The Golden Temple

Trip Start Oct 01, 2007

Trip End Mar 28, 2008

Loading Map

Map your own trip!

Map Options

Show trip route

Hide lines

Where I stayed

Lucky Hotel Chennai (Madras)

Flag of India Amritsar, India
Friday, November 30, 2007

I will alway remember Amritsar for the Golden Temple- which was amazing and the Lucky Hotel which was not so amazing. In fact I think it was rather unlucky for everyone involved that I chose the Lucky Hotel. For 12 hours we had not water in the hotel - couldn't take a shower, wash your hands or flush the toilet. This is very unlucky for those of us that tend to get sick a lot in India. However, the water was back on for the worst of it. And I wasn't as sick as I was in Darjeeling so I was able to walk around for a bit and see the Golden Temple and a Sikh Museum, Ram Bagh, (which was very impressive in it's interactive technology and model configurations) but there really isn't all the much else to Amritsar.

The Golden Temple is the holiest shrine for the Sikh religion. During some unrest in the early 1980's the Temple was occupied by Sikhs wanting a separate Sikh state. On orders of prime minister Indira Gandhi they were evicted by the army but there was damaged to the temple and caused some violent Sikh-Hindu clashes and Gandhi was later assassinated by her Sikh bodyguards

Golden Temple from the main entrance

.

I think I had my picture taken more times at the Golden Temple than anywhere else in India. It was usually younger people and would start with one person taking a picture from afar or as I walked by and then one would get brave and ask if I'd take a "snap" with them, but then of course everyone in the group would want one. And then another group would see this then come over and ask for a "snap". I have yet to understand why I was so fascinating- (it wasn't just males asking me, it was equal number for females and males). I finally asked one of them why everyone wanted to take a picture with me, and he just replied "because we like you". I don't know if it was "you" as in me personally or "you" as in Americans or "you" as in white people. I figured it could be worse so I was usually happy to oblige, but really after about 20 photos it got a little tiring. Now I know how the movie stars feel, but I don't get paid millions of dollars either...

Slideshow

Post your own travel photos for friends and family More Pictures

Golden Temple from the bathing ghat	Golden Temple	Golden Temple	Akal Takhat, 9th Guru's Shrine, Golden Temple
Watch towers and Dining Hall	walk way to the Golden Temple	Gurus' Bridge aka walk way to Golden Temple	View from the top of the Golden Temple
Pilgrims at the Golden Temple	Father and Son at the Golden Temple	Golden Temple at night Comments!	Ram Bagh Museum
Ram Bagh Museum- the Lion of Punjab	streets of Amritsar	Quality Indian construction, Amritsar