Honestly, each and every day spent in the” heaven on earth”- The Golden Temple Amritsar is a festival in itself. Every ritual carried out from the dawn to the dusk is a celebration.
But here we have curated a list of extra special days. And if you are planning a visit to the holy city Amritsar, you definitely need to check this list out.
Table of Contents
Gurupurabs
“Guru “signifies god and Purab means occasion. There are 10 Sikh gurus and the devotees celebrate each guru’s birthday at the splendid golden temple. At every Gurupurab, the devotees decorate the gold glided temple with fairy lights, lamps, and fresh flowers. This adds charm to the scenic beauty of the monument
It is worth mentioning that, to embellish the place decorators come from far-flung places.
Pilgrims who visit Gurudwara Sahib on Gurupurabs light candles on the edge of the holy pool. Reflection of the lit candles by the poolside is breathtaking.
Then in the evening on the special occasion of the Gurupurab, spectacular fireworks begin. One has to see this majestic scenario, where gold sashayed temple shines little extra, the sky appears to shower the sparkle all over the temple and the holy pool of nectar reflects it all.
Gurupurabs falls on different dates each year. The traditional “Nanak Shahi” calendar calculates these dates, based on lunar principals.
Although people celebrate every Gurupurab with equal zeal and enthusiasm, the birthday of Shri Guru Ram Das Ji and Prakash Utsav of Shri Guru Granth Sahab Ji are some occasions that you must not miss out.
Fun fact- You all must be aware of the free community kitchen, Langar. It is the place which serves over 50 thousand people food daily for free. But if you happen to visit the shrine on any of the Gurupurab, the variety in langar will leave you stunned. The menu of Langar on the day of festivity has no end.
Baisakhi
Baisakhi is one of the most important festivals celebrated at golden temple Amritsar. The festival marks the establishment of the Khalsa Panth by the tenth Sikh Shri Guru Gobind Singh Ji. Also on this very day, farmers harvest their crops and visit the shrine to seek blessings of almighty for the new beginnings.
Plus, The traditional “Nanak Shahi” calendar regards Baisakhi as the New Year. So now you can well imagine the pomp and show of this festival at the golden temple.
Diwali
“Dal roti ghar di, Diwali Ambarsar di” this famous saying is enough to deliver the grandeur of the Amritsari Diwali. People visit the golden temple from far and wide areas to seek blessings of the great Waheguru. Just like Gurupurabs, people celebrate Diwali with fireworks in the evening.
The city also celebrates Diwali as “Bandi chor Diwas”. According to the Sikh history, on this day, The Mughal Emperor Jahangir released Guru Hargobind, the sixth Guru and 52 other Hindu kings from the prison.
New Year
Although New Year according to the traditional calendar is celebrated on the day of Vaisakhi but with the passage of time and influence of western culture, it gets celebrated at midnight of 31 December too.
If you are thinking to visit the city amid the festive season, plan in advance as the city faces heavy crowd during those days. So to have a hassle-free trip book your tickets and hotels beforehand.
Celebrations happen everywhere around the world, but when they are infused with customary rituals they turn into magical memories. So here are few facts that shall justify the need to witness celebrations at the great golden temple.
- You share the joy of celebrations with thousands of other spectators. And if you think they are strangers anyway, then maybe you don’t know Punjabis yet. Their unmatched hospitality and friendliness will make you feel like family in no time.
- What else is better than celebrating the festival in the heavenly abode of the almighty himself?
- You get unlimited food for free. You must be aware of the Langar system already but on special occasions, local people gather and set up little food stalls with a vast variety in it.
- Spirit behind free food isn’t just to feed the needy but to spread the idea of “Waand Khao, Khaand khao” which means that when you share the food it becomes sweeter.
We are sure that you would soon plan a trip to the holy city Amritsar to be a part of these celebrations.
