I am often asked what my favorite sacred places are in the world,
among the many hundreds I have visited. I could not choose one in
particular, but included in the top ten would certainly be the
Golden Temple. It is a place of both stupendous beauty and sublime
peacefulness. Originally a small lake in the midst of a quiet
forest, the site has been a meditation retreat for wandering
mendicants and sages since deep antiquity. The Buddha is known to
have spent time at this place in contemplation.Two thousand years
after Buddha's time, another philosopher-saint came to live and
meditate by the peaceful lake. This was Guru Nanak (1469-1539), the
founder of the Sikh religion. After the passing away of Guru Nanak,
his disciples continued to frequent the site; over the centuries it
became the primary sacred shrine of the Sikhs. The lake was
enlarged and structurally contained during the leadership of the
fourth Sikh Guru (Ram Dass, 1574-1581), and during the leadership
of the fifth Guru (Arjan, 1581-1606), the Hari Mandir, or Temple of
God was built. From the early 1600s to the mid 1700s the sixth
through tenth Sikh Gurus were constantly involved in defending both
their religion and their temple against Moslem armies. On numerous
occasions the temple was destroyed by the Moslems, and each time
was rebuilt more beautifully by the Sikhs. From 1767 onwards, the
Sikhs became strong enough militarily to repulse invaders. Peace
returned to the Hari Mandir.
The temple's architecture draws on both Hindu and Moslem artistic
styles yet represents a unique coevolution of the two. During the
reign of Maharaja Ranjit Singh (1780-1839), Hari Mandir was richly
ornamented with marble sculptures, golden gilding, and large
quantities of precious stones. Within the sanctuary, on a
jewel-studded platform, lies the Adi Grantha, the sacred scripture
of the Sikhs. This scripture is a collection of devotional poems,
prayers, and hymns composed by the ten Sikh gurus and various
Moslem and Hindu saints. Beginning early in the morning and lasting
until long past sunset, these hymns are chanted to the exquisite
accompaniment of flutes, drums, and stringed instruments. Echoing
across the serene lake, this enchantingly beautiful music induces a
delicate yet powerful state of trance in the pilgrims strolling
leisurely around the marble concourse encircling the pool and
temple. An underground spring feeds the sacred lake, and throughout
the day and night pilgrims immerse themselves in the water, a
symbolic cleansing of the soul rather than an actual bathing of the
body. Next to the temple complex are enormous pilgrims' dormitories
and dining halls where all persons, irrespective of race, religion,
or gender, are lodged and fed for free.
Amritsar, the original name of first the ancient lake, then the
temple complex, and still later the surrounding city, means "pool
of ambrosial nectar." Looking deeply into the origins of this word
amrit, we find that it indicates a drink of the gods, a rare and
magical substance that catalyzes euphoric states of consciousness
and spiritual enlightenment. With this word we have a very clear
example of the spirit, power, or energetic character of a
particular place becoming encoded as an ancient geographical place
name. The myth is not just a fairy tale. It reveals itself as a
coded metaphor if we have the knowledge to read the code: The
waters of Amritsar flowing into the lake of the Hari Mandir were
long ago - and remain today - a bringer of peacefulness.
