This past week I was on a 7 day trip in North India doing some sight seeing in Amritsar and its surrounding areas before our Hindu religious pilgrimage to Vaishno Devi in Katra. In Amritsar I visited the Golden Temple, Jallianwagha Bagh, and the Wagah Border. This post will mainly cover my time in Amritsar and Sikhism and another post will be coming soon to recap the rest!
My 7 day trip started at the Indore airport. It's about the same size as the ATX airport. My host dad has the contract for all the advertising and parking at the airport so we were able to surpass all the security checkpoints and avoid lines - they weren't very long anyways. Maybe it's because we took a 10 AM flight but the airport was not crowded and pretty quiet. Although it was physically the same size as ATX airport, it was smaller in comparison to available food vendors (there was 1 maybe 2) and the security screening process. My female padder and I, inside our privacy curtain, made nice conversation about the book I happened to be carrying with me, Complete Hindi. Its always good to earn brownie points with people and the best, sure fire way to do that is to tell them you are studying Hindi, in Hindi. We then boarded a bus that drove a short 800 ft to our small domestic travel plane where we boarded celebrity style. Of course I've boarded on the runway before but I will still feel cool doing it. Sorry if that's lame I'm just easily excited. So here's a picture of me looking fabulous.
My 7 day trip started at the Indore airport. It's about the same size as the ATX airport. My host dad has the contract for all the advertising and parking at the airport so we were able to surpass all the security checkpoints and avoid lines - they weren't very long anyways. Maybe it's because we took a 10 AM flight but the airport was not crowded and pretty quiet. Although it was physically the same size as ATX airport, it was smaller in comparison to available food vendors (there was 1 maybe 2) and the security screening process. My female padder and I, inside our privacy curtain, made nice conversation about the book I happened to be carrying with me, Complete Hindi. Its always good to earn brownie points with people and the best, sure fire way to do that is to tell them you are studying Hindi, in Hindi. We then boarded a bus that drove a short 800 ft to our small domestic travel plane where we boarded celebrity style. Of course I've boarded on the runway before but I will still feel cool doing it. Sorry if that's lame I'm just easily excited. So here's a picture of me looking fabulous.
Our 2 hour flight to Delhi went smoothly and was a nice intro into Indian domestic travel. We were served complimentary lunch which included a veg and non veg option. The washroom situation was exactly the same as all other planes so I have no exciting news to report about my relationship with that particular commode. Our second flight was similar except we were on a much larger plane, a Boeing 737-800.
At times I wish I had never explained the joke surroundings blondes and their notoriously low intelligence levels to my host family. When we landed in Amritsar I said the first thought that came to my mind, "wow, there are a lot of Sikhs here!" Of course this was hysterical because we were in Amritsar, the birthplace of Sikhism. My family responded with various sarcastic remarks for the remainder of the day not allowing me to forget the color of my hair. In my defense there are approximately 27 million Sikhs in the world but they only make up 1.9% of India's population. 2% of 1 billion is a lot of people. It would make sense I would be taken aback when you are in a city where everywhere you turn you see turbans, long beards, and traditional, white pilgrimage attire.
After lunch and some killer parrathas, buttermilk or meethi lassi, and black daal at Bharawan da Dhaba (dhaba means road side restaurant, so there are ____ da Dhabas all over the place), all specialities of the region, we took a rickshaw to Jallianwala Bagh.
Jallianwala Bagh
Jallianwala Bagh is a 6.5 acre public garden/green space in Amritsar in the Golden Temple complex. Besides being a public park it also holds historical significance as a memorial for the 1919 Amritsar/Jallianwala Bagh massacre. In 1919 British forces, under the command of Colonel Reginald Dyer, open fired 1,650 rounds in 10 minutes into a crowd of peaceful, nonviolent protestors and religious pilgrims. The riflemen aimed for exits, entrances, and walls on which people were climbing to escape. The British reported under 400 deaths and over 1,000 wounded, but the figures were likely much larger and are still disputed. 128 people died in a well on the premise, now referred to as “The Martyrs’ Well”, in attempts to escape the shooting. The space is very green with a red tower in the middle to memorialize the massacre. There are several preserved areas of the park that show bullet marks. People were milling about reading informational plaques, sitting in the grass, and occupying the space for which it was originally intended. It would have liked to spend all day there admiring the natural beauty of the greenery hidden in the city as well as the historical significance but we didn’t stay for too long because our next stop was the Harmandir Sahib or the Golden Temple!
