The Pool of Nectar

Amritsar, India - Amid the squalor of this city it's hard to imagine anything serene awaits. But once you cross the threshold into the Golden Temple, the chaos of India fades so far away remembering where you are is difficult.

This Sikh holy site is truly a sanctuary.

The gilded temple, called Harmandir, is resplendent in the middle of a rectangular lake and surrounded by the white, polished marble complex of the Parikrama. At sunrise the reflection in the water is so shimmery it looks as if there are two temples.

Sikhs make at least one pilgrimage in their life time to worship at the temple and bathe in the waters of the Amrit Sarovar. The "Pool of Nectar," is believed to have purifying and healing powers.

You have to take off your shoes and clean your feet before going into the temple compound. The noise fades and the atmosphere completely changes as you walk down the marble steps and see your first glimpse of the Harmandir. For the first time since arriving in India I'm not aware of my outsider status. One of the central tenants of the Sikh faith is the principal of equality. The Shikhs accept all, regardless of religion, caste, creed, race, gender or nationality, and as a result the environment is incredibly friendly and welcoming. No one seems to wonder what a blond American is doing here.

I spent hours wandering around. They perform beautiful music that is played throughout the temple by Bose speakers.
The people at the sight range from jeans-wearing British Shiks to the ultra-orthodox nihangs, who wear blue robes and carry lances, sabres and curved daggers (they follow one of the more militaristic gurus of the faith).

One of the cooler things about the temple is the Guru-ka-Langar, which is basically a communal canteen. People gather with strangers on mats on the floor for the free meal served 24 hours a day. The practice is done to break down caste barriers.
Despite some worry about eating lentils cooked in such mass quantities with Indian standards, I quite enjoyed this experience of breaking bread with the Sikhs.

A Sikh bathing in the Pool of Nectar

The roof of the Harmindir

A group women who wanted me to take their photo. They would smile and laugh when the camera was away, but they adopted this serious face whenever I snapped a picture