DIVINE ICONS
Peppered with places of great religious significance, Amritsar exudes an aura of spirituality.
The most enduring legacy of the city is the 6 Golden Temple ( sgpc.net), also called Sri Harmandir Sahib or Darbar Sahib. Made of marble, the two-storeyed structure is plated with 24-karat gold—everything including its domes, doors, and walls is gilded. It is surrounded by the holy Amrit Sarovar, the water of which is believed by many to have healing powers. The Guru Granth Sahib, the main sacred scripture of Sikhism, is seated inside the sanctum for 20 hours every day, before being taken in an elaborate, night-time ceremony to the adjoining Akal Takht Sahib, considered the highest temporal seat of Sikhism. Across the main street is the Guru Ka Mahal, a towering structure of white marble that was originally built as a humble hut to serve as the residence of Guru Ram Das. The oneof-its-kind Gurdwara Mata Kaulan is dedicated to a Muslim woman who was tortured for her devotion to Guru Hargobind before being rescued. She then devoted her life to the service of humankind.