6 days
Golden Temple, Amritsar
Northern India
The Harmandir Sahib, known as the Golden Temple, is the holiest place in Sikhism. Its gilded sanctuary sits in the middle of a sacred pool, reached by a marble causeway, and hymns are sung inside from before dawn until late at night.
Everyone is welcome, whatever their faith, and the temple's community kitchen serves free meals to tens of thousands of people every day. Amritsar is about an hour's flight or six hours by fast train from Delhi.
What to see and do
- The parikrama. Walk clockwise around the marble walkway that surrounds the pool, past shrines and pilgrims bathing.
- The sanctum. Queue along the causeway to enter the temple, where the holy book is read to music.
- Guru ka Langar. Sit on the floor with everyone else for a free meal of dal and roti, or help in the kitchen.
- Night and dawn ceremonies. The holy book is carried to its resting place at night and brought back before dawn in a moving procession.
- Wagah border ceremony. About 30 km away, the nightly flag lowering ceremony on the India and Pakistan border is a loud, patriotic spectacle.
- Jallianwala Bagh. A memorial garden next to the temple, site of the 1919 massacre.
Multi-day tours that visit Golden Temple, Amritsar
Every tour here includes Golden Temple, Amritsar in its itinerary. Best rated first.
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Golden Temple, Amritsar: questions
Do non Sikhs visit the Golden Temple?
Yes. Visitors of all faiths are welcome. Cover your head, remove your shoes and socks, and avoid alcohol and tobacco.
When is the best time to visit the Golden Temple?
Early morning and after dark are the most atmospheric and least hot. Many visitors go twice, once by day and once at night when the temple is lit up.