Amritsar

“A spiritual sanctuary that embraces all with open arms”

-unknown

The journey to Amritsar would take about 5 hours the driver said the first part would be slow as we navigated down the mountain but then we would hit a flat highway, no pack lunch required as there was a restaurant that was ok for foreigners. We arrived at the lunch/toilet break about 11,30 it was a wedding resort in the middle of know where. Importantly toilets were clean with paper. I wasn’t that hungry so I had buttered nana and some Pakora which was crunchy and delicious. They really don’t eat a lot of green vegetables

Arrived at the Taj Swarna hotel to be greeted by loud banging drums you could feel the heat hot hot and dry. The guide would meet me at the hotel at 8.45pm to visit the Golden temple. So I took the time to explore the hotel there were many Sikh at the hotel so many different Turban, shops and wedding guests As the temple was a place of pilgrimage for Sikhs I made sure I was dressed appropriately so I chose a dress that had 3/4 sleeves and was nearly ankle lengthi also took a cotton scarf to cover my head.

The car dropped us at the beginning of the bazaar that lead to the temple it was 41c not a breathe of air and so many pilgrims.

The Golden Temple, the most important pilgrimage site of Sikhism. Known by locals as Harmandir Sahib, the Golden Temple is surrounded by the holy waters of the Amrit Sarovar and devotees travel from across the world to bathe and pay their respects to the holy Sikh scripture within.

Everyone had come to see auspicious Palki Sahib night ceremony. Witness the Guru Granth Sahib (Holy Book) being carried from the main shrine to the inner sanctum amid the chanting of hymns.

Before entering the temple you need to check your shoes and walk through water to my surprise the guard would not let me in as my dress was not long enough the guide then tried another guard who told him the same story they were concerned if I sat down and then got up I might show too much leg. Oh dear the guide was a bit annoyed with them as he felt I was dress appropriately to the rules so back we went to the bazzar to get some long pants to wear under the dress. As you know I’m not a size 6-8 for pants so my selection was limited. I ended up with camouflage green tracksuits pants but on returning to the temple I was let in I was even hotter plus the scarf makes you even hotter

The first glimpse of the temple took my breath away it was so magnificent more than I could have imagined shimmering in the night sky so many pilgrims. The lighting and the reflection in the lake totally amazing.

We walked half way around the lake to end up near the entrance to the temple so many people waiting in line there were multiple sections I stood in the section with no access to the temple. In front of me was a carriage and a small group of Sikh men then there was two other lines male and female that were waiting to go into the temple.

The men with the carriage would at 10.30pm decorate the carriage then carry it to the inner temple to collect pages from the holy book and bring it back out

The crowd go excited once they started to run to the temple then you waited in the heat for it to return so much enthusiasm when it reappeared. Very difficult to get any clear photos

Slowly we walked back to where our shoes were waiting it so hot the photo shows you how hot it was 11.30pm even the Sikh at the shoe collection place looked exhausted

Back at hotel near midnight the foyer was buzzing I had a shower and went to bed as I was going back to the temple in the morning. I wore long pants and 3/4 sleeve shirt no questions asked plus a lighter weight scarf It was hot but would get hotter even more people at the temple this time we would walk around the entire lake ending up at the temple entrance. As you walk around you see men and boys undressing to the underwear so they could bathe in the water. There were closed sections where women could bathe in private not sure if the water was clean. It was like a small village life around the lake.

The line to enter the temple was about a one hour wait so we kept moving towards the kitchen and dinning area. Every visitor can sit and have a free meal. It is estimated they make 35,000 vegetarian meals every day. The kitchen was conditioned as the windows were open but many volunteers helping with the cooking, making chapatti, cutting veg, cooking and washing all those stainless steel dish .

After the temple I went and looked at the Jallianwala Bagh, the memorial commemorating the 1919 massacre in the Punjab We also went to the memorial for the fighting that happened at partition during the fighting when the Punjab state was split into 2 areas one in India and one in Pakistan

Next it was lunch at a local restaurant where the main chef was a winner Masterchef India. The resturant was big as was the menu. It was Mango month so yet another menu to read. I ended up with paneers shashlick with mango salsa yummy and butter naan. Both very very good

Back to the hotel to take a brake from the heat so we could leave by 4.30pm to drive to the Wagah border with India and Pakistan to witness the ceremonial changing of the guard. However this did not happened as about 3.30pm the sky opened up and thunder and lightning. Hotel power was not very stable. The guide notified me that it was not recommend to go.

The storm was very active until after midnight

Next morning a drive to the airport I took a photo of the police going work on a motorbike with gun