Harmandar Sahib, Amritsar has always being a very spiritual place not only for the Sikhs, but also for the various communities of the globe. Today we not only find visitors across the globe coming at this place just to see a gold studded monument but to gain the spiritual knowledge read here day and night in the form of kirtan. This place is being the place where a community of humans known as SIKHS welcome people of all commuities, irrespective of caste, creed, tribe, color, financial strength or any indifferences to share the spiritual knowldge and general brotherhood with each other. Harmandar Sahib, Amritsar undoubtedly can be called as The Supreme University of Humanity, and why not... The supreme reference of knowledge here is SRI GURU GRANTH SAHIB JI. Here there is teachings for all. Weather it be king or a common man, rich or poor, husband, wife and all the personal human relation, Hindu or Muslim or Sikh or any other, Guru Granth Sahib explains all.
Normally when we talk about Harmandar Sahib, few things come to our mind
1. The very first thing what clicks out mind is the gold studded on the structure of the monument. Few people call it golden temple, which means the temple of gold, but it is Harmandar which means temple (mandar) of Har(i) i.e, almighty.
2. It is a Historical Place related Sikh Gurus (but by calling this place as golden temple are we not disrespecting it!!!)
3. It has doors on all 4 sides. Indicating that it is open for all.
4. It has langar served all day.
5. It is quite big, peacefull, calm and a lot more things to add upon
But there is lot more for us at Sri Harmandar Sahib, Amritsar, Punjab. There is history of many Sikhs which we have forgotten and remembered a few. Where there is history of Sikhs, the color is RED i.e, there is blood of sikhs. We all know that Harmandar Sahib (not Amritsar as a whole, specifically Harmandar Sahib) has always being on the radar of attack right from the times of the Mugals and Afgan invasions.as Sikhs have always given a tough escape to the pirates and safeguarded the needy and the victims irrespective of the differences in belief (hindus or muslims). The attackers not being able to win Sikhs started eyeing the spiritual place to attack and destroy as revenge.Countless Sikhs have shed-ed their blood in the construction, formation and defending the place.
A community few centuries old, living as a minority (less than 2%) in the nation it was nurtured in, gave blood for proving its identity, gave lives for safeguarding others from the unjust, gave lives in both World War 1&2 and not the least, but it also gave majority of lives during the freedom struggle in India, every war India fought had a huge contribution of the Sikh soldiers laying their lives, the 3 genocides, 2 during Mugal rule and 1 of 1984 where only Sikhs were massacred and many other events where a Sikh has sacrificed his life for the face of humanity. It is said that Jewish people have faced a lot of hardships and loss of life for a period of time, but Sikhs have not done less. I am not sure, but with due respect by the hardships face by the Jewish Community or any other community, the Sikhs might have exceeded the number long back.
Interesting facts about Harmandar Sahib:
1. In the Parikrama of the Gurudwara there is Baba Deep Singhji asthan, where Baba Deep Singhji laid his head, after the head being separated during the war which took place with the Mugals after they destroyed the structure of Harmandar Sahib.
2. Baba Gurbaksh Singhji Samaad which at the old entrance of Harmandar Sahib i.e, behind Akaal Takht Sahib. (the entrance of Gurudwara is said to be change at the time of british.). We have posted a blog on Baba Gurbaksh Singh earlier
3. Samarak Shaheed Ganj next to Manji Sahib Diwaan Hall.
We can find this all in the photo of Harmandar Sahib posted in this blog earlier pasted from sikhiwiki.com
In the next post we will try to cover the old entrance of Harmandar Sahib & Ramgarhia Boonga in the premises of Harmandar Sahib.
Normally when we talk about Harmandar Sahib, few things come to our mind
1. The very first thing what clicks out mind is the gold studded on the structure of the monument. Few people call it golden temple, which means the temple of gold, but it is Harmandar which means temple (mandar) of Har(i) i.e, almighty.
2. It is a Historical Place related Sikh Gurus (but by calling this place as golden temple are we not disrespecting it!!!)
3. It has doors on all 4 sides. Indicating that it is open for all.
4. It has langar served all day.
5. It is quite big, peacefull, calm and a lot more things to add upon
But there is lot more for us at Sri Harmandar Sahib, Amritsar, Punjab. There is history of many Sikhs which we have forgotten and remembered a few. Where there is history of Sikhs, the color is RED i.e, there is blood of sikhs. We all know that Harmandar Sahib (not Amritsar as a whole, specifically Harmandar Sahib) has always being on the radar of attack right from the times of the Mugals and Afgan invasions.as Sikhs have always given a tough escape to the pirates and safeguarded the needy and the victims irrespective of the differences in belief (hindus or muslims). The attackers not being able to win Sikhs started eyeing the spiritual place to attack and destroy as revenge.Countless Sikhs have shed-ed their blood in the construction, formation and defending the place.
A community few centuries old, living as a minority (less than 2%) in the nation it was nurtured in, gave blood for proving its identity, gave lives for safeguarding others from the unjust, gave lives in both World War 1&2 and not the least, but it also gave majority of lives during the freedom struggle in India, every war India fought had a huge contribution of the Sikh soldiers laying their lives, the 3 genocides, 2 during Mugal rule and 1 of 1984 where only Sikhs were massacred and many other events where a Sikh has sacrificed his life for the face of humanity. It is said that Jewish people have faced a lot of hardships and loss of life for a period of time, but Sikhs have not done less. I am not sure, but with due respect by the hardships face by the Jewish Community or any other community, the Sikhs might have exceeded the number long back.
Interesting facts about Harmandar Sahib:
1. In the Parikrama of the Gurudwara there is Baba Deep Singhji asthan, where Baba Deep Singhji laid his head, after the head being separated during the war which took place with the Mugals after they destroyed the structure of Harmandar Sahib.
2. Baba Gurbaksh Singhji Samaad which at the old entrance of Harmandar Sahib i.e, behind Akaal Takht Sahib. (the entrance of Gurudwara is said to be change at the time of british.). We have posted a blog on Baba Gurbaksh Singh earlier
3. Samarak Shaheed Ganj next to Manji Sahib Diwaan Hall.
We can find this all in the photo of Harmandar Sahib posted in this blog earlier pasted from sikhiwiki.com
In the next post we will try to cover the old entrance of Harmandar Sahib & Ramgarhia Boonga in the premises of Harmandar Sahib.
