[vc_row][vc_column][vc_gallery interval=”3″ images=”321,322,323″ img_size=”650×650″][vc_column_text]I am Lila Weaver and this is blog is a continuation of my pilgrimage to India. In the previous blog I told the story of our travels to Delhi and Patiala. From Patiala we travelled to the holy city of Amritsar.
In this blog I take you to probably the most pious and holy Sikh temple, the Sri Harmandir Sahib, which happens to be amongst the top ten most visited places in the world!
We arrive at dusk and the streets are busy in Amritsar. I’m glad for the first few days allowing me to ease myself into this life and allowing me to be prepared for what is to be expected in India and the Sikh Temples or Gurudwaras.
I’m so grateful for the deep friendship with Karman, as without him the pilgrimage would not have been possible. I know today will be a big day and I’m super excited. Today will be my first visit to the Golden Temple.
I’m a bit nervous at the same time and look up into the sky to see if there are any falcons.
As we proceed through the hustle and bustle, hooters honking everywhere, the streets feel busier than normal. The road suddenly becomes a walk way, as we proceed there is right in front of me an emblem of a falcon, with his wings wide open, as if to say, “I welcome you with open arms”.
We approach the temple complex, which is not yet in sight, I feel the energy around me changing, it’s as if everything is cleaner, the sky, the streets and the energy feels cleaner, purer and holier.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_gallery interval=”3″ images=”326,327,328″ img_size=”650×650″][vc_column_text]Karman urges me to stop at a shop and purchase beautiful cloth as an offering.
In Sikhism the Holy Granth, the Holy book is treated as a living Guru. There the
Granth, the pedestal in which the Granth is kept are adjourned with exquisite set of matching clothing. The colours are bright with gold and silver thread woven into the cloth; it’s hard to choose one as everything is so beautiful. The prices range from one hundred rupees and go up to thousands so it’s literally a combination of how much you are willing to offer and which cloth catches your eye.
We head off to the temple and above us is thin wiring with silver and gold tinsel right down the walkway continuing for as far as the eye can see.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_gallery interval=”3″ images=”329,330″ img_size=”650×650″][vc_column_text]We hand in our shoes at the shoe counter, now nothing is stopping me, I feel an urgent pull as if I need to walk faster to get to see the golden building which is one of the most holy Sikh temple sites.
As I look to my right I see the huge white arch and there beyond it is the glorious Sri Harmandir Sahib, the golden temple.
As we approach the inside walk-ways I cannot keep my eyes off of this amazing site. I am in awe, never have I seen a building covered in real gold. I’m sensing the energy is at a much higher vibration that I have experienced ever before, I’ll go as far as to say, in my entire life. I feel this energy surrounding me drawing me into a godly like state. I grasp for air, I have never seen anything so beautiful. How blessed am I to be here and share in the universal godly energy. I feel a deep gratitude for being so honoured to set foot on such a sacred site.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_gallery interval=”3″ images=”331,332,333″ img_size=”650×650″][vc_column_text]We started to walk slowly around the holy pond, on the steps there are men holding onto chains to steadily lower themselves into the pond step by step. Then they dip themselves in the holy water. I notice Koi fish, big and small, in the pond.
There are two covered areas for women to experience the holy bath as well. Karman’s wife will escort me to one area later and show me how it’s done. The idea is to dip your entire body, and head under the water five times and thereby you will be cleansed from negative energies. You can scoop the water up and wash your face and drip the water over your hair.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_gallery interval=”3″ images=”334,335,336″ img_size=”650×650″][vc_column_text]Everywhere around the complex there are huge screens which translate the hymns that are being broadcast on speakers whilst the priests read and recite the hymns in the main temple. There are a cluster of Gurudwaras on the grounds but my main focus is to experience the sacred energies of the golden temple which is situated right in the middle of the pond linked with a bridge to cross the holy water. I want to see the holy Granth or the holy book. This is the original holy book, which is approximately 300 plus years old and was transported from Pakistan, to India, via rivers on a boat, This specific Holy Granth or living Guru, is totally unharmed and in immaculate condition, despite the traveling and the years it has been used by the priests. At the time of his death Guru Gobind Singh declared The Holy Granth as the only living guru.
