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February 5th is my friend Liz’s b’day. Last year (2008), we were traveling in India with my cousins. Among the extended family was a group of Colombian sister’s who kept us in good spirits and song. (Which is why, Liz is getting a birthday serenade in Spanish while we are in a village in India!)

This video “A Day In Amritsar” does not make much sense alone, like my last video “My Punjabi Mela” you’re getting a glimpse of my trip. To fill in the gaps somewhat, I’m writing this post to convey the importance of going to Amritsar and the Golden Temple. To tell you the truth, I’m overwhelmed with how to tell the story of a place that has such great significance. Part of it is growing up a “California Punjabi Girl” and having a distant knowledge of this aspect of my culture.

The Golden Temple, what we call Harmandir Sahib in Punjabi, is the holiest site for all Sikhs. People travel from around the globe to visit and pray at the Golden Temple. It has been the place of worship and peace, as well as the ground of death and massacre when Sikhs have been forced to defend it. The water surrounding the Golden Temple is sacred. Sikh’s, young and old, healthy and hurt, make the pilgrimage to Amritsar. Some come to be baptized in the lake and I’ve often heard of the water’s healing powers.

Harmandir Sahib is filled with Song. Passages from the Guru Granth Sahib, which is  revered by devout Sikhs as a teacher and enlightener and more than a holy book, are sung 24 hours, 7 days a week. Guru Nanak, the founder of the Sikh religion, believed deeply in harmony and song and used it to share his teachings with the world. I did not get a chance to show the inside of the temple where the song and prayers are being preformed because video cameras are not allowed inside. The song I used in this video is actually from a Sikh Temple in California:

Sikhs cover their heads as a sign of respect. Part of the Sikh Religion is to keep your hair, no haircuts. Sikh men wear turbans, like my Dad, because they don’t cut their hair. A Sikh’s turban is generally a very tidy one. That’s another aspect of Sikhism, to have pride in your appearance. So, although there’s no visits to the hairdresser, there is great care in being clean and tidy. I actually got in trouble from an older cousin that day, for not having my hair tied back! I felt terrible after I realized I hadn’t even thought about it and I didn’t bring a hair tie with me! It’s serious business!

Next door to the Golden Temple is Jallianwala Bagh. It’s one of the few quiet places in the middle of the very busy city of Amritsar. In 1919 a peaceful gathering of Punjabis ended after a British commander had the park surrounded by troops and without warning began shooting into the packed in crowd of unarmed people. Needless to say, this was a pivotal point in India’s struggle for Independence from the British and the park remains a memorial to that day and the thousands of people who died or were injured.

If any of you are worried, that my friend Liz’s birthday was a bummer because we went to such serious places… I want you to know Liz chose to spend that day going to Amritsar! It’s an amazing experience not just for Sikhs but for anyone who is looking to be immersed in a proud and independent culture, to feel great joy and sorrow for the history and sacrifice made by generations of people for their faith and tradition… and of course, we ended the day with cake.

Here, I want to invite any of you who have something to say about Amritsar & Sikhism to share your thoughts. I’ve asked my friend Kulpreet Singh, AKA @KulpreetSingh, to add to this blog post when he has time. He already helped me to get some of my facts straight in this post! As, I’ve gotten a chance to get to know him via his tweets and blog posts, I’ve come to respect his knowledge and view of Sikhism. As I said earlier, it’s an overwhelming task to try and convey the importance of Amritsar, but with various voices and experiences we can share and learn together. Also, wanted to note that the featured image and thumbnail photo is by @lizpayne. Thanks everyone!