Golden Temple Most sacred temple of Sikhism doesn't need any introduction. It is named after God Hari the 'Temple of God'. The foundation stone of this temple was laid by the Muslim saint Hazrat Mian Mirji of Lahore in December 1588. But the construction of the Temple was completed by Guru Arjun Dev, the son of the fifth Sikh Guru, Guru Raam Das. The construction of the sacred place was completed by the year 1604. Guru Arjun Dev also compiled the sacred Adi Granth and installed it in the Temple.
The shrine is the most popular and sacred place not only for the Sikhs all over the world but also for the people of other faiths. It has also become one of the popular tourist destinations for the people across the world. It is considered to be the most 'Tangible Sacred Place' in the country. The most pious place of the Golden Temple Complex is 'The Hari Mandir', located in the center of the large water body. The gold-plated building walls are encrusted with precious stones, and are arranged in the Islamic style floral patterns. The entire structure of the Temple is decorated inside and outside with the verses from the Granth Sahib (the Sikh holy book). The water that surrounds the Mandir is very pure and pious, and is known as Amrit Sarovar (The Pool of Nectar).
Another major highlight of the sacred temple is Guru-ka-Langar, a dining area, where more than 35,000 people eat food every day. The devotees irrespective of the caste, creed, status or wealth sit on the floor and it's the food also called Prasad. This symbolizes Unity. Every night, the Granth Sahib is carried in procession along the bridge to its "bed" in the Akal Takhat, the seat of the Sikh parliament built-in the year 1609.
Apart from The Golden Temple, there are some other places one should visit including Akal Takhat, Baba Atal, Shri Guru Raam Das Niwas and some more spots. It's a place one should visit, for the rejuvenation of the mind, body and soul.