Overland from McLeod Ganj to Amritsar
Herding Water Buffalo on the road
Presidential Suite at Ista Hotel
(supposedly the best hotel, and the only 5-stars hotel in Amritsar)
XF decided to splurge on the last night in India.
I was commenting that XF might be the only backpacker who check-in to the presidential suite. Well, the rest of us stayed in the normal room. It was really comfortable after 10 days of traveling. Comfortable high bed, cable-TV, nice & clean bathroom, swimming pool, Gym facility, Spa etc....
View from the room
Dinner in the suite.
Really enjoyed the good food, great view, comfortable suite, and definitely, the wonderful company.
Street of Amritsar.
It was a stark contrast from the comfort of the hotel.
"Amritsar (
pronunciation (help·info); IPA: [əmːɾɪt̪səɾ], (Punjabi: ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤਸਰ) historically also known as Rāmdāspur and colloquially asAmbarsar) is a city in the north-western part of India. It is the spiritual center for the Sikh religion and the administrative headquarters of the Amritsar district in the state of Punjab.
pronunciation (help·info); IPA: [əmːɾɪt̪səɾ], (Punjabi: ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤਸਰ) historically also known as Rāmdāspur and colloquially asAmbarsar) is a city in the north-western part of India. It is the spiritual center for the Sikh religion and the administrative headquarters of the Amritsar district in the state of Punjab.
It is home to the Harmandir Sahib (referred to as the "Golden Temple" in the western media), the spiritual and cultural center for theSikh religion. This important Sikh shrine attracts more visitors than the Taj Mahal with more than 100,000 visitors on week days alone and is the most popular destination for Non-resident Indians (NRI) in the whole of India. The city also houses the Sikh temporal and political authority, Akal Takht, as well as the Sikh Parliament."
Golden Temple of the Amritsar
"The Harmandir Sahib (Punjabi: ਹਰਿਮੰਦਰ ਸਾਹਿਬ also Darbar Sahib (Punjabi: ਦਰਬਾਰ ਸਾਹਿਬ, IPA: [dəɾbɑɾ sɑhɪb])[1][3] and informally referred to as the Golden Temple [1] is a prominent Sikh Gurdwara located in the city of Amritsar, Punjab, India. Construction of the Gurdwara was begun by Guru Ram Das ji, the fourth Sikh Guru, and completed by his successor, Guru Arjan Dev ji. In 1604, Guru Arjan Dev ji completed the Adi Granth, the holy scripture of Sikhism, and installed it in the Gurdwara. In 1634, Guru Hargobind left Amritsar for the Shivalik Hills and for the remainder of the seventeenth century the city and Gurdwara was in the hands of forces hostile to the Sikh Gurus.[4] During the eighteenth century, Sri Harmandir Sahib was the site of frequent fighting between the Sikhs on one side and either Mughal or Afghan forces on the other side and the Gurdwara occasionally suffered damage. In the early nineteenth century, Maharaja Ranjit Singh secured the Punjab region from outside attack and covered the upper floors of the Gurdwara with gold, which gives it its distinctive appearance and English name of "Golden Temple".[4]
The present day Golden Temple was rebuilt in 1764 by Maharaja Jassa Singh Ahluwalia (1718–1783) with the help of other MislSikh chieftains.The gold plating of all the domes of Sri Darbar Sahib was done by Maharaja Jassa Singh Ahluwalia's descendents. Between 1802–1830 Ranjit Singh did the sewa of adding gold plating and marble to the Gurdwara, while the interior was decorated with fresco work and gemstones.
Architecturally, the Darbar Sahib has unique construction influences combining Muslim, Hindu and European design principles"
Reflection
Beautiful Temple
One of the spiritual teachers
Sleeping around the temple. =)
Sikhism is very welcoming and hospitable. Anybody can visit this temple and make yourself feel comforable.
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