Jallianwala Bagh is a 6.5 acre public garden/green space in Amritsar in the Golden Temple complex. Besides being a public park it also holds historical significance as a memorial for the 1919 Amritsar/Jallianwala Bagh massacre. In 1919 British forces, under the command of Colonel Reginald Dyer, open fired 1,650 rounds in 10 minutes into a crowd of peaceful, nonviolent protestors and religious pilgrims. The riflemen aimed for exits, entrances, and walls on which people were climbing to escape. The British reported under 400 deaths and over 1,000 wounded, but the figures were likely much larger and are still disputed. 128 people died in a well on the premise, now referred to as “The Martyrs’ Well”, in attempts to escape the shooting. The space is very green with a red tower in the middle to memorialize the massacre. There are several preserved areas of the park that show bullet marks. People were milling about reading informational plaques, sitting in the grass, and occupying the space for which it was originally intended. It would have liked to spend all day there admiring the natural beauty of the greenery hidden in the city as well as the historical significance but we didn’t stay for too long because our next stop was the Harmandir Sahib or the Golden Temple!
Sikhism
Before I describe my experience at the Golden temple here's some helpful information about Sikhism. This will make a lot of the things I reference coming up easier to understand!
Sikhs are monotheistic, believing that God is formless & genderless, all are equal before God, and everyone has direct access to God. It is currently the 5th largest religion in the world and one I feel not many people are informed about. Sikhism was founded by Guru Nanak in 1500 CE and 9 Gurus have followed him since. Their places of worship are called Gurdwaras which always have 4 entry points symbolizing that all are welcome and all house langars that provide free, simple meals. Similar to the 10 commandments in Christianity, Sikhs have the 5K’s: 1.) Kesh-uncut hair 2.) Kara-steel bracelet 3.) Kanga-wooden comb 4.) Kaccha-cotton underwear 5.) Kiran-steel sword. The 5 Khalsas indicate the follower is living a life of devotion to the Guru. Each K has meaning and the Guru felt having physical attributes would allow for a stronger fellowship and community among Sikhs. As I said before, by not cutting hair followers are more easily identified. They also believe that hair should remain uncut because it is a symbol of holiness and acceptance of God’s gifts (hair being something given to you from God). The Kara is a symbol of restraint, gentility, no beginning or end, and permanent bonding with the Sikh community (as a literal link in a larger chain). The Kanga helps take care of the long hair and is used in a way that keep one’s external appearance neat and clean in honor of God’s creation (you!). The Kaccha typically comes down below the knee and is a symbol of chastity. The Kirpan is typically worn under ones clothes and usually looks like a small dagger although it can be larger or smaller. The Kirpan is a metaphor for God, defense of the good & weak, and struggle against injustice.
The Golden Temple
The Darbar Sahib or the Harmandir Sahib is the intricately designed building constructed of white marble overlaid with gold that houses the Guru Granth Sahib - the holy text of the Sikhs. It's in the middle of a pool of water called the Amrit Sarovar meaning the pool of nectar. As a part of the Sikh pilgrimage followers and devotees bathe in the water (men in the open and women in bathing houses), for the water is believed to cleanse the soul. The Amrit Sarovar is also home to multiple giant koi fish can be identified from the continuous bubbling on the edges of the water. Before entering the temple you check your shoes, wash you hands, cover your head (men and women alike) and walk through shallow pools of water built into the floor to wash your feet.
Before I describe my experience at the Golden temple here's some helpful information about Sikhism. This will make a lot of the things I reference coming up easier to understand!
Sikhs are monotheistic, believing that God is formless & genderless, all are equal before God, and everyone has direct access to God. It is currently the 5th largest religion in the world and one I feel not many people are informed about. Sikhism was founded by Guru Nanak in 1500 CE and 9 Gurus have followed him since. Their places of worship are called Gurdwaras which always have 4 entry points symbolizing that all are welcome and all house langars that provide free, simple meals. Similar to the 10 commandments in Christianity, Sikhs have the 5K’s: 1.) Kesh-uncut hair 2.) Kara-steel bracelet 3.) Kanga-wooden comb 4.) Kaccha-cotton underwear 5.) Kiran-steel sword. The 5 Khalsas indicate the follower is living a life of devotion to the Guru. Each K has meaning and the Guru felt having physical attributes would allow for a stronger fellowship and community among Sikhs. As I said before, by not cutting hair followers are more easily identified. They also believe that hair should remain uncut because it is a symbol of holiness and acceptance of God’s gifts (hair being something given to you from God). The Kara is a symbol of restraint, gentility, no beginning or end, and permanent bonding with the Sikh community (as a literal link in a larger chain). The Kanga helps take care of the long hair and is used in a way that keep one’s external appearance neat and clean in honor of God’s creation (you!). The Kaccha typically comes down below the knee and is a symbol of chastity. The Kirpan is typically worn under ones clothes and usually looks like a small dagger although it can be larger or smaller. The Kirpan is a metaphor for God, defense of the good & weak, and struggle against injustice.
