If you are traveling in India and get the chance to go north from Delhi, definitely add visiting the Golden Temple, Amritsar to your itinerary.
The vibrant state of Punjab in the north of India is most famously known for the spectacular Golden Temple, Sikhism’s holiest shrine. And not only is it the most holy religious site for Sikh’s. But the Golden Temple also has the world-famous Langar; the largest community kitchen in the world!
It is another incredible destination in India and well worth the addition on your India itinerary.
Here is everything you need to know about visiting the Golden Temple, Amritsar.
- About Amritsar
- The Golden Temple – Harmandir Sahib
- What is Sikhism?
- Best time to visit
- What is it actually like to visit?
- Things to know before visiting
- Things to see at the Golden Temple
– Clock Tower
– Amrit Sarovar
– The Temple
– Sacred Trees
– Shrine of 68 Pilgrimages
– Parikrama
– Diwan Prayer Hall
– Karah Prasad
– Langar - Visiting the Golden Temple Langar
- Getting to Amritsar
- Where to stay in Amritsar
A little bit about Amritsar, Punjab and why it is worth a visit
Amritsar is an important city in India. It is the largest city in Punjab and is a significant commercial, cultural, and transportation centre for the state.
With the Golden Temple, Amritsar is a tourist attraction for people of all religions worldwide. And if you’ve already done the golden triangle from Delhi to Jaipur and Rajasthan and are looking for a next destination in India or crossing the border to Pakistan. Then Amritsar in Punjab is a great recommendation as one of the most ancient and fascinating cities of India.
Harmandir Sahib / The Golden Temple, Amritsar
Amritsar is home to the holiest temple in Sikhism. The temple, Harmandir Sahib literally translates as ‘the abode of God’. But informally and most commonly the famous Sikh temple is known as the Golden Temple.
The Golden Temple was completed in 1604 and embodies the principles of Sikhism in its design.
About Sikhism. How is Sikhism different?
Sikhism was founded in the 15th century, making it a comparatively new religious belief.
At the time Hinduism and Islam were the main religions of India – but Sikhism was founded by Guru Nanak who began teaching the importance of the equality of all people – regardless of their caste, religion or gender.
Sikhism advocates equality, social justice, service to humanity, and tolerance for other religions – while practicing the ideals of honesty, compassion, humility and generosity in everyday life.
This is symbolised walking in to the site by the four entrances to the Golden Temple complex. Anyone is welcome in the temple regardless of caste, religion or gender.
Best time to visit Amritsar and the Golden Temple
Like much of northern India, the best time to visit the Golden Temple and Amritsar, Punjab is during the winter months from November to March.
Although it’s renowned for being the best time of year to visit and thus it can be more crowded, this time of the year has perfect weather for exploring during the longer, sunny days.
What is it actually like visiting the Golden Temple?
Assuming you’ve already arrived in Delhi and have experienced some of the must-see sites and things to do in the megacity capital. Then no doubt you’ve also experienced the over-eager touts and guides pushing tours and assuring you you’ll definitely need them to carry on your travels in India…
Well, you can breathe a sigh of relief. Visiting the Golden Temple is on a different scale of interesting. And without the pushy guides!
It is a fascinating place to visit in India and quite unlike anywhere else. The temple complex itself is huge with the community kitchen (langar) and gurudwaras. But it’s peaceful to walk around and everybody is welcome.
We’ve visited Amritsar four times in the last two years, and we’ve been to the Golden Temple each time. It really delivers as one of the sites of India that is as incredible as it is described!
Things to know about visiting the Golden Temple, Amritsar
The Golden Temple is an operating Gurudwara (place of assembly and worship for Sikhs ) where people go to pray and worship. It is very easy to visit and anyone is welcome.
The complex is open 24 hours a day and seven days a week. There is no entry fee or tickets required to visit the Golden Temple.
Is there a dress code / specific dress required for the Golden Temple?
