Luciana Di Floriano

A long desired visit to this fascinating area of India, the Punjab, nicknamed the land of Five Rivers (Punj = five + Aab = water) located in northwestern India.

Scope of the trip was the visit to Amritsar which is one of the most ancient and fascinating cities of India, important seat of Sikh history, culture and religious sites. The most famous of them all is the Golden Temple, a place of prayer for million of Sikh devotees coming from India and all parts of the world. Known as Harmandir Sahib (Temple of God) the temple is the most significant shrine in Sikhism. It is considered not only a religious place of the Sikhs but also a symbol of human brotherhood and equality.  750 kilos of pure gold cover the upper floors of The Golden Temple with has a square plan, four entrances and a circumambulation path around the pool. This pool, surrounding the temple, is also called “the pool of nectar of Immortality” and it is said that taking a bath in the holy waters has healing and purifying properties.

The Sikh scripture (the Guru Granth Sahib), the holy book, is housed within the Golden Temple. Sikhs consider this holy book to be the “last guru” and it is part of ceremonies and visits.  The Sikh scripture is seated on the lower square floor for about 20 hours every day and then placed in a proper bedroom for the rest of the day. The moving of the holy book comes with elaborate ceremonies followed by many devotees.

All visitors to the Temple, rich or poor, are invited for a free meal in the Temple Langar. Food served is given to all regardless of caste or religion as a gesture of equality.  All visitors sit on the floor next to each other, no matter rich or poor, Sikh or Christian, or Muslim, to have the vegetarian meal, every day, any time, 24 hours a day.  

HOLLA MOHALLA Festival – Celebrating the martial traditions of Sikhs

Located in a picturesque area by the Sutley river, Anandpur Sahib is the foremost sacred religious sites of the Sikhs and the location where the Holla Mohalla festival takes place. The festival takes place on the first of the lunar month of “chait” which usually falls in March.

During the days of the festival you can witness the religious processions passing thru the city. Sikhs are dressed in their traditional martial costumes, they display their skills in archery, sword fencing, horse riding and shooting. Battles are enacted and ancient cannons fired. Holla Mohalla is the occasion for the Sikhs to reaffirm fraternity and brotherhood and reminding people of “valour and defence readyness” a concept very dear to the 10th Guru of the Sikhs. Recently the Indian Government had accorded Holla Mohalla the status of a “National Festival”.

ATTARI WAGAH BORDER – The final frontier

Not distant from Amritsar, about 28 km, there is the Attari Wagah border to Pakistan. You can’t miss the interesting and exciting experience of “Beating the Retreat” ceremony. The lowering of the flags ceremony at the Attari Wagah Border is a daily military practice that the security forces of India and Pakistan have jointly followed since 1959.