India’s Golden Temple: Music For The Soul

A Sikh ready for the holy bath at Golden Temple in Amritsar in northern India.

Ever heard of a place where you can enjoy live Western classical music round-the-clock? Perhaps there is none. However, if you are interested in attending a non-stop Indian classical music concert round the year, then the place to visit is the Golden Temple (or Harmandir Sahib) at Amritsar in northern India. This place is the rallying point of the followers of Sikh religion worldwide. Music wafts across with different musicians (Ragis) taking turn to sing … The acoustics are superb and BOSE speakers dot the huge complex.

The total number of Ragas (melodic modes) used in Sri Guru Granth Sahib is 31. At the temple, one can feel the atmosphere charged with a remarkable sense of service and humanity. A huge constant flow of people, nearly 100,000 every day and night, offer prayers at the sanctum sanctorum and partake free food at the Golden Temple complex. It is a unique sight, and experience, not seen anywhere else in the world.

One can lounge anywhere in the area surrounding the Darbar Sahib (the sanctum sanctorum) and the Sarovar (the pond). We enjoyed the Kirtans/Ragas from different spots…even right inside the Darbar Sahib where the holy Guru Granth Sahib is kept (and where you can also see the Ragis), and also from the first and second floor of the sanctum sanctorum.

The generous use of gold at Darbar Sahib is well-known in the world (donated by Sikh ruler Maharaja Ranjit Singh of Punjab/Lahore). The floral and decorative art work on the walls, domes and doors is exquisite. No deity or human form … but the best from the Hindu and the Islamic art has been displayed.

On the second floor of the sanctum sanctorum, I could see an inscription in Urdu on one side of the marble floor. I asked those present if anyone knew Urdu so that I could understand the meaning. No one knew this exquisite language (once the language of undivided India’s elite class) that is now becoming extinct.

Later I learnt that most of the art work was done by Muslim artisans, mainly from Agra (home to the Taj Mahal). Many well-known Muslim musicians used to sing kirtans at the Golden Temple before India got divided and Pakistan came into being in 1947. The highly universal and accommodating nature of the Sikh faith is reflected in the Guru Granth Sahib, as also the Golden Temple and other gurdwaras.

In many cities of the world I have seen newly-arrived Pakistanis and others enjoying free board and lodging for days at the gurdwaras.

Every state in India has thousands of holy places and temples belonging to different religions. They have their magnetic pull and beauty. I visit only a few selected ones. I am not exactly excited at the thought of visiting religious places because of the general confusion, noise and lack of sense of cleanliness and hygiene… …

My visit to the Golden Temple was an eye-opener … Such devotion, cleanliness, good free food, music, peace and tranquility. And with no one in particular enforcing order or discipline!!!