Soon after the dusk descended on the horizon of the holy city, an air of mysticism prevailed once we entered Harmandir Sahib (also known as Golden Temple), the holiest of the Sikh shrines.
A breeze hit us gently and the stars twinkling bright in the water of the Sarovar left us blissfully stunned.
The spectacle at the temple on this winter night was a different experience altogether. This is the place where a person would lose oneself in the arms of mysticism, in the quest for that absolute truth, the Almighty. The sounds of gurbani (kirtan) purified the soul and the experience was complete. We could not ask for more.
One could enter from any of the four gates and go straightaway to the parikarma (circumambulator).
Many people could be seen meditating serenely in a corner while others stood in the queue with their hands folded waiting for their turn for darshan.
Few visitors were spotted clicking the photographs of the shrine.
After performing darshan, we came across a group of devotees, popularly known as jatha, reciting Sukhmani Sahib Paath (Gurbani written
by fifth Sikh Guru Arjan Dev) and holding Nishan Sahib, doing a parikarma (circumambulation) of the holy site.
After performing darshan, we came across a group of devotees, popularly known as jatha, reciting Sukhmani Sahib Paath (Gurbani written
by fifth Sikh Guru Arjan Dev) and holding Nishan Sahib, doing a parikarma (circumambulation) of the holy site.
Many people were seen thronging the place where hot karah parshad was being distributed on this bone-chilling winter evening.
We climbed up the stairs to exit but could not resist turning around to have a look at the spectacular reflection of the shrine dome in the sarovar.