Golden Temple in Amritsar
· Summer: April-June (24°C - 45°C)
· Winter: November-March (4°C - 27°C)
· Monsoon: July-October
Best time to visit:
November-March
Opening Time: 04:00 a.m.
Closing Time: 10:00 p.m.
Weekly Holiday:
Entry Fees for Indians
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Entry Fees for Foreign Nationals
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The holiest of all Sikh shrines, Golden Temple has the distinction of one religious place visited by people from different religious backgrounds. Engulfed in immense spirituality and calmness, the temple is better known as Darbar Sahib and Harmandir Sahib. With its gold-plated huge dome, it occupies space in the middle of the holy pond called Amrit Saroavar (from which the city gets its name). The four doors of the temple’s building convey Sikhism’s openness and bigheartedness for the four main religions of India. Detailed adornments using gold and precious stones and many splendid architectural elements are simply outstanding.
Built from 1585-1604 under the supervision of Guru Arjan, the fifth Sikh Guru, the temple has Adi Granth (holiest of the Sikh Scriptures) as the centre of worship. A circumambulatory path around the building is used for performing parikarma (circumambulation). Continuous chanting of Guru Granth Sahib is performed at the upper two floors of the temple.
Taking a holy dip in the sarovar is considered auspicious. It is heart-warming to have the 360 view of the whole complex from a bank of the pond. Other attractions of the complex include a sacred Jubi tree and 3 sacred beri trees. Central Sikh Museum and Victory Towers add to the complex’s tourism value. Don’t miss the opportunity to savour simply cooked but delicious langar and one of the world’s largest community kitchen at Golden Temple.
Connectivites
Road:
Located at the heart of the holy city of Amritsar, Golden Temple is conveniently accessible from all parts of the city on road. Taxis, auto-rickshaws, cycle-rickshaws as well as local bus routes can be used.
Railway:
The railway station of Amritsar is about 2 km. from the temple and is connected to many popular destinations of North India. Any of the available local transport modes can be used to cover this small distance.
Airway:
About 12 km. from this holy place is Amritsar’s Airport, which boasts of domestic as well as international connections. Taxis and auto-rickshaws as well as local buses can help in airport transfer.