Amritsar

Amritsar - site of the glorious, revered Golden Temple.

Founded in 1577 by the fourth Sikh guru, Guru Ram Das, Amritsar is home to the spectacular Golden Temple, Sikhism's holiest shrine and one of India’s most serene and humbling sights. The same cannot be said for the hyperactive streets surrounding the temple.
It felt like we were asked every 10m if it is okay to take a photo with us. I was on a guided tour of Amritsar with Matthias and our guide Pratit.

At the southeast end of the Golden Temple Complex is the Guru-Ka-Langar, an enormous dining room where an estimated 100.000 pilgrims come to eat every day after praying at the Golden Temple. There’s no charge to eat here, but a donation is appropriate, and voluntary help with the staggering pile of washing up is always appreciated. Catering equally to everyone from paupers to millionaires, it's a humbling demonstration of the Sikh principles of hospitality, community service and charity.
We volunteered to help for a few minutes and rolled out a few chapatis.Läs mer