Sri Darbar Sahib is a holy place for the Sikh community because it is home to the Guru Granth Sahib, which is the holiest writing in Sikhism. The Guru Granth Sahib is always kept inside the Gurudwara. This place was primarily constructed so the men and women from all communities and religions can come and worship here equally, without any discrimination.

The Fifth Guru of Sikhs, Guru Arjan built this Gurudwara in the 16th century. In 1604, Guru Arjan completed the Holy Scripture by the name Adi Granth and installed this book at the Gurudwara. Guru Granth Sahib is uniformly holy and valuable to Sikhs everywhere in the world.

Sri Darbar Sahib is a sacred place of Sikhs. It’s believed that the perpetual Guru of Sikhism, Sri Guru Granth Sahib is always there inside the Granth. Guru Granth Sahib is also referred to as holy journalism by the Sikh religion.

On 7 October, 1708 at Nanded, the tenth guru of Sikhism Guru Gobind Singh Ji was made the eternal guru of Sikhs and the future leader of Sikhism. Amritsar is the main place of Harmandir Sahib.

History

Sri Darbar Sahib or Harmandir Sahib means Temple of God. It lies in the city of Amritsar, which means pool of nectar of immortality. Amritsar was initially a tank dug by Guru Ram Das, the forth Guru of Sikhism and it became Amritsar afterwards. In the meantime, a Sikh construction Sri Darbar Sahib (meaning house of God) rose in the middle of the tank and with time it became a superlative centre of Sikh religion.

This holy place was built in 1574 AD and it’s surrounded by a beautiful lake. The small lake and a neighboring thin forest add to the beauty of this gurudwara. This full-fledged centre of worship was constructed under the provision of Guru Arjan Dev, who was the fifth Guru of Sikhism during 1581 till 1606. Construction of this place was completed in 1604. Guru Granth Sahib was placed here by the fifth Guru, Guru Arjan Dev and at the same time he appointed Baba Buddha Ji as the first reader of Guru Granth Sahib in 1604 AD.

Sri Darbar Sahib was attacked by Afghans in the mid of 18th century. There was a great war among the Afghans and Sikh force. The Sikhs were told to show no mercy and they followed these orders. As a result, the Afghan force was destroyed completely and their General was decapitated by Sardar Dayal Singh who was the commander of Sikh force.

Architecture

The Gurudwara is bordered by a large lake or holy tank, known as the Sarovar, which contains immortal nectar. There are four entrances to the Gurudwara, symptomatic of the importance of receiving and ingenuousness. There are many shrines related to the history of Sikh Gurus, saints and sacrificial victims inside this Gurudwara complex.

There are three holy trees here, each suggesting a historical Sikh saint. The many monument plaques inside this Gurudwara are a vivid memory of the historical events of Sikhs and saints. There are writings of Sikh soldiers who died fighting in World War I and II. Done in the early 19th century, most of the present decorative gilding and marble work is remarkable. The beautiful gold and marble work of this gurudwara was done under sponsorship of Hukam Singh Chimni and Emperor Ranjit Singh. A Darshani Deorhi Arch present here is 202 ft in height and 21 feet in width.

Visitor Information

In keeping with the rules observed at all Sikh Gurudwaras worldwide, Sri Darbar Sahib is open to all persons regardless of their religion, color, creed, or sex. The Gurudwara is open from morning till evening without any entry fee. However, there are some things that all visitors have to follow:

• Maintaining the cleanliness of the consecrated space while in it:
• It’s important to remove your shoes before entering the premises.
• Foot washing is to be done in the small water pool built at the entrance of the Gurudwara gate.
• One is not allowed to consume alcohol or meat here. Smoking cigarettes or consuming drugs while in the shrine is also banned.
• The right way to dress:
• Old, young, women, men…everyone has to cover their head before entering the gurudwara.
• How to behave:
• When inside the hall, one must sit on the floor as a sign of respect.

Festivals

One of the most important festivals celebrated at Sri Darbar Sahib is Baisakhi. It is celebrated in the second week of April. Sikhs celebrate the beginning of Khalsa on this day and it is celebrated with dedication in Darbar Sahib. Some other important days of Sikhism celebrated here include the martyrdom day of Guru Tegh Bahadur and Guru Nanak Ji’s birthday.