The Golden Temple in Amritsar, Punjab, India

After the border ceremony we took our bus back to the hotel. Once we got there, Mark informed us that we had paid for the bus all day and if we wanted to go somewhere, the driver could take us there and drop us off. Everyone bailed out except for the ladies and me, as Drew was feeling sick this day and he just wanted to sleep some. The girls all wanted to see the Golden Temple, so we told the driver and off we went.

While on the bus, I sat in the front with the driver and tried to get some photos taken of the street action. In so doing I took off my lens cap. All of a sudden the driver stopped and pointed for us to walk up the road. We all got out and in the process I left the lens cap on the bus… stupid, stupid, stupid me! I knew better then that and even though I have a clear lens protector on the front element, I still don’t want to scratch it (it cost $80) by putting it in my backpack. So now two things will occur:

1. I’ll have to carry my camera around my neck till after the trip is over.
2. … and since my camera will be around me 24/7 out, I have no excuse for not getting photos!

So in the end it might have been a good thing I lost the lens cap, as it forces me to take more photos. I have to admit, India is a photographers dream place but sometimes I just find myself walking around looking at stuff in awe. Seriously so many things are so different to me here and I am LOVING every minute of it.

Anyways, we make it to the temple, after walking down some shady streets for 3-4 blocks and asking directions 4-5 times. We had to store our shoes and the ladies had to get a head scarf to wear (which was free and supplied by the temple). Even the guys have to wear head gear of some sort and for once I didn’t have to remove my skull cap. All set we went to enter the temple by crossing a moat that is full of warm water that cleans your feet before you enter, which I personally thought was a nice touch. I have no clue what the Sikh religion was but Emily and Bella were well informed on it. They tried their best to explain to me my weird questions of ignorance on it.

It should be noted that this is probably the most holiest place for the Sikh people, as it houses The Sri Guru Granth Sahib literature inside the Golden Temple. This is a book, the first book in fact. Think of it like if the original Bible for their religion, which was written in 1708. If you want to read more about this temple, click here for the Wikipedia page.

After we had a moment of looking at it and taking photos, Bella said she was hungry and the ladies decided we would eat there. I wasn’t super hungry but could eat but I didn’t fancy walking around outside the temple barefooted. They laughed and said we would eat in the temple, which I didn’t know what they meant.

We walked to the left side of the temple and on the first floor was a craziness out of the norm of what was so tranquil before. As you walked into the room a man hands you a big round metal plate, then a boy gives you a spoon and then another man hands you a metal bowel. I’m standing there, thinking “Great but what do I do with this?” as there were no tables, no one eating or anything. Emily said to just follow the crowd of people, as they would lead the way. We did and the crowd lead us to a second floor with a huge open room about 80m x 80m big. Inside were row after rows of people sitting Indian style on the floor eating from there plates that were on the floor. This kind of took me a second to fully get but I got the point, that it was a communal eating area for everyone.

We sat along a wall and as much as it killed me to sit crossed legged like that, I did. Two seconds after sitting down a man walks by and drops a scoop of black dahl onto my plate, then another man drops a scoop of curry potatoes next to that. Wow, I feel like I’m in prison except shower rape isn’t an issue here (or so they say)! After that, a man walks up with some chapati (flat bread that looks like pita bread) and holds it over my plate. He doesn’t drop it and nods for me to hold out my hands, so I did. He drops two pieces of bread into my hands and the guy behind him drops a scoop of rice pudding. My plate is a mess but it’s a full plate of food nonetheless. We sit there quietly eating and I’m watching everyone. You have the poorest of India in the room, to middle-class to foreigners like us, all eating the same meal. It was a surreal moment and really summed up the Sikh religion. It’s a religion where there is no class-system and if you know anything about India this is very different, as even in Hinduism they have a caste system.

After we ate, we walked out and dropped off our plates to be washed. All the food preparation is done by volunteer workers, as well as the cleaning. On the complex is also a building where people can seek shelter. It’s basic but the set-up is mostly for people who are on a religious pilgrimage and are there to seek prayer and worship.

Once our bellies were full we decided it was finally time to see the inside of the Golden Temple. I was curious as what it would look like and wanted some photos of it. As expected signs were up everywhere stating “No Photos” so I obeyed but it didn’t stop Courtney from getting some shots. Man was I jealous because there inside is 3 levels and every level had a book in the middle in which people surround it, calling prayers and chanting. It was intoxicating and between the gold all over the place and the chanting I was in awe. I can’t really explain more then that as to what was going on, as I think it’s just something you need to experience to fully understand (that and maybe I’m just bad at writing stuff like that).

After we exited the temple a man was handing out scoops of something brown, putting a handful into your hand. I didn’t take any because I had my camera but the girls did. It tasted sweet, like chocolate Malt-O-Meal and I wished I actually gotten some. If all religious places served free food with no pressure after that except to respect the temple you were in, I’d be down for more visits myself.

A man sits and prays while facing the Pool of Nectar

Usha, Lauren, Emily, Courtney and Bella pose for a picture in front of the Golden Temple. Their holding out their hands because when you exited the temple the gave you a handful of prased (food offering) to eat. It tasted like chocolate Malt-O-Meal.

Men waiting off to the side of the outside segment of the complex.

People eating the free meal provided. It is free to everyone and you can eat as much as you want. Notice the head wraps the men are wearing. These are the temporary head wraps that you can use but have to give back when you exit the temple.

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