37 attractions in Amritsar (back)

Harmandir Sahib
The Golden Temple, also known as Harmandir Sahib, meaning "abode of God" (Punjabi pronunciation: [ɦəɾᵊmən̪d̪əɾᵊ saːɦ(ɪ)bᵊ]) or Darbār Sahib, meaning "exalted court" (Punjabi pronunciation: [d̪əɾᵊbaːɾᵊ saːɦ(ɪ)bᵊ]), is a Gurdwara located in the city of Amritsar, Punjab, India. It is the holiest Gurdwara and the most important pilgrimage site of Sikhism.The temple is built around a man-made pool (sarovar) that was completed by Guru Ram Das in 1577. Guru Arjan – the fifth Guru of Sikhism, requested Sai Mir Mian Mohammed – a Muslim Pir of Lahore to lay its foundation stone in 1589. In 1604, Guru Arjan placed a copy of the Adi Granth in Harmandir Sahib, calling the site Ath Sath Tirath (lit. "shrine of 68 pilgrimages"). The temple was repeatedly rebuilt by the Sikhs after it became a target of persecution and was destroyed several times by the Muslim armies from Afghanistan and the Mughal Empire. The army led by Ahmad Shah Abdali, for example, demolished it in 1757 and again in 1762, then filled the pool with garbage and blood of cows. Maharaja Ranjit Singh after founding the Sikh Empire, rebuilt it in marble and copper in 1809, overlaid the sanctum with gold foil in 1830. This has led to the name the Golden Temple.The temple is spiritually the most significant shrine in Sikhism. It became a center of the Singh Sabha Movement between 1883 and 1920s. In the early 1980s, the temple became a center of conflict between the Indian government led by Indira Gandhi, some Sikh groups and a militant movement led by Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale seeking to create a new nation named Khalistan. In 1984, Indira Gandhi sent in the Indian Army as part of Operation Blue Star, leading to deaths of over 1,000 militants, soldiers and civilians, as well as causing much damage to the temple and the destruction of Akal Takht. The temple complex was rebuilt again after the 1984 damage.The Harmandir Sahib is an open house of worship for all men and women, from all walks of life and faith. It has a square plan with four entrances, has a circumambulation path around the pool. The temple is a collection of buildings around the sanctum and the pool. One of these is Akal Takht, the chief center of religious authority of Sikhism. Additional buildings include a clock tower, the offices of Gurdwara Committee, a Museum and a langar – a free Sikh community run kitchen that serves a simple vegetarian meal to all visitors without discrimination. Over 100,000 people visit the holy shrine daily for worship. The temple complex has been nominated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and its application is pending on the tentative list of UNESCO.
Lahore Fort
The Lahore Fort (Punjabi and Urdu: شاہی قلعہ‎: Shahi Qila, or "Royal Fort") is a citadel in the city of Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan. The fortress is located at the northern end of walled city Lahore, and spreads over an area greater than 20 hectares. It contains 21 notable monuments, some of which date to the era of Emperor Akbar. The Lahore Fort is notable for having been almost entirely rebuilt in the 17th century, when the Mughal Empire was at the height of its splendour and opulence.Though the site of the Lahore Fort has been inhabited for millennia, the first record of a fortified structure at the site was in regard to an 11th-century mud-brick fort. The foundations of the modern Lahore Fort date to 1566 during the reign of Emperor Akbar, who bestowed the fort with a syncretic architectural style that featured both Islamic and Hindu motifs. Additions from the Shah Jahan period are characterized by luxurious marble with inlaid Persian floral designs, while the fort's grand and iconic Alamgiri Gate was constructed by the last of the great Mughal Emperors, Aurangzeb, and faces the renowned Badshahi Mosque. After the fall of the Mughal Empire, Lahore Fort was used as the residence of Emperor Ranjit Singh, founder of the Sikh Empire. The fort then passed to British colonialists after they annexed Punjab following their victory over the Sikhs at the Battle of Gujrat in February 1849. In 1981, the fort was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its "outstanding repertoire" of Mughal monuments dating from the era when the empire was at its artistic and aesthetic zenith.
Golden Temple Amritsar

India is home to numerous religions, and one of these is a focused in the northern Indian territory of Punjab: Sikhism. Its followers have confidence in a solitary God, and in the lessons of 10 holy gurus. The temples, or gurdwaras, in the city of Amritsar, are both the profound and administrative place for 20 million Sikhs worldwide. This is the holiest sanctuary in the Sikh confidence. Master Ramdas Sahib, the fourth of 10 Sikh masters, developed the temple and its pool during the 1500s as a place of worship for all.

Golden Temple or Darbar Sahib or Sri Harmandir Sahib is the most significant pilgrimage site for Sikhs in India. People visit this temple to make the most of its architectural factor, ceremonies and for pilgrimage. As per SGPL official, more than one lakhs enthusiasts visit this holy place each day. In this way, the World Book of Records has pronounced that the Golden Temple is the most visited spot of the World. No trip to Amritsar is finished without a visit to the Golden sanctuary. 

Talking about the temple, the temple is divided into two floors. The ground floor has a sacred scripture of Guru Granth Sahib. This sacred text is reclaimed to the room in another structure inside the complex for four hours in one day. The upper floor is changed into a gallery. The roof of this floor is brightened with decorated structure and gems. The stair walls have paintings of Gurus of the religion.

The temples remain on a marble stage and sit inside a pool called Amrit Sarovar (the pool of nectar). Bathing in the pool is viewed as a sacred thing that will reestablish powers and lead to everlasting salvation. The clock tower, another spot at the place is likewise called the lost palace. The British annihilated the first Golden Temple and constructed a clock tower in its place. The clock tower was later crushed while building the new temple. Where the clock tower once stood is currently a passage and it has a clock. This passageway has an upper floor, which holds a historical museum. This passageway is still called as the clock tower. Another major part of the temple is the Langer. Master Ram Das Langer or the community kitchen is situated inside the complex. This kitchen holds a feasting hall as well. Food is served each day to all guests. Only vegetarian food is served. Individuals need to sit on the floor in columns to eat.

The nearest international air terminal is situated in Raja Sansi. It is around 11 km far from Amritsar. You can take a taxi to achieve the downtown area in 20 minutes. You can also take the bus from different states like Delhi, Chandigarh, and others. Or can commute by train as well.