Visitors are required to dress modestly while visiting Sri Darbar Sahib, the Golden Temple.
Both men and women are requested to avoid sleeveless shirts or tops. Shorts, skirts, and sleeveless tops are not allowed inside the main complex.
- Tip: You do need to cover your head to enter. This can be with a handkerchief, scarf, or dupatta.
If you do not have your own scarf with you, there are scarves available to borrow (free) at the entrances. Or you can buy an orange headscarf or turban just outside the Golden Temple in the Amritsar Heritage Walk bazar.
Removing and storing your shoes
You must remove your shoes and store them at the designated shoe stand before entering the temple complex.
There is no charge to store your shoes. And you will be given a token with a number for the storage locker where your shoes are. Just give this back to the attendant at the end and they can find your shoes accordingly.
Photography and videoing at the Golden Temple, Amritsar
Photography at the Golden Temple, Amritsar is a bit of a touchy subject. Phones and cameras are allowed in the temple complex. But there are places where you are not allowed to take photographs or video, and these areas are clearly marked.
Photography is not allowed in the Golden Temple itself. And selfie-sticks are not permitted anywhere inside.
Most of the areas surrounding the water have signs prohibiting standing there to take photos. Just be aware and mindful of photography.
About the Langar at the Golden Temple, Amritsar
The langar of the Golden Temple is a free community kitchen that serves thousands of devotees daily. The concept of a langar embodies the Sikh principles of selfless service and communal harmony. And it was the second Guru of Sikhism, Guru Angad, who systemised the institution of langar in all Sikh Gurdwara premises.
However, the Golden Temple in Amritsar, Sri Harmandir Sahih, is not only the most spiritual site for Sikhism in the world. But the Golden Temple is home to the biggest Community Kitchen — Guru Ramdas Langar — in the world…
The kitchen is staffed majority by volunteers who donate their time to cook, wash and serve 100,000 free meals DAILY.
And in the weekends they can serve up to 200,000 people per day!
There are two langar dining halls that host around 5,000 individuals seated at one time. And likewise, there is no separation of visitors and devotees. The kitchen is open and free to all.
The menu changes daily. But we saw vegetables, a vegetarian curry, daal, rice and rice pudding, chai, drinking water and chapati.
10 Things to see visiting the Golden Temple, Amritsar
There is lots to see and plenty of new information visiting the Golden Temple for the first time.
These are the things we wish we had known to look out for before we first visited.
1. Entrance to the Golden Temple, Amritsar
At each of the four entrances to the Golden Temple, all visitors must remove their shoes and wash their feet by walking through pools before entering the temple complex.
The process of walking through water to wash your feet symbolises the desire for maintaining purity inside the temple. And there is an ablution area for worshippers to also wash their hands and face prior to entering.
2. Ghanta Ghar Deori / Golden Temple Clock Tower
The Ghanta Ghar clock tower is at the main entrance to the temple. However, the clock tower at the entrance today was not part of the original design of the Golden Temple.
There was historically another building in its place, now referred to as ‘The Lost Palace’, that was destroyed in the mid 1800’s and replaced by a British, gothic-style red clock tower.
After the British left following the partition in 1947, the Sikhs demolished this clock tower and built a third one that you can see today.
3. Harmandir Sahib / The Temple
Harmandir Sahib is the temple itself. This is the gilded golden building in the middle of temple complex. And the temple is reached by a long pedestrian causeway out into the middle of the lake.
It is in here where the Sikh scripture, the Guru Granth Sahib, is housed within the golden temple of Harmandir Sahib. Sikhs consider this holy book to be the ‘last guru’ and it is used daily in prayer rituals and removed each night for safekeeping.
Now, I’ll be honest. But this is one part of the complex that we have never entered on any of our visits to the Golden Temple.
Pilgrims queue for hours (two hours is standard) to make their way out along the causeway to go inside the temple. You can see the queues stretching right out beyond the causeway gate. So, instead, we have each time admired the golden grandeur from the outside!
