Structure of Harmandar Sahib
The Golden Temple or Sri Harmandar Sahib is the most popular of all Sikh shrines. Sikh places of worship or Sikh shrines are called Gurdwaras. The Sri Harmandar Sahib is located in Amritsar in Punjab, India.
Over the years the city has come to be known by the name of the Holy pool in which the Harmandar Sahib stands. Located in the center of the huge Amrit-sar (pool of nectar) the Harmandir (sanctum sanctorum) symbolizes the synthesis of nirgun and sargun (the spiritual and temporal realms of human existence) for the Sikhs. The Mandir is reached by a causeway from the `swarg dwarn' or Darshini Deori (gateway). From the outside the Mandir seems to be floating on the water's surface, but the first floor is actually submerged in the sarovar and can only be seen during Kar Sewa when the pool is drained and cleaned. Above the water there are two floors and a roof Pavillion. The exterior of the first is clad in marble panels with beautiful pietra dura (also used extensively at the Taj Mahal). The exterior of the second floor (which includes a parapet that surrounds the roof of the Temple) is covered in heavily embossed metal panels which are covered in Gold originally donated by Maharaja Ranjit Singh. On the roof of the Mandir there is an airy pavillion known as the Sheesh Mahal (the Mirrored Hall) whose interior is beset with a mosaic composed of pieces of mirror of many different shapes, sizes and colors; hence the name Sheesh Mahal.
The fluted Dome of the Sheesh Mahal with its Bangladar roof is shaped like an inverted lotus; it took 220 lbs. of Gold to cover its surface. One large hall which contains the Darbar Sahib (the Court of the Lord) in which the Guru Granth Sahib passes the hours of daylight, dominates the interior of the Gurdwara. The interior walls and ceilings are elaborately embellished with inlayed marble, tempera paintings and embossed metalwork.
The internal spaces of Harmandar Sahib are named "Sachkhand", the 'Prakash Ashthan' is the space which houses the Guru Granth Sahib during the day. The shrine has doors on all four sides which can be entered from the causeway which widens to encircle the Mandir. At the rear of the Gurdwara which faces the east and the rising Sun there is a flight of steps, known as the `Har- ki Pauri' (Steps of God) which descend into the sarovar. The steps were named by Guru Arjan who would often sit here, during the construction of the sarovar. Visitors to the shrine often decend these steps to sip handfuls of Amrit.
The staircase adjoining the `har-ki-pauri' leads to the first floor of the shrine. There is a small square pavilion surrounded by a low fluted golden dome in this storey.
Akal Takht Sahib
Tilted just off the axis of the temple and the causeway is the Akal (eternal) Takht (Persian for Throne) Sahib, the highest religious seat of authority for the Sikhs, which stands just beyond the Khazana Deori, facing the Darshani Deori the entrance to the causeway. Within the imposing five storied structure, is the chamber where the Adi Granth, the holy book, is placed during the night. The Takht also houses weapons which belonged to Sikh Gurus and many of its renowned warriors, as well as many other treasures of Sikh history.
Though the Takht lies on the principle axis of the Harmandir, it is skewed slightly to the East to face directly towards the East. On the Southern side of the Akal Takht Sahib is the Shaheed Baba Gurbaksh Singh Ashton and just to its North is the Gurdwara Thara Sahib, built at the spot were the 9th Nanak, Guru Tegh Bahadur rested after the Mahants, who then had control of the Harmandar Sahib, refused to allow him to enter the Harmandar Sahib. The Guru, whose long seclusion at Bakala had just been ended by the rooftop shouts of Makhand Shah, had come to the Mandir to pay his respects. His was the last visit of a human Guru of the Sikhs to Amritsar.
Just ahead of the Takht on its left are two Nishan Sahibs (flagpoles) connected with an x shaped brace of metal which invokes the memory of Miri and Piri, the two swords of Guru Hargobind, the Guru who had the Akal Takht constructed, which symbolized the temporal and the spiritual powers of the Guru and the Sikhs. The cross braces of the Nishan Sahibs have a circular plaque at their crossing point which is embossed with the Ek Onkar Emblem. It is no accident that the two masts are not of the same height, as the one representing the spiritual or Heavenly realm is seen as the more inportant of the two.
In front of the Nishan Sahibs is an expansive multi-activity space, known as the Gunnatha, which is often used for congregational activities. Each morning at sunrise the area fills with Sikhs and other visitors to the Temple who have come to catch a glimpse or Darshan of the Sikh Holy Bir as it is carried on its bejeweled palki to the Harmandar Sahib for the day. The scene is repeated again each night as the sun sinks in the west over the Akal Takht. Even while the Temple was besieged by the Indian Army in 1984 during Operation Bluestar the Guru Granth Sahib was carried to the Mandir where it was pierced by a bullet or piece of shrapnel while it was being read by a Granthi.
