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LOCATION:

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Sikhs very own

-Vatican City'.

The Harmandir Sahib (Golden Temple) precinct in Amritsar, India is

an important site for Sikh pilgrimage and tourism.
It is located amidst a very densely built, mixed use/residential

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Fig: Harmandir sahib precinct amidst
tightly-knit fabric

There is a loop road, called Galiara Road around the precinct and five main gateways
into the precinct one of them is at right angles to the north-western face of the precinct

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Fig: Harmandir sahib precinct amidst
tightly-knit fabric

The area around the precinct has a large amount of traffic of varied nature motorised
including cars, buses and two-wheelers and slow moving like rickshaws and ox / horse
carts.
This precinct is a rich source of architectural and cultural

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Fig: Harmandir Sahib

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1.CENTRAL SIKH MUSEUM
2. HISTORICAL SEAT
3. DUKH BHANJANI BERI
4. ATH SATH TIRATH
5. GURU KA LANGAR
6. DIWAN HALL MANJI SAHIB
7. SHAHEED BUNGA BABA
-DEEP SINGH
8. ELACHI BER
9. TOSHA KHAANA
10.HAR KI PAURI
11. AKAL TAKHT
12. GURDWARA THARA SAHIB
13. BER BABA BUDHA JI
14.SIKH REFERENCE LIBRARY
15.GURDWARA BABA ATAL RAI

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This is located at the north-eastern entrance gateway to the precinct. The

gateway has got the luggage storage centre and information office in its
vicinity.
1 .FIG: CENTRAL SIKH
MUSEUM

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It is a structure that comprises the notional historical

seat of the Sikh religion.
2.FIG: HISTORICAL SEAT

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Bibi Rajani,

This is a jujube (ber) tree considered

sacred by Sikhs.
3. Fig: DUKHBHANJINI BER

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It is a shrine, if visited allows one to

realize the dream of visiting 68 holy
places of India.

4. Fig: ATH SATH TIRATH

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This is the free community kitchen, which is a

tradition started by Sikh Gurus and still popular in all
major Sikh temples
5. Fig: GURU KA LANGAR

communal dining ha

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5. Fig: . GURU KA LANGAR

Community

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This is a Gurudwara situated in the

Guru Ka Bagh and is now turned into a
very spacious lecture hall.
This is a place where the fifth Sikh guru
recited holy verses.
6. Fig: . DIWAN HALL MANJI

congregation hall.

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7. Fig: . SHAHEED BUNGA BABA

The place is in the memory of Baba Deep

Singhs (A Great Sikh Warrior) who sacrificed
for the dignity of Sri Harmandir Sahib while

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The jujube tree where the fifth guru supervised the construction of
Harmandir Sahib.

8. Fig: ELACHI BER

treasury or secured storehouse

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Vernacular word for treasure house, located on the fifth floor of

Darshani Deorhi, contains gifts donated to Harmandir Sahib by
devotees
9. Fig: TOSHA KHANNA

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The stairs literally mean the Gods staircase
meaning that God himself took part in the
construction of the precinct at this place

steps of Almighty God, on the backside of the sanctum

sanctorumHarmandir Sahib
10. Fig: HAR KI PAURI

The highest temporal seat of Sikh

religion was set up here by the sixth
Sikh guru.

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The word Akal means, time-less (often used for Almighty-God) Takhat means
a throne (seat) where the kings, emperors used to sit. Hence Akal Takhat : the
seat of Almighty.
11. Fig: AKAL TAKHAT SAHIB

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The ninth Guru sat and

prayed at this point
12. Fig: GURDWARA THARA SAHIB

The first head priest of Harmandir

Sahib, Baba Budha ji supervised the
construction of the sarovar the holy
water tank under this tree

14. Fig: BER BABA BUDHA JI

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Houses research material on Sikh History, rare

manuscripts and hand written Guru Granth
Sahib
14. Fig: SIKH REFERENCE LIBRARY

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Gurudwara Baba Atal is basically a

smadh (cenotaph) to the memory
of Baba Atal

15. Fig: GURDWARA BABA ATAL

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Parikarma (the circumarnbulatory path all around the Water Pool) - The
Parikarma has a raised platform towards the sarovar and a colonnaded space
and series of rooms onto the other side.
There are four shrines, which define the inner periphery of the Parikarma
and stand as a symbolic sign within the core precinct Lachi ber, Baba Budha
ji
ber and Dukh Bhanjini ber and the holy shrine of Baba Deep Singh.
PARIKARMA

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Fig: Aerial view of Harmandir

Sahib precinct

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Fig: AERIAL VIEW

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Fig: Aerial view of Harmandir

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Fig: Aerial view of Harmandir

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Fig: Harmandir Sahib precinct

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Fig: Harmandir Sahib precinct

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Fig: Harmandir Sahib precinct

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Fig: THE AKAL TAKHAT - the religious governing body of the Sikhs

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This precinct has intrinsic environmental qualities and site characteristics.

The construction started in 1588 and completed in 1604.
The street pattern in the vicinity developed as a result of the lifestyle at that
time no vehicles, horse riding and travel on foot.

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Thus the lanes are tight and are lined by mixed use development.
The precinct contains many Gurudwaras. Some of them are built around
water pools and some around sacred trees.
The architectural style of these gurudwaras is an amalgam of Hindu and
Muslim styles with some local adaptation.

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The precinct contains many Gurudwaras. Some of them are built around
water pools and
some around sacred trees. The architectural style of these gurudwaras is an
amalgam of
Hindu and Muslim styles with some local adaptation.

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The main temple is a three storey structure resting on a rectangular platform located in
the
water pool the Sarovar and is constructed in white marble. Visitors bathe in these
waters

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The lower storey is inlaid with precious stones depicting animals and flowers - a
technique known as
pietradura and the ceiling is elaborately embellished. It houses the Guru Granth Sahib
the holy book.

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The upper storey is gold plated and there is a solid gold dome on top of the third storey,
in form of an inverted lotus flower. The lowermost floor is submerged in the sarovar.
The entire building including the external facade is richly decorated with floral design
either inlayed in marble, painted in tempera or embossed in metal.

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The size of the quadrangle (the main Sarovar with the Parikarma around) is around
170m square and the circulation path around is around 10m wide. It is finished in white
and black marble tiles. The shrine is open from all four sides and has a passage all
around it. Towards the eastern side are the flights of steps, known as har- ki pauri

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On the same axis of the temple and the causeway is the Akal Takht Sahib, the highest
seat of authority in the religious hierarchy of the Sikhs, which stands facing the
principle entrance. This is a five storied structure, where Guru Granth Sahib is placed
during night.

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It also houses the weapons belonging to Sikh Gurus and renowned warriors. It is skewed
and is oriented towards the east. In front of this is the open multi activity space, also
known as Gurmath space, used for congregation activities.
The rooms abutting the Gurmath space is karha prasad room (where the Prasad is
prepared and served).

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1.Amber Fort