The Golden Temple
The Darbar Sahib or the Harmandir Sahib is the intricately designed building constructed of white marble overlaid with gold that houses the Guru Granth Sahib - the holy text of the Sikhs. It's in the middle of a pool of water called the Amrit Sarovar meaning the pool of nectar. As a part of the Sikh pilgrimage followers and devotees bathe in the water (men in the open and women in bathing houses), for the water is believed to cleanse the soul. The Amrit Sarovar is also home to multiple giant koi fish can be identified from the continuous bubbling on the edges of the water. Before entering the temple you check your shoes, wash you hands, cover your head (men and women alike) and walk through shallow pools of water built into the floor to wash your feet.
I was more than happy to oblige by the rule requiring everyone to cover their head and so was the majority of those who were visiting. Just incase someone was confused or didn't want to do so there were several guards at the entrance and walking around the complex to enforce their rules. They were happy to strictly reprimand you if your head covering was not over your whole head or during worship times, in the golden temple itself, if you weren't praying with your hands together at your heart. These guards were wearing traditional tunics and fashioned with a spear. Side note: the spear wasn’t for enforcement of the rules, just a Sikh thing similar to the Kiran. All Sikhs carry a small sword or dagger with them for the same reason - not for literal protection but for spiritual defense. I just really liked seeing the enforcement aspect of a religion. Sikhism is an extremely peaceful religion and, obviously as this spectacle proves, very open to people of all faiths participating in their religion with them. Although, they have the right, and exercise that right, to be picky about how things are done inside.
Approaching the doorway you can see the temple and it's astounding. It has the "OMG I can't believe it's real effect". That's what I call the feeling you get when you go to a famous site or city that you've seen in the news or in the media several times and, not that you ever doubted its existence, you still can't believe it's real and you are there. Besides the overwhelming feelings coursing through your body in the complex you're surrounded by enormous, beautiful white, marble buildings any architect student would love to study.
Again I was in awe of the religious devotion around me. There were people of all religions walking around and admiring the site but observing how Sikhs interacted with the space was my favorite. Many were bowing down on hands and knees, touching their heads to the floor even kissing it, and making small repetitive bowing movements to symbolize their submission to what is written in the Guru Granth Sahib and in respect to God. Men with bright orange turbans were removing their white long tunics and bathing in the water. Women were waiting in line to enter a bath house so they may bathe in privacy with other women.
One of the most noticeable activities is the long line of people waiting to enter the Darbar Sahib to see the Guru Granth Sahib, the sacred text being read by a Granthi. There are no priests in Sikhism and any Sikh may lead a congregation but Gurdwaras typically have one Granthi, someone who is specially trained in caring for the text and follower of the 5K’s. My family and I braved the crowd and waiting around 2 hours to enter the temple and by the skin of our teeth made it in all together. This was great time considering somedays the wait to enter the temple can be 8 hours. As we waited in line we could hear Gurbani Kirtan, the hymns being performed in the temple. They are broadcasted on speakers to the whole complex and we were able to follow along with tv screens mounted above us projecting the words in Punjabi, Hindi, and English.
Again I was in awe of the religious devotion around me. There were people of all religions walking around and admiring the site but observing how Sikhs interacted with the space was my favorite. Many were bowing down on hands and knees, touching their heads to the floor even kissing it, and making small repetitive bowing movements to symbolize their submission to what is written in the Guru Granth Sahib and in respect to God. Men with bright orange turbans were removing their white long tunics and bathing in the water. Women were waiting in line to enter a bath house so they may bathe in privacy with other women.
