Sri Harmandir Sahib

Amritsar, once known as Ramdaspur, holds great cultural and spiritual significance in Sikhism. It was founded by Sri Guru Ramdass Ji, the fourth Sikh Guru, and has since grown into one of the largest cities in the region. In this blog, we will talk about the history of Sikhism and the Golden Temple.

Sikhism was founded by Guru Nanak Dev Ji in the 15th century in the Punjab region. His teachings emphasised equality among all, regardless of caste, colour, gender, or religion. Following his teachings, Sikhs adopted the “5 Ks” – Kesh (uncut hair), Kangha (a wooden comb), Karah (an iron bracelet), Kachera (cotton undergarments), and Kirpan (a ceremonial sword) – as symbols of their faith.

The fifth Sikh guru, Guru Arjan Sahib, envisioned the idea of creating a central place of worship for the Sikhs and founded Sri Harmandir Sahib in the 16th century. He also compiled the Adi Granth, a collection of nearly six thousand hymns by the Sikh Gurus and mediaeval saints from various backgrounds.

The construction of Sri Harmandir Sahib began in 1574 and was completed in 1601. It was rebuilt after being repeatedly sacked in the 1760s by Ahmad Shah Abdali. In the 19th century, during Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s reign, the lower part of the temple was adorned with marble, while the upper part was covered in copper and plated with gold, earning it the name Golden Temple.

Our visit to the Golden Temple left us inspired by the cleanliness, service ethos, communal kitchen (langar) serving everyone, and the absence of discrimination based on caste, creed, or gender.

Writen By Aaradhya, Abhiveer, Aimen, Akshita, Anshal, Anwitta, Arya, Hamda, Mauli, Shreshtika, Simran, & Snigdha (Yashmay World School, Jhanjhari Block, Gonda).

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