Like many religious institutions in India, it's not as straightforward as just walking in. We deposit our shoes and head to tall bin with (damp) handkerchiefs to cover our heads. We then dip our feet in water before stepping into the gates that house the Golden Temple.
Never having been in a Sikh temple, I feel a slight sense of unease and anxiety. I don't know any of the customs or rituals, and am sure we're likely to do something offensive. Yet as soon as we start walking around, I realize there are no hard and fast rituals or customs... or rather, there are, but to each his own: some are sitting down near the water gazing at the Golden Temple, others are lying in the middle of the ground fast asleep, still others are stripping down and submerging in the holy water surrounding the Golden Temple. Even though we're the only foreigners I see, we are refreshingly paid no heed. We notice, like in other temples, the flow of movement is from left to right, so we move amidst the general herd.
The temple itself is beautiful -- smaller than I expected, yet sits regally in the middle of a large lake of holy water (which the Sikhs call "immortal nectar"). The gold seems to shimmer in the darkness. There are other beautiful structures surrounding us, and we remark how different religions seem to merge together: there is an adjoining mosque (and quite a few Muslims inside the Golden Temple), and a tree under which the Buddha lay inside the gated area as well. It occurs to me that it's September 11th, and I think about the sad controversy back home around the proposed Muslim community center near the WTC. I later learn the tenets of Sikhism: they believe in a Universal God and advocate for personal salvation through personal meditation. They see God as the Universe itself -- something I find fascinating. Their focus on acceptance and openness is also embodied in the four entrances to the Golden Temple (akin to Abraham's tent being open on four sides to welcome travelers coming from all directions).
It is 10pm and we are literally two of thousands of people in the Golden Temple. There's much movement and action (people are prostrating themselves, praying; going into the water; queuing to enter the temple)... yet it all seems immensely peaceful and almost "other wordly". Religious chanting is amplified around the structure, and it adds to the sense of gravitas of the temple.
Unlike the logical and straightforward nature of Christian churches, this feels a bit like a labyrinth. The temple itself sits squarely in the middle of the "lake", but around it, there are different staircases and areas to explore. My favorite "scene" was walking up the stairs to find what appeared to be a row of hotel rooms. Sitting on the low bed of each room was a monk in prayer, door wide open.
I later learn that baptised Sikhs are bound to wear the "Five Articles of Faith" at all times: uncut hair, small comb, circular iron bracelet, dagger, and special undergarment. Comprising only 2% of the Indian population, 75% of the world's Sikhs live in the Punjab. What appeals to me is that, unlike the Hindu notions of caste, Sikhism is very open. Rich and poor "serve" at the Golden Temple, preparing meals given for free, cleaning the kitchen, and helping ensure things are in order. Each day, free lunch at this "communal kitchen" serves about 80,000 people on a weekday and double that on a weekend (A good NYT article on this here.)
It's a pretty remarkable place, and one of the few places in India where I've experienced real peace while being surrounded by thousands of people.
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