Harmandir Sahib — Amritsar

vahana: "None (Sikhism does not assign vahanas to the divine)" vahana: "Nandi (sacred bull)"

Harmandir Sahib — The Golden Temple

The Abode of God — Open to All Four Directions

Harmandir Sahib (literally "The Temple of God") is the supreme sacred site of Sikhī. Its gold-plated sanctum sits in the Amrit Sarovar (Pool of Nectar) — the pool that gives Amritsar its name. The temple has four doors, one on each side, symbolising that the house of God is open to all — regardless of caste, creed, or origin.

The foundational stone was laid in 1577 by Sai Mian Mir, a Muslim Sufi saint, at the request of Guru Arjan — a gesture of interfaith openness that remains central to Sikh theology.

The Langar — 100,000 Free Meals Daily

The Harmandir complex runs the largest free kitchen in the world. The langar (communal kitchen) serves 50,000–100,000 free meals per day — every day of the year. All sit together on the floor, regardless of social status. This is the living embodiment of the Sikh principle of sevā (selfless service) and sangat (equality of congregation).

The Akal Takhat — Seat of Temporal Authority

The Akal Takht ("Throne of the Timeless One") faces the Harmandir and is the highest seat of temporal authority in Sikhī. It was built by Guru Hargobind (6th Guru) in 1606, after his father Guru Arjan's martyrdom. The Akal Takht represents the mīrī-pīrī doctrine — the unity of spiritual and temporal power. It is here that hukamnāmās (edicts) affecting the entire Sikh community are issued.

Destruction and Rebuilding

The Harmandir has been destroyed multiple times:

• 1762: Ahmed Shah Abdali blew up the temple and defiled the sarovar
• 1764: The Sikhs rebuilt it within two years
• 1984: Operation Blue Star caused severe damage to the Akal Takht and the sanctum

Each time, the Sikh community has rebuilt — a testament to the resilience encoded in their theology.

No Vāhana — The Sikh Difference

Unlike Hindu temples, the Harmandir does not use vāhanas (animal mounts), mūrtis (idols), or Brahmin priests. Sikhī rejects idol worship and priestly intermediation. The only "deity" is the Guru Granth Sāhib — the eternal scripture, treated as the living Guru. This is one of the most theologically significant differences between Sikhī and Brahminical Hinduism.