The next weekend trip we took, from January 20th – 23rd, was to Amritsar in the state of Punjab. It is in Amritsar where the famous Sikh Golden Temple is found, which is the site for millions of pilgrimages every year.
This weekend was also my first experience with trains in India, and overnight trains at that. While it really is a very convenient and inexpensive way to travel, I quickly decided it was not my favorite mode of transportation. I don’t think it would have been too bad if it weren’t for the extreme cold – India was absolutely freezing all throughout January, especially at night, on a train with open windows, and with no blanket. I was very relieved to arrive in Amritsar at 6 am the next morning.
We went right away to the Golden Temple, where we were instructed to leave our shoes and cover our heads before entering the area. Walking through the arch into the huge courtyard where the Temple lies was a breath-taking moment. You are at once struck by the absolute beauty of the temple, the contrast of the gold against the pure white marble buildings and walkways around it, and the beautiful live music that is always played in the Temple 24 hours a day.
We took some time to take in this beautiful sight, and then found accommodations in the Temple grounds. Visitors are welcome to stay at the Golden Temple for up to 3 nights. Indian visitors are given pads and blankets and sleep in a huge courtyard, but there is a separate area consisting of a few rooms stocked full of beds for foreigners. At the time I was put off by the definite questionable hygienity of the beds and blankets and pillows that have most likely been used hundreds of times without being washed, but a few more months in India has now cured me of those worries.
We also ate at the Temple’s kitchen, which was amazing and so touching. At the Temple everyone is treated equal, and this attitude carries over into the cafeteria as well. Like all the other people who work at the Temple, the kitchen is run by the thousands of Sikhs who selfishly donate their time. You see hundreds of women, men and children cutting vegetables outside, washing dishes, cooking in huge pots that look like they walked out of fairytales, and serving food to pilgrims. Everyone sits in long lines of the floor of the cafeteria, and men walk around serving delicious chapatti (a type of Indian bread), lentils, vegetables, and rice until you are full.
That afternoon, I joined a few of the guys in traveling to the India/Pakistan boarder to witness the changing of the guards ceremony that takes place every evening. The event was incredible. When the gates are opened, thousands of Indians swarm into the grounds, running to try to secure good seats in the huge stadium stands. Pakistan was literally yards away, and Pakistan’s stadium of visitors was so close you could feel the energy as the two countries screamed their chants back and forth to each other. There was so much excitement and national pride in the air, and it was so cool to see.
India side:
Pakistan side:
The next day Shane, Nick, and I accepted the offer of a nice old rickshaw driver to show us cool sites around Amritsar (he promised he would only accept whatever we chose to tip him). We did see some very cool things, including a Hindu temple that reminded me of a colorful adult playground. The rickshaw driver turned out to be rather creepy, however, and we of course found ourselves getting ripped off at the end of the day. Oh, India.
Lastly, I visited the Jallianwalla Bagh, the site of the 1919 Amritsar Massacre, in which over 1000 unarmed Indians were killed when the British opened fire on a crowd of unarmed men, women, and children. It was a heavy thing to see, to say the least.
A great and beautiful weekend in all!
