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After breakfast move for sightseeing covering
Golden Temple- Golden Temple or Darbar Sahib
is the most sacred temple for Sikhs - one which every
Sikh longs to make a pilgrimage to, and thousands visit
daily. Guru Ram Das, the fourth Guru of the Sikhs, who
came to live near this peaceful place, started building
the pilgrimage centre around the small pool, (later
to become the Sarowar).
The Harmandir Sahib, as the main temple is known, was
envisioned by Guru Arjan Dev. It was conceived by him
to reflect the resoluteness, clarity and simplicity
of the Sikh religion. The four doors, one on each side
of the Temple, are symbolically open to all four castes
- Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas and Shudras.
The beautiful gilding, artistic marble inlays and the
elaborate mirror-work on the Harmandir Sahib came much
later. It was only in the nineteenth century during
the reign of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, that the people
of Punjab lavished their wealth on their revered shrine.
The Granth Sahib, the holy book of the Sikhs, was installed
in the Harmandir Sahib in 1604, three years after its
completion.
The fact that the foundation stone of the Golden temple
was formally laid by the Muslim mystic, Mir Mohammed
Muayyinul Islam, popularly known as Mian Mir, in 1589
on the request of Guru Arjun Dev, sends out a strong
message of communal amity. The Guru-ka-Langar or the
common canteen, provides free food to all visitors,
regardless of colour, creed, caste or gender. the holy
scripture is brought in a vivid procession from the
Akal Takhat (the highest temporal seat of the Sikhs)
in the morning to the temple to be returned at night.
Singing is central to Sikh worship & is a feast
to the souls when hymns from the holy scripture are
recited Kirtan and the waves of the classical ragas,
a sublim blend of voice & music.
Jallianwala Bagh-the historic site where hundreds
of innocent Indian men, women an children were massacred
by British General Michael Dyer on April 13, 1919. A
memoral and Garden have been created here as a national
monument.
Afternoon visit
Indo-Pak Border to watch retreat ceremony-35
KM on the road to Lahore is India-Pakistan Border. A
visit to the border is an interesting experience especially
at Sunset, when the retreat ceremony takes place with
the Border Security Force on the Indian Side and the
Sutlej Rangers on the Pakistan side putting up a well
coordinated and spectacular display. The sound from
the Bugles blown together from both sides paints past
on the canvas when India and Pakistan were one, simultaneously
Flags of the two nations are ceremoniously retrieved
and lights are switched on marking the end of the day.
Amidst thunderous applause today this point is the only
land route open to approach Pakistan and central Asia.
Return to hotel. Overnight stay.
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Golden Temple
Jallianwala Bagh
Wagha Border
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