We enter the building and follow the crowds through to the long bridge which is crammed with devotees, the queues move slowly and the people are fairly quiet, humbly awaiting the treasure at the end of the bridge. Guards are present everywhere and make sure no photos are taken.
We move slowly towards the Golden temple and all this anticipation makes us more eager to see the Holy Granth. Above the entrance door there is a script embossed on a golden plaque. No normal man can read this as there are no spaces between the words, this is written in Gurmukhi, the wording tells of a king.
Maharaja, Ranjit Singh donated the gold to beautify the temple. The plaque reads “the Gracious Guru through his benevolence considering Sri Maharajah Singh Sahib as his loving follower and servant got this work executed by him 1877 BK (1830 A.D)”.
The Holy Granth was channelled to the Gurus, by God. They wrote it down as the words were spoken without any exclamation, spaces or full stops in the sentences, the same way as the photo of the golden plaque depicts. These writings were then assembled by the fifth guru, Guru Arjun Dev.
We reached the inside of the temple, where strictly no photos are allowed and climbed the stairs to the first floor where the priest was sitting waving a Sri Chaur Sahib over the holy Granth. This book is a massive two metres in length when opened and 600 cm in width. The colour of the inks on the pages are bright, the pages are clean and in an astoundingly good condition. This book looks as if it is brand new. This is impossible, it’s 400 plus years old and it travelled through rain and river water and not an ink blotch anywhere. The Granth is so beautiful, you feel the amazing holy frequency and power of this book the closer you get to it. We are not allowed to touch it, and we are about one meter from the priest.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_gallery interval=”3″ images=”337,338,339″ img_size=”650×650″][vc_column_text]There are 4 doors to the temple to emphasise that all religions should live in peace and in togetherness with one aim, and that is to praise god.
Sikhism believes in the equality of everyone and hence irrespective of manmade divisions of caste, colour, creed, religion, sects, near and far, all are equally welcome in Gods abode.
After soaking ourselves in the holy energy we exit the temple and walk towards the holy tree which I visited over the next few days again and again. Every time tears rolled down my cheeks as the most beautiful loving energy engulfed me. Under this tree is where Baba Budha Ji camped. He was the first Granthi Singh or person who reads and recites the holy Granth. This tree has been here before Baba Budha Ji started his appointment in the year 1604.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_gallery interval=”3″ images=”340,341,342″ img_size=”650×650″][vc_column_text]We were hungry at this time and we walked over to the Langar hall where the volunteers and cooks serve up to 100 000 meals a day. Feel free to watch Mega Kitchens India for information. All the visitors are welcome to enjoy a Langar meal. Everyone sits on the floor on woven mats with plates placed in front of them. The meal is cooked and served by volunteers that comprises of visitors and others who come to do Sewa, as part of their community service.
Over the next few days I returned frequently to the Sri Harmandir Sahib. Some days I lingered for up to six hours to meditate, walk around and just be in this exalted energy. I experienced three holy baths. The first holy bath was extremely profound, I literally felt my old life slipping away from me, a part of me no longer needed was soaked up by the holy waters. Many people come here to be energetically cleansed from negative energy. I experienced and felt it in every single cell in my body, I could feel the holy water re-programme my inner being, I felt cleansed, I felt lighter and everything seemed brighter around me as if a dark cloud was lifted off of me. Over the next few days my mind became clearer and I noticed a positive shift in my thought patterns.
I emerged a different person.
The Sri Harmandir Sahib, the spiritual centre of the world has touched me in so many ways and changed my life and me for the better. I’m vibrating a few notches higher.
Every person must experience this once in their life time. I feel great and ready for the next part of this spiritual journey; I’m ready to continue to the next Takhat.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]