4. Amrit Sarovar / Pool of Nectar
The main building of the Golden Temple itself is surrounded by a large pool of water known as Amrit Sarovar.
The Sarovar is considered by Sikh’s to be a sacred body of water and pilgrims who visit the Golden Temple bathe in the pool as part of their spiritual journey, believing it to have healing powers.
5. Parikrama
The Parikrama is the encircling, outer walkway that goes entirely around the Sarovar and the Golden Temple itself.
Sikh pilgrims typically enter from the main entrance to the temple and encircle the Sarovar in a clockwise direction humming hymns and quietly reciting prayers.
There isn’t space for seating, and it is not welcomed to sit on the ground inside. So, this is an ideal place to soak in the atmosphere visiting the Golden Temple and join the tranquil circumambulation.
6. Sacred Trees / Dukh Bhanjani Beri
There are three sacred Jujube trees in the Golden Temple complex – Dukh Bhanjani Beri, Ber Baba Budha Sahib, and Elaichi Ber. Each of the trees are believed to be over 400 years old.
Dukh Bhanjani Beri is the most revered of the sacred trees. This tree is on the eastern side of the Amrit Sarovar and is greatly esteemed by Sikhs due to the legend and faith of Bibi Rajni, a disciple of the Guru, whose leprosy-stricken husband was miraculously cured after a dip in the pond close to the tree.
It was named Dukh Bhanjani which means ‘eradicator of suffering’.
7. Ath Sath Tirath / Shrine of 68 Pilgrimages
Ath Sath Tirath, which means ‘Shrine of 68 Pilgrimages’ is a raised canopy area of the marble Parikarma encircling the Sarovar.
The shrine is an area exactly in the shade of the Dukh Bhanjani Ber tree. And Sikh devotees, believe that bathing in the Sarovar near this spot delivers the same fruits as a visit to 68 pilgrimage places in India.
Bathing in the pool itself is believed by many Sikhs to have restorative powers, purifying one’s karma. And a bit like Hindu’s at the River Ganges in Varanasi you can see Sikh’s here taking a dip in the holy water of the Gurudwara.
Both men and women bathe in clothes. But there is a private area behind a walled space for women.
8. Diwan Prayer Hall
The Darbar Sahib or Diwan Hall literally translates to mean ‘Imperial Court’ and is the main prayer hall in a Sikh gurdwara where worship takes place. This is also the place where the Guru Granth Sahib, the Sikh book of scripture, is read for prayer every day.
The Diwan Hall at the Golden Temple has a capacity of 5000 worshippers at one time.
9. Gurbani Kirtan (hymns)
Another thing that you will around the Sarovar is the melodious sound of continuous chant. This is the sound of Gurbani Kirtan or devotional hymns and recitation of verses from the Guru Granth Sahib (the Sikh holy scripture).
10. Karah Prasad / Sacramental food
Karah Prasad is slightly sweet, whole-wheat type of Halva offered to all visitors to the Darbar Sahib in a Gurdwara. The offering and receiving of Prasad is a vital part of the hospitality protocols in a Sikh place of worship.
Prasad is made with the same amount of whole-wheat flour, clarified butter and sugar, to emphasize the equality of men and women. And it is always served by a Sewadar (volunteer) out of the same bowl and served to everyone in equal portions.
Devotees believe that eating the Prasad served at the Golden Temple can rejuvenate their body and cure many ailments.
You will see Prasad being served and people lining up to receive the blessing. And just in case you are offered Prasad, it is regarded as food blessed by the Guru and thus technically should not be refused…
11. The Langar at the Golden Temple, Amritsar
Albeit the Golden Temple itself is magnifceint to see in person. But the whole concept of the Langar (community kitchen) in Sikhism is humbling, and as a visitor it truly is a highlight of visiting the Golden Temple.
- Read all about the Langar at the Golden Temple.