One of the most noticeable activities is the long line of people waiting to enter the Darbar Sahib to see the Guru Granth Sahib, the sacred text being read by a Granthi. There are no priests in Sikhism and any Sikh may lead a congregation but Gurdwaras typically have one Granthi, someone who is specially trained in caring for the text and follower of the 5K’s. My family and I braved the crowd and waiting around 2 hours to enter the temple and by the skin of our teeth made it in all together. This was great time considering somedays the wait to enter the temple can be 8 hours. As we waited in line we could hear Gurbani Kirtan, the hymns being performed in the temple. They are broadcasted on speakers to the whole complex and we were able to follow along with tv screens mounted above us projecting the words in Punjabi, Hindi, and English.
In my opinion the Sikh police, as I like to call them, had a pretty good system for controlling the crowd and letting people in. We stood at one point in the crowd still until everyone was ushered out of the temple then the guards lifted up the single piece of bamboo that acted as the barricade so the next group of eager followers could enter. Waiting was a lot of standing, standing, GO GO GO, wait, standing, GO GO, okay we're at the front now, GO GO PUSH GET EVERYONE THROUGH, whew we made it!
When we were inside it was crowded, of course, and everyone was straining to see the Guru Granth Sahib. It was wrapped in electric pink silk ornamented with thousands of crystals, so it really just looked like a rectangular lump if we're being honest. We worshipped, listened to the Granthi speak, performed Adras or prayer, then Hukam closed the night. Hokum is the process of reading a random page in the sacred text after Adras and before wrappin gate text back up. Unwrapping the layers and layers of material exposed the huge book which the Granthi read off of (randomly) then wrapped it back up to its lump form. After the hour of worship and chanting it was almost impossible to get out. Everyone wanted to touch the square in the room where the priests were sitting and give money. Rupees in varying amounts was thrown on the floor and the Granthis would gather it in overflowing handfuls and stuff it into metal boxes with a single slat opening. With the assistance of multiple stabbing motions from their 3 feet long Kirans/swords they were able to get all of the money int the offering box. As we made out way out of the main temple back into the complex where the walkway meets the main square there was a place to receive prasad (this time it was my favorite mushy brown stuff) and have have a bowl of drinking water.
The second thing I think makes the Golden Temple so spectacular is not just how pretty it is but what it means to all who visit. The complex is run completely on volunteers, thousands of them. When we dropped off our shoes the people operating the whole shoe exchange were volunteers, and pretty devoted ones considering they were in a hot smelly room with shoes keeping in mind Indians' attitudes about feet. The clean white marble floor we walked on were kept crystal clean - which is saying something for Indian public places - by people mopping, sweeping, and rolling up old, dirty carpets. The water bowls we drank from where washed by an assembly line of men and women only 5 feet away from the water station. Although the majority of volunteers are Sikhs, anyone can volunteer from any religion. People can donate their time for any reason be it asking for forgiveness, a cleared conscious, or giving back to the community. The most spectacular display of this community service is in the Langar.
When we were inside it was crowded, of course, and everyone was straining to see the Guru Granth Sahib. It was wrapped in electric pink silk ornamented with thousands of crystals, so it really just looked like a rectangular lump if we're being honest. We worshipped, listened to the Granthi speak, performed Adras or prayer, then Hukam closed the night. Hokum is the process of reading a random page in the sacred text after Adras and before wrappin gate text back up. Unwrapping the layers and layers of material exposed the huge book which the Granthi read off of (randomly) then wrapped it back up to its lump form. After the hour of worship and chanting it was almost impossible to get out. Everyone wanted to touch the square in the room where the priests were sitting and give money. Rupees in varying amounts was thrown on the floor and the Granthis would gather it in overflowing handfuls and stuff it into metal boxes with a single slat opening. With the assistance of multiple stabbing motions from their 3 feet long Kirans/swords they were able to get all of the money int the offering box. As we made out way out of the main temple back into the complex where the walkway meets the main square there was a place to receive prasad (this time it was my favorite mushy brown stuff) and have have a bowl of drinking water.
The second thing I think makes the Golden Temple so spectacular is not just how pretty it is but what it means to all who visit. The complex is run completely on volunteers, thousands of them. When we dropped off our shoes the people operating the whole shoe exchange were volunteers, and pretty devoted ones considering they were in a hot smelly room with shoes keeping in mind Indians' attitudes about feet. The clean white marble floor we walked on were kept crystal clean - which is saying something for Indian public places - by people mopping, sweeping, and rolling up old, dirty carpets. The water bowls we drank from where washed by an assembly line of men and women only 5 feet away from the water station. Although the majority of volunteers are Sikhs, anyone can volunteer from any religion. People can donate their time for any reason be it asking for forgiveness, a cleared conscious, or giving back to the community. The most spectacular display of this community service is in the Langar.
