India is an old country and together with
China, they formed the oldest countries that existed as uniting units thousands
of years ago.
One of the great benefits of being an old
country is the number of values and cultures that will be exported around the
world.
Among the most important heritage sites in India that have influenced the world is the Temple of gold. Use the checklist below to identify religious values.
The Gold Temple is also known as the "Darbar Sahib" or "Harmandar Sahib", and is one of the oldest places of worship for Indian Sikhs. It is located in Amritsar, Punjab.The whole temple was made of pure gold, adding to the beauty of the temple.
The temple is surrounded by a man-made pool
with many fish on it. To get to the temple, you must walk on water. The temple
is brought in from four different sides to show openness and acceptance.
The temple was originally built without a gold
cover. It was during the reign of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, ruler of the Punjab in
the early 19th century that the temple was completely restored and is what it
is today.
Prior to the construction of the temple, the
first Sikh Gugu, Gugu Nanak, used to meditate on the site. Then came the fifth
Gugu, Gugu Arjana where the temple was built.
The man-made pool around the temple is known as 'Amrit Sarovar' which is translated 'Holy Nectar pool'.The temple is so sacred that 35% of the pilgrims come from a religion other than Sikhism.
Langar in the gold temple serves up to 200,000
people during special religious ceremonies. Amazingly, all the food that is
served is a contribution from the faithful.
With hand-painted paintings and patterns, the
gold temple is one of the most striking symbols of Mughal and Indian
architecture.
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