Things to know before planning your visit to the Golden Temple
The Golden Temple is a given name for Shri Harmandir Sahib. It is also known by the name Darbar Sahib. The top half of the temple building is gold plated, hence it is called as the Golden Temple. It is a holy Gurudwara and an important pilgrimage site of Sikhism.
Is there a dress code at the Golden Temple?
There is no dress code in the Golden Temple. But there are certain guidelines to follow-
- Cover your head with handkerchief / scarf / dupatta
- Wear closed shoulder dresses (Avoid wearing sleeveless dresses)
- Avoid wearing shorts or dresses above the knees
- The climate is warm at Amritsar, so we advise to wear light cotton clothes.
Are leather accessories allowed at the Golden Temple?
Many religious temples in India don’t allow any items of clothing or accessories made from the leather. There isn’t a rule to give up the leather, but the visitor should remove the shoes before entering the main premises.
How to reach the Golden Temple?
Reaching Amritsar by air-
Amritsar has both domestic and international flight connectivity. The airport is at a distance of about 11 kilometers from the city center. You can then book a cab from Amritsar airport to the Golden Temple.
Reaching Amritsar by train-
Amritsar is well connected to different cities in India via train. The Amritsar railway station is located in the center of the city. It is only 15 minutes drive to the Golden Temple. Just to mention, Amritsar also offers railway connectivity to Lahore in Pakistan.
Reaching Amritsar via road-
Amritsar is connected to the network of different cities in India, hence intercity road travel is easy. One can easily reach Amritsar from the northern states in less than a day’s time. Travel buses from different states are also available to reach Amritsar.
Is photography allowed inside the Golden Temple?
Photography is allowed only at the outer Parikrama (the periphery/ the outer boundary). One needs to take special permission for photography inside the main temple.
What are the visiting hours at the Golden Temple?
The general visiting hours for Golden Temple is 03:00 AM to 10:00 PM.
Are there special celebrations at the Golden Temple?
The Golden Temple embellishes a festive aura during Baisakhi. It is celebrated in the second week of April (usually 13th or 14th of April). Baisakhi commemorates the formation of Khalsa Panth and marks the Sikh New Year. The other important Sikh religious days include Guru Nanak Jayanti, Guru Ram Das Jayanti, and Guru Teg Bahadur’s martyrdom day.
Here is a quick know how about the Golden Temple at Amritsar.
How much time to spend at the Golden Temple?
If you are on a day tour, then we suggest spending about two hours at the golden temple. Because probably there could more nearby places you wish to cover. If you have more time, then you can stay longer and cherish the “Kirtan” and “Langar” at the Golden Temple.
Kirtan is the devotional Punjabi song and the public food offering by the temple is called as Langar.
If you are planning one day trip to Amritsar, we have brought a comprehensive guide, describing the best route and average time to spend at each location.
We suggest to watch this interesting documentary on the Golden Temple kitchen for the Langar by National Geographic Channel.
[Image Courtesy: www.thenational.ae]
