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Located in the heart of Amritsar, the Golden Temple, also known as Sri Harmindar Sahib, holds great significance. Every year, the temple attracts thousands of visitors from around the world and India. The Golden Temple is a holy site in Sikhism and an important pilgrimage site for devotees. Standing in the middle of a holy pool, the temple gives an illusion as though it is floating in water. If you are planning to visit the Golden Temple with your students, here are some interesting facts and information about the Golden Temple in English.
1. Before the temple even existed, Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the first Sikh Guru used to meditate at this holy site.
2. Guru Arjan, the fifth Sikh Guru, initiated the construction of the Golden Temple. He also designed the entire architecture of Sri Harmandir Sahib.
3. The construction of the Golden Temple took almost 8 years to complete.
4. As the name suggests, Golden Temple got its name from the outer gold foil layer that covers the entire temple.
5. After the demise of Guru Govind Singh, the temple was attacked multiple times by Islamic rulers. It was eventually destroyed in 1762. Maharaja Ranjit Singh, a Sikh ruler, reconstructed the entire heritage site.
6. The foundational stone of the Golden Temple was laid by a famous Sufi saint Mian Mir. This spreads the message that the temple is open to people of all faiths.
7. Baba Deep Singh, a prominent and honourable martyr, took his last breath in the Golden Temple. When Amritsar was attacked by Jahan Khan, Baba Deep Singh fiercely fought the battle with an army of five thousand men. During this battle, his head was separated from the body. He held his head with one hand, reached the shrine, and eventually died on the floor.
8. Around the 1990s, the Golden Temple was renovated using five hundred kilograms of pure 24-karat gold.
9. The Golden Temple shows a unique blend of Hindu and Islamic architecture. It is decorated with marble sculptures and paintings that appear similar to the Taj Mahal.
10. The temple is surrounded by a sacred pond, known as Amrit Sarovar. It holds great significance for devotees who believe that taking a dip in Amrit Sarovar can cure ailments.
11. The first floor of the Golden is submerged in the Amrit Sarovar. It is only visible during kar sewa.
12. As the Golden Temple is set below the ground, the stairs leading to the shrine go downwards. This is opposite to the Hindu temples built on an elevated platform.
13. The langar sewa at the Golden Temple is the largest free kitchen in the world. The temple serves around fifty thousand meals every day.
14. Every day thousands of devotees work voluntarily to clean the temple and cook food for langar.
15. Some people believe that Lord Buddha meditated at the Golden Temple for quite some years.
We hope you enjoyed reading these facts about the Golden Temple. If you want to read more such interesting and informative blogs, you can read our blog 15 Facts About the Taj Mahal: The Epitome of Eternal Love.