Golden Temple - Architecture
Golden temple was not built on the basis of other gurudwaras or the Hindu temples but was built on the lower level of the grounds. Due to such a construction, people have to move downstairs to reach the temple. Besides this, there are four entrances, one on each side, through which people can enter the temple.
Amritsar Lake
The Golden Temple is built in the centre of a lake named as Amritsar lake and so the city also got the same name. It is believed that the lake has sacred water. The lake is connected with the Ravi river.
Trees and Plaques
There are three trees in the temple called bers which are signs of either a saint or an event related to Sikhism. Besides these, plaques also signify some historical events related to Sikhs. These memorial plaques are also built to commemorate the Sikhs soldiers who were killed in World War I and World War II.
Other Elements and Decorations
Darshan Deorhi is an arch that is built at the starting of the causeway. The height of the deorhi is 6.2m and the width is 6m. The temple was plated with gold by Hukam Singh Chimni and Raja Ranjit Singh. They also included marble to decorate it. The gold plating of the temple was completed in 1830.
The temple stands on a platform whose dimension is 20m2. The sacred pool in which the temple stands has the dimensions of 150m2. The lower part of the temple is made up of white marble while the upper part is made up of glided copper. Guru Granth Sahib is installed on the ground floor of the temple under a canopy.
Akal Takht
Akal Takht, also known as The Throne of Timeless One, was built by Guru Hargobind Singh who was the sixth Sikh Guru. It was built in order to administer the issues within the Sikh community.
Shish Mahal
Shish Mahal or Mirror Room is on the second floor of the temple in which the ground floor can be viewed through an opening in the center. Shish Mahal is named so because there are small pieces of mirrors which have different shapes and sizes. The mirrors also have floral designs. There is a small pavilion above the shish mahal on which there is a dome surrounded by a number of small domes.