12. Sewadar / Sikh guards and volunteers
Meeting the volunteers at the Golden Temple is an inspiring part of each visit.
Most of the temple and Langar is staffed by volunteers (more about that below) there are many longterm volunteers and staff who have been supporting the Langar for decades.
We met one man about to retire after 35 years at the Golden Temple!
About the Langar – the community kitchen – at the Golden Temple, Amritsar
It is amazing to see the process and how the system for feeding this many people works.
The langar serves a massive 100,000 people a day. Which is a huge number on its own. And it’s hard to fathom a kitchen sized to serve that many people.
But what is more incredible is that the langar serves 100,000 people in a day and the meals and tea are completely free. There is no charge, and everyone is welcome to eat, regardless of religion, gender, race or class.
- Fact: Each stage of the Community Kitchen (Langar) is staffed and served by more than 70% volunteers.
We had to ask three or four times to confirm this figure as the numbers and voluntary service is truly staggering!
How to visit the Langar at the Golden Temple
The organisation is incredible. There are three different levels of dining and kitchens inside the Langar. And there is a separate outside kitchen area with heating for the cooking fuelled by wood.
Inside the kitchen are huge pots and cauldrons of chai and dal cooking; of oil ready for vegetables and huge pots of boiling water for rice.
The kitchen staff and volunteers prepare 1.5 tonnes of Dal (lentil soup) and 200,000 roti (flat bread) every day…
All of the Dal and rice and chai is made by hand. And most of the chapati too. But there is one floor of the Langar that makes the chapati by machine. Or partly by machine. The staff still have to measure and dispatch the dough. And the volunteers still have to oil the chapati with ghee ready to serve!
One machine can make up to 6000 chapati an hour, and there are three machines. So if you do the calculations it works out that during the daytime (the kitchen is open 24 hours) the volunteers making chapati by hand match the output of the machines in use!
And let’s not forget about the age-old job of washing up the dishes…
Because in any kitchen there is always washing up to do as well!
It is welcomed for visitors to join in with the volunteers and contribute to the Langar preparations or washing up.
This is easier if you are with a tour guide in Amritsar and they can walk you in and show you the different floors of the kitchen and find a space to volunteer. But it is also possible visiting independently. Just ask the guards and attendants in the Langar and they will point you to a spot to join the other volunteers.
It is amazing to see the system and set-up in each section of the Langar but particular in the dishwashing area. All the volunteers were chatting and having a laugh while taking on the huge task of rinsing and washing dishes from serving so many people at a time.
And guess what else? The Golden Temple Langar doesn’t use any single-use cutlery or utensils. All of the plates, bowls, cups and spoons are reuseable – and they get washed and reused many, many times!
Volunteering at the Golden Temple Langar. Can anyone volunteer? How long do you need?
Each time we have visited the Golden Temple it has been a highlight to join the volunteers in the Langar. We all had a go at making Chapati and Gavin spent a lot of his visit in the kitchen area washing dishes with the men.
We spent a good three hours at the Golden Temple Langar on our most recent visit. But this was a special trip. It was Gavin’s birthday in India and he had the wish to join in with the volunteers to contribute and make a special kind of memory for this year.
It is possible to join in and volunteer for as long as you like.
Many visitors to the Golden Temple come on a day tour with a guide. And the guide can show you around the different floors of the Langar and find a spot for you to join in and volunteer making a few chapatis, peeling vegetables or washing dishes.
There is no time limit or expected time. It’s a great experience to join in and be a part of.
It’s a very humbling operation to consider and it truly does feel like a privilege to get to experience such diversity of religion and culture in our journey.
So, do you need a guide/recommend a guide to visit the Golden Temple?
A guide isn’t a requirement. But going with a guide definitely makes the whole experience of visiting the Golden Temple far more informative.
