Golden Temple at dusk, Amritsar

© Vincent Boisvert, all right reserved/Getty Image

A timeless glow. Golden Temple, Amritsar

Glistening like a jewel under the sun, the Golden Temple is not just a place of worship—it's an experience for the soul. A gurudwara in Amritsar, Punjab, it is also known as Sri Darbar Sahib or Sri Harmandir Sahib. The site's journey began in 1577, when Guru Ram Das, the fourth Sikh Guru, completed the man-made pool surrounding the temple. Fast forward to 1604, and it was the fifth Guru, Guru Arjan, who placed the sacred Adi Granth within the temple, shaping its spiritual significance. Despite facing destruction multiple times at the hands of Mughal and Afghan invaders, the Sikhs showed resilience, rebuilding the temple each time.

In 1809, Maharaja Ranjit Singh stepped in, giving the temple its present look by reconstructing it with marble and copper, and later, covering its sanctum with gold leaf in 1830—hence the name, Golden Temple. What makes this gurudwara truly special is its unique design. Built lower than the land around, it represents humility and equality. The Golden Temple, with its four entrances on all sides, symbolises its open doors to people of all backgrounds, warmly welcoming everyone regardless of caste, creed or religion.