The Temple Langar is the area in the complex in which 50,000 free meals are served each day. When you walk in you are served assembly line style. You get your large plate, water bowl, and spoon. With all required materials you then go into one of their large dining halls where you sit on a mat and arrange your plate in front of you. Next volunteers come pushing large pots of food, dishing it out (not so gracefully I may add) into your plate. In Langar's all over India rotis are called prasad. At this Langar in order to receive a prasad you had to sit with you hands cupped up waiting for someone to walk by and dish one out. This is a stark contrast to how food is served at home where even if you have both hands covering your plate in resistance you will get a roti. Black daal, alou subjee, rice milk (basically hot arroz con leche) and prasad were served and not wasting is emphasized in these places more than anywhere else. This exact meal, served in Langars all over India, is relatively simple Indian cuisine as to follow the ordinance of maintaining a simple lifestyle. After you're done eating you go back to an assembly line of people that gather your spoon, water bowl, and large plate in the same order you received it. The clamor is deafening. Stainless steel on stainless steel being tossed around, dunked in water, and smashed together. This meal was definitely one of my favorites for both experience and taste (I'm a huge daal fan).
Although the time varies through out the year according to the Sikh calendar, around 10:15 PM the Guru Granth Sahib, carried on the Palki Sahib (a palanquin), is taken from the Harmandir Sahib to the Akal Takhat Sahib for the night. This happens every evening and takes exactly 15 minutes. I was able to run from my dinner at the langar to witness this short migration. There was a large crowd retained by many Sikh police and barricades, as the Granthis carried the Palki Sahib after several repetitive blows on a funky horn trumpet, waiting to get a chance to touch the Palki Sahib and bring blessings to their hearts and heads and pray. Ranjana and I were separated in the chaos, but it was incredible to get lost in the wave of people being pulled in a single direction toward the sacred text as it made it’s evening transition.
The last thing I'll say about the Harmandir Sahib is about Sikhism itself. There's so much to say so I'll have this be the last because it stuck with me the most: the Sikh Guru pluralistic worldview. Sikhs do not believe in religious exclusivism, in my opinion this was only made possible because of how young of a religion it is in comparison to other major world religions. They are more liberal about living a religious life and the principals one believes in. In fact they are much less intense about faith in general. They believe a life well lived is not one of complete religious devotion. In fact they believe quite the opposite, they think that religion should not tear you away from your daily life, but your daily life should bring you closer to God and your faith. Now how cool is that?!
Although the time varies through out the year according to the Sikh calendar, around 10:15 PM the Guru Granth Sahib, carried on the Palki Sahib (a palanquin), is taken from the Harmandir Sahib to the Akal Takhat Sahib for the night. This happens every evening and takes exactly 15 minutes. I was able to run from my dinner at the langar to witness this short migration. There was a large crowd retained by many Sikh police and barricades, as the Granthis carried the Palki Sahib after several repetitive blows on a funky horn trumpet, waiting to get a chance to touch the Palki Sahib and bring blessings to their hearts and heads and pray. Ranjana and I were separated in the chaos, but it was incredible to get lost in the wave of people being pulled in a single direction toward the sacred text as it made it’s evening transition.
The last thing I'll say about the Harmandir Sahib is about Sikhism itself. There's so much to say so I'll have this be the last because it stuck with me the most: the Sikh Guru pluralistic worldview. Sikhs do not believe in religious exclusivism, in my opinion this was only made possible because of how young of a religion it is in comparison to other major world religions. They are more liberal about living a religious life and the principals one believes in. In fact they are much less intense about faith in general. They believe a life well lived is not one of complete religious devotion. In fact they believe quite the opposite, they think that religion should not tear you away from your daily life, but your daily life should bring you closer to God and your faith. Now how cool is that?!
Our stay in Amritsar, although be it short (1.5 days), showed me a whole new world in India. Comparing Indore and Amritsar is hard to do and I will avoid analyzing it too much because they are just so different. Indore is the sleepy little town that people move to for raising their families. It has a very suburban feel after visiting Amritsar and other North Indian cities. Obviously Indore is not small, it has a population of 3 million, but again, in comparison to The Punjab it's a little quiet. When I return to India I will definitely be spending the majority of my time in the Punjab where the most iconic scenes of India and one happy Texan traveler can be found.