Sri Harmandir Sahib Ji (The Temple of God), also known as Sri Darbar Sahib and informally referred to as the "Golden Temple", is the holiest Gurdwara (place of worship) of Sikhism, located in the city of Amritsar, Punjab, India.

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Amritsar was founded in 1574 by the fourth Sikh guru, Guru Ram Das. The fifth Sikh Guru, Guru Arjan, designed the Harmandir Sahib in the centre, and once constructed, installed the Adi Granth, the holy scripture of Sikhism, inside.

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The Golden Temple was intended to be a place of worship for men and women from all walks of life and all religions to come and worship God equally. The four entrances (representing the four directions) to get into the Golden Temple symbolize the openness of the Sikhs towards all people and religions.

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The present day Golden Temple was rebuilt in 1764 by Jassa Singh Ahluwalia. In the early 19th century, Maharaja Ranjit Singh covered the upper floors of the Gurdwara with gold, which gives it its distinctive appearance and its English name.

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Over 100,000 people visit the holy shrine daily for worship, and also partake jointly in the free community kitchen and meal (Langar) regardless of caste, colour, creed, sex and religion, a tradition that is a hallmark of all Sikh Gurudwaras.

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                      A three storey communal kitchen serves

up to 40,000 meals daily!

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Some of the architectural features of the Golden Temple were intended to be symbolic of the Sikh philosophy. Instead of the normal custom of building a Gurdwara on high land, it was built at a lower level than the surrounding land so that devotees would have to go down steps to enter it. In addition, instead of one entrance it has four, signifying the importance of acceptance and openness.

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The Gurdwara is surrounded by the Sarovar, a large lake or holy tank, which consists of Amrit ("holy water" or "immortal nectar") and is fed by the Ravi River. There are three holy trees (bers), each signifying a historical event or Sikh saint. Inside the Gurdwara there are many memorial plaques that commemorate past Sikh historical events, saints and martyrs, including commemorative inscriptions of all the Sikh soldiers who died fighting in World War I and World War II.

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The Darshani Deorhi Arch stands at the beginning of the causeway and is 203 ft high and 20 ftwide. The gold plating was begun by Ranjit Singh and was finished in 1830. Maharaja Ranjit Singh was a major donor of wealth and materials for the shrine.

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The Golden Temple complex also houses the Akal Takht (the throne of the timeless one), built by the sixth Sikh Guru, Guru Hargobind as an authority for administering justice and consideration of temporal issues.

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Operation Blue Star

Operation Blue Star was a military operation in 1984, ordered by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in order to establish control over the Golden Temple, and remove Siklh leader Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and his armed followers. Bhindranwale had earlier taken residence in the Golden Temple and made it his headquarters in 1980. 
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Fierce fighting ensued between Sikhs and the army, with heavy casualties on both sides. The attack is regarded by Sikhs, and the international human rights community, as a desecration of Sikhism's holiest shrine and discrimination against a minority in India.
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Within six months, on 31 October 1984, Indira Gandhi's Sikh bodyguards assassinated her!

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Sri Harmandir Sahib Ji  'The Golden Temple' in 1867

A Sikh pilgrim at the Harmandir Sahib.

The man has just had a bath in the sarovar (pool of nectar).

The Darshani Deorhi Arch entrance

Video: animix • Shutterstock.com/6064469