I have a map of the world marked with places I want to go to before I die. The only map pin in the subcontinent is stuck in Amritsar because of the Golden Temple, so this felt like something of a pilgrimage and a fitting end to the trip.
The Harmandir Sahib
Wikipedia calls it “the most significant shrine in Sikhism” and it’s immediately apparent that this is a sacred place. Nevertheless, I felt comfortable walking around it and nobody seemed to mind my GoPro, though I didn’t want to overdo it.
It was the golden building that I came to see but it was the atmosphere of the whole temple complex that I will remember. There was a genuine air of bonhomie about the place. We were all pilgrims of one sort or another I suppose.
I would definitely recommend a visit at night as well as during the day. The temple is stunning after dark.
Jallianwala Bagh
A short walk from the Golden Temple complex is a memorial to the victims of the 1919 massacre that was committed on the site. I knew about it from the 1982 movie Gandhi.
As a British person I felt obliged to visit the site. It is an important historical location and wasn’t as daunting in reality as it seemed in prospect.
Wagah-Attari Border Ceremony
Every day at sunset a ceremony is performed at the India-Pakistan border. The whole thing is completely bonkers with flag-waving kids, a street full of dancing middle-aged women and military types trying to kick themselves in the face.
Definately worth a look.
Footage of the very lovely “Golden Temple” – the Harmandir Sahib. Also, a quick side trip to witness the madness of the Wagah border ceremony.
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