Parikarma
The Parikarma the circumnambulatory pathway which surrounds the amritsar has a raised platform towards the sarovar and a colonnaded space and series of rooms onto the other side. There are four shrines located around the Parikarma where Pilgrims, who circumnambulate the whole Parikarma before entering the Darshani Deori, pause to pay their respects. Starting from the Darshani Deori, (visitors to the Gurdwara usually enter at the Ghanta Ghat Deori (the Clocktower) the Gurdwara's main entrance), and moving in a clockwise direction the Lachi beri or small tree; with the Lachi sized nuts, Baba Budha ji beri, Dukh Bhanjani beri and around the next turn is the shrine of Baba Deep Singh (who died at the very spot where his shrine has been placed) defending the Harmander from an attack.
There are three pons, (enclosures) which have been placed to allow women to enter the Sarovar in privacy.
Next to the Gurdwara Dukh Bhanjani Beri, is a small platform with a shrine which signifies Ath Sath-Tirath (68 holy places). Rooms across the Parikarma from all of these holy shrines house the granthis. The other rooms serve the Harimandir Sahib in some way or the other. One of the rooms contains the SGPC office. The rooms' abutting the Gurmathe space is the kerha prasad room (where the Prasad or the sacred sweet is prepared and served). Ghhabils drinking water facility is provided in all the four corners of the outer Parikarma.
Deories (Gateways)
There are five Deories (gateways) in the Parikarma, which lead into the core-precinct. Deories (gateways) are all at a higher level than the core-precinct. To the interior side of these entrances have a descending flight of steps down to the level of the Parikarma. All these Deories have rooms within. The names of the Deories are; The Ghanta Ghar Deori, the Langar Deori, the Manji Sahib Deori, Atta Mandi Deori, Sikh Reference Library Deori and the Khazana Deori. Outside all these Deories are a Joda ghar (shoe house), where one leaves their footwear and then walk to `Chhabachha' wash their feet.
Bunga
The word 'bunga' is derived from an Indian word, which means an abode, a rest house or a place or dwelling. The western word bungalow (a small house) derives from this same root.
During the Misl period - in the 18th century, after the Sikhs had succeeded in establishing their military strength and the Dal Khalsa had emerged as a political power they consolidated their position in the Punjab with Amritsar at its center. While undertaking the reconstruction of the temple (desecrated for the third time in 1762 by Ahmed Shah Abdali) the prominent Sikh chieftains built Bungas around the Parikarma of the Amrit saravar. Initially the idea was to provide a ready line of defense, but eventually they grew to serve as valuable institutes of learning.
Originally there were 74 bungas built between 1765 and 1833 ringing the Parikarma of the Harimandir Sahib. The Ramgaria Bunga, the largest is noted for its minars, originaly used as watch towers. It abutts the Guru ka Langar at its rear and the upper balcony, looking out on the Sarorvar, has the huge 'Coronation Stone' on which Moghul Emperors were 'crowned'. Actually coronation is the wrong term as a Dastar (Turban) and Kalgi were used rather than a crown.
Langar
The Pangat or the community kitchen is a very old tradition an important institution for the Sikhs. The concepts of `langar' (a free communal meal) and 'sewa' (selflish service) demonstrate the philosophy of life as in ('truth is all important, but above all is truthfull living') a philosophy which stresses that spiritual empowerment and salvation are attainable by all, regardless of caste and creed (ideas born of men) if one lives one's life in service to his fellow men/women.
Here the huge Langar building is a three storied structure with exposed brick work. The ground and the first floor are used for the Langar, which feeds thousands of Pilgrims throughout the day. The third floor is used by the sewadars.
Gurudwara Manji Sahib
Gurudwara Manji Sahib is situated in the Guru Ka Bagh turned now into a very spacious lecture hall.
Gurudwara Baba Atal
This Octagonal building, located at the right rear of the complex, was erected in the memory of Atal Rai the younger son of the seventh Sikh Guru, Guru Hargobind. The 9 story Gurudwara is 150 feet high; the tallest building in the city of Amritsar. The nine stories represent the age (nine years) of Baba Atal's short life. The stories are not of the same height. The first six storeys are taller than the remaining three. The four doors of the ground floor are decorated with elegantly embossed designs on brass and silver sheets. The interior walls and ceiling of the ground floor are covered with many murals and frescoes which relate many scenes of Sikh history. The Guru Granth Sahib is kept in the ground floor of the building. There is also a Langar located nearby.
Mata Kaulsar
The water tank situated towards the south west of the Golden Temple is known as Kaulsar (Lotus Tank) and the shrine as Gurudwana Asthan Mai Kaulan. Guru Granth Sahib is kept in the Gurdwara Mata Kaulsar.
