
temple with it's glistening gold covered exterior stands in the middle
of a square tank with each side about 150m with an 18m path on all
four sides. A 60m causeway traverses the pool to reach the Temple
itself which is 12m square and rests on a 20m square platform in the
middle of The Pool of Nectar. The Harimandir Sahib has entrances and
doors on all four sides. |
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Sri Akal Takht
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| Akal
Takht literally means Eternal Throne. It is part of the Golden Temple
complex in Amritsar. The Akal Takht is situated on the other end of
the causeway connected to the Harmandir Sahib. It's foundation was
laid by Guru Hargobind. It was here that he was ceremonially installed
as Guru in 1606. The building of the Akal Takht opposite the Golden
Temple has a special meaning. While the Golden Temple stands for spiritual
guidance the Akal Takht symbolizes the dispensing of justice and temporal
activity. During the day the Guru Granth Sahib is kept in the Golden
Temple, while at night it is kept in the Akal Takht. Traditionally
all Sikh warriors sought blessings here before going to battle. During
the 18th century while Sikhs were fighting a guerrilla war in the
forests they used to gather at the Akal Takht on special occasions
such as Baisakhi and Diwali. Here the community used to have general
meetings and approve resolutions. The Akal Takht was the oldest of
the Five Takhts. |
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Durgiana Temple
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| Also called the Lakshmi
Narayan Temple, located outside the Lohagarh gate of the old city,
this temple dedicated to Goddess Durga dates back to the 16th century
and is a centre of pilgrimage for devout Hindus. In its present form
the temple echoes of not the traditional Hindu temple architecture,
but that of the Golden Temple. It rises in a similar manner from the
midst of a tank and has canopies and a central dome. Its foundation
stone was laid by one of the greatest reformers and political leaders
of resurgent India, Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya. It is a well-known
repository of Hindu scriptures. |
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