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Published: November 1st 2006
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The Golden Temple, Amritsar
In my new Indian suit, head covered My first encounter with a Sikh was on the plane. I tried to ask the man sitting beside me the significance of his turban, but he spoke minimal English. In my ignorance, I did not realise this was one of the significant signs of Sikkhism. My second encounter was at the airport when I asked a foreign woman what she had said to the customs official to make him smile - she replied that he was a Sikh and she had greeted him with their salutation - each religion in India has a different greeting!
Now that I have been living with a Sikh family, I have gradually understood more about their religion, and it is quite fascinating. All this culminated over the weekend when I accompanied Viky on a trip to Amritsar, home to the most important temple in Sikh religion, the Golden Temple (no wonder Gurnam was shocked when I, in my ignorance, asked what was at Amritsar!).
Viky's friend from England, also Sikh, was visiting Amritsar, so Viky at the last moment decided she would go to visit her on the weekend (she has to work during the week), and I of course said I'd love
Amritsar
Just another typical chaotic Indian street scene to accompany her. After a difficult 5am rise on Saturday, we caught a bus the 5-6 hour ride and arrived at the bustling town of Amritsar. How quickly the trip passes when you have a lovely companion to chat to!! 😊 Sikh temples all over the world provide free accommodation to all, and Viky knew a Guru (Sikh teacher) where we went to stay for free. Not only this, but free food is also provided. But first, a little about the religion.
Sikhism is a relatively recently established religion, dating back to the 16th Century. It was established against a background of Hinduism and Islam where women and men were treated unequally and the society was divided into castes. The teachings of the founder of Sikhism, Guru Nanak, aimed to abolish the distinction of caste and creed, to preach of a God that was accessible to all, enshrining qualities of piety, sacrifice and heroism. The Golden Temple of Amritsar has four doors opening out in four different directions welcoming all people regardless of caste or creed. It is dedicated to no particular deity, but houses the "Guru Granth Sahib", or the Sikh Scripture, which includes hymns not only by
Hundreds of pilgrims...
... visit the temple and bathe ritually in the waters Sikh Gurus, but also by Muslims, Hindus and the so-called untouchable saints and sages. These hymns are written in the spoken language of the people, and are sung all day long in the Golden Temple.
Sikhism had ten Gurus, and the eleventh is considered as Guru Granth Sahib, containing their teachings, which is considered to be living. The tenth Guru tried to abolish prejudices and differences in Indian society by introducing a new form of baptism, following which Sikhs would wear five signs: uncut hair- considered a gift of God; a comb - symbolising cleanliness and pure thought; a pair of shorts serving as underwear - symbolising high moral character; an iron bracelet - symbolising their unbreakable link with God and the brotherhood of man; and a sword - symbolising freedom of spirit for self-respect and self-defence. The latter was also given to women, of great significance in a time where women had no means to defend themselves.
I was fortunate to have Viky's friend - extremely devout and very eloquant in explaining the Sikh faith - as my guide through the Temple, and she also explained about the faith's bloody history. Throughout their history Sikhs have defended
Feeding the masses
24 hours a day free food at the Temple with no distinction between creed or caste the right for people to have the freedom to choose their religion, and the museum in the Temple shows paintings of many of the battles which have been fought to this end.
It was certainly impressive to see how many pilgrims had come to see the Temple - litterally teeming with people! We had to wait a good half hour to enter the inner chamber of the Golden Temple and I understood how Gurnam and co had said sometimes they just sat there for hours listening to the chanting (I am slowly starting to appreciate the music which began by driving me mad!). We also went to eat in the huge eating hall - an amazing and humbling experience. The cooks, plate-washers, and other helpers are all volunteers (they were handing out knives to passers by to help cut onions). The hall is spread with long rectangular mats where the people sit and are served as as many helpings as they need - in the past kings sat beside untouchables with no distinction made! Litterally thousands are fed, 24 hours a day, and all is totally free!
So we spent the weekend at the Golden Temple, visiting a
And the volunteers behind it
Knives were handed out to the passing public to help Guru friend -the girls massaged his hands as he had had a stroke recently, and visiting other Sikh temples in the area. To give an idea of the diversity of India, right next to the Temple there was a Hindu festival going on Saturday night!!
Sunday afternoon we made the long journey back (earplugs were a saviour sitting behind the driver who was constantly honking his horn at the oncoming traffic!!), and I again sit in the comfort of the family home in Jammu!
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mohanflora
non-member comment
Sikhism is great but the present day religious leaders are short-sighted!
Short and to the point article on the Sikhs with a nice sprinkling of attached snapshots of their city. True, women are considered equal to men in the Sikh religion(as taught by theit Gurus) and their is no casteism(theoretically!) but the present day leaders and so-called leaders of the faith do not believe in the tenets. Hope good sense prevails on them-before it is too late and the generationext turns away altogether from the turban and the other symbols of their faith!