We have visited Amritsar four times over the last two years and the first time we ventured out from our very nearby hotel to visit the Golden Temple on our own. It was magnificent (of course). And it was stunning to witness in the late afternoon golden sun. But on that first visit we didn’t even see the Langar!
If you are wanting the full experience and to really understand the significance of Sikhism, a tour guide for visiting the Golden Temple is well worth it.
We recommend Anil Sharma, a registered tour guide with @FeelMyCityTours.
- Anil Sharma
+91 97802 34705
Anil has become a good friend of ours and we can personally recommend his fantastic day tour of Amritsar visiting the Golden Temple and may other sites in the city. His prices for a tour of the city or the temple and Langar are very reasonable and his passion and knowledge for his city of birth is worth every cent. Anil can arrange a rickshaw or driver to pick you up from the train station and meet you on arrival in Amritsar. Just give him a call or message on WhatsApp.
Visiting the Golden Temple, Amritsar – final thoughts
After taking in the incredible service and kindness of the Golden Temple and Langar we were welcomed to join in and try some chai.
The whole experience of visiting the Golden Temple in Amritsar, learning about Sikhism and volunteering in the largest Community Kitchen in the world is a truly humbling opportunity.
It’s hard to put into words how it feels to experience it so we do hope our photos explain even more.
And now what we really are planning is how and when we can come back with a Group Trip to Punjab and share that experience of being a part of it all with others…
Getting TO Amritsar / How to get to Amritsar and the Golden Temple
Amritsar is well connected by road, rail and air.
There is an international airport in Amritsar with daily flights to Dubai, Sharjah and Kuala Lumpur.
But if you are already in India, it is easy to get to Amritsar directly from Delhi by fast train.
- Everything you need to know about how to get the fast train from Delhi to Amritsar here.
Where to stay in Amritsar
There are some great places to stay in Amritsar. But I’ll be the first to admit that starting out searching for accommodation in India is a bit of a needle-in-a-haystack type challenge.
These are the hotels we use regularly on our travels in India and that we can recommend for your trip.
- Budget: Hotel Sapphire
A basic hotel but points for location. It is literally right outside the main entrance for visiting the Golden Temple. Note only the upstairs rooms have a balcony with direct views to the temple complex.
- Mid-Range / Luxury: Hyatt Regency
We have a fabulous stay each time at the Hyatt Regency with a swimming pool, restaurant and the incredible breakfast buffet.
Traveling further in India? See our India Travel Guides:
Jaipur
Udaipur
Pushkar
Ajmer
Jaisalmer
Varanasi
More about travel planning for India and beyond…
These are the companies we use while traveling fulltime as a family and that we would recommend to anyone planning and booking travel.
- Booking.com – The best all-around accommodation booking site that constantly provides the cheapest and lowest rates. They have the widest selection of budget accommodation and it’s easy to filter and sort into price and availability with all the extras you are looking for personally.
- Skyscanner– This is by far our favourite flight search engine. They are able to search small websites and budget airlines that larger search sites often miss. We book all our flights through Skyscanner.
- GetYourGuide– Get Your Guide is a huge online marketplace for tours and excursions offered all around the world including everything from walking tours, to street-food tours, cooking classes, desert safari’s and more!
- SafetyWing – A global travel insurance that covers people from all over the world while outside their home country. You can buy it short or longterm; and even if you are out of the country.
- World Nomads – Travel insurance tailored for longterm travel and nomads (including those who have already left home). Make sure you have travel insurance before riding those trains in India!
Read more from travel in Punjab India and crossing the border to Punjab Pakistan
- How to use a squat toilet: Everything you didn’t want to ask…
- Our complete packing list for travel in India.
- Taking an overnight train in Pakistan.
- How to apply for a Pakistan e-Visa: And can you use it at the Wagah Border?
- Crossing the Wagah Border from India to Pakistan.
- Pakistan with kids: A complete guide to travel in Pakistan.
- Using ATM’s, withdrawing and carrying your money safely in India.
