A journey to the Sri Harmandir Sahib, also called the Golden Temple, in Amritsar can evoke purity and peace in even the faithless, writes Vaihayasi Pande Daniel
A journey to the Sri Harmandir Sahib, also called the Golden Temple, in Amritsar can evoke purity and peace in even the faithless, writes Vaihayasi Pande Daniel
United States President Barack Obama would have loved to spend more time in India during his November visit but time constraint is preventing him from visiting Agra's Taj Mahal and the Golden Temple in Amritsar, the White House has said.
Making an early morning trip to the holiest Sikh shrine, Dr Singh accompanied by his wife Gurusharan reached the complex at 6 am and spent an hour there.
A man who is partly seen in the video is heard asking a Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) employee at the temple complex entrance, 'Is this not India?' The employee replied that 'it's Punjab'.
The Hindu American Foundation has assailed President Barack Obama for deciding against visiting the Golden Temple in Amritsar during his visit to India but having not qualms about visiting one of the largest mosques in Southeast Asia when on the second leg of his four-state Asian itinerary he visits Indonesia.
The Lashkar-e-Tayiba has threatened to blow up the Golden Temple, the holy Sikh shrine which is visited by thousands of visitors everyday.
The installation of air conditioners inside the temple by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee has invited the wrath of the scholars and conservationists. Conservationists say the unique frescoes and the heritage building are now at 'the mercy of variations in temperature'. The official said the ACs were installed 'on persistent demand' of Surinder Kaur Badal, wife of Chief Minister Prakash Singh Badal, as she frequently visits the temple.
The latest blast occurred on Wednesday midnight behind the Guru Ramdas Niwas building, police said.
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At Kolga Aabla, the closest beach to her grandmother's home, at the edge of a birch forest, we immersed her balance ashes. It was a sombre, precious day for both of us. But a day that also brought long-needed closure. My mother's spirit, chained for so many years in a Parkinson's-locked body, was free. But my father came back from the beach a visibly older man.
A smoke-free zone would be demarcated around the Golden Temple at Amritsar to shield the historic shrine from the increasing pollution in its vicinity.
Chidambaram said that Operation Black Thunder was the right way to retrieve the Golden Temple, by keeping the Army out of the Sikh worship place.
"I think that Leno would be appreciative if we make the point that his comments are constitutionally protected in the United States under free speech, and frankly, they appeared to be satirical in nature," State Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland told media persons.
In the two-minute video clip, two Nihang Sikhs could be seen engaging in an altercation with Harmanjeet.
It is possible that Chand Mera Dil has more depth than a tub of popcorn, notes Deepa Gahlot.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann announced the state government will introduce a stringent anti-drug law allowing for the confiscation of drug smugglers' properties. Mann criticised previous administrations for allegedly enabling the drug trade and vowed stricter penalties for sacrilege. He also accused the BJP of divisive politics and criticised the Akali Dal for alleged political manipulation of religious institutions.
Activist Gurjeet Singh Khalsa ended his 560-day protest atop a BSNL tower after the Punjab government notified a stricter anti-sacrilege law. Khalsa had been demanding stricter laws against sacrilege incidents in Punjab.
Gandhi hired a Spice Jet aircraft and the details of his visit were kept a closely guarded secret. It just before he was about to land at Raja Sansi Airport that some of the senior officials of the party and district level security were informed about his visit.
Sikh Americans, who were ecstatic that United States President Barack Obama will make a stopover in Amritsar and visit the Golden Temple, are still hopeful about him doing so despite rumours that he may forego this visit because of 'logistic issues'.
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The moment I was inside, I felt I had arrived in a different world. The chanting of hymns and the spiritually calming atmosphere took me into a trance-like state, says Nisha Jha.
Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on Saturday requested Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to intervene personally at the highest level of the United States administration to ensure that United States President Barack Obama visits the Golden Temple in Amritsar.
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Indian-American Governor of South Carolina Nikki Haley on Saturday paid obeisance at Golden Temple in Amritsar saying that she was there not in the capacity of Governor of a state but as a humble human being.
Two groups clashed inside the Golden Temple premises for close to half an hour on Friday morning leaving at least 12 persons injured, even as the temple city observed a bandh to mark the 30th anniversary of Operation Bluestar.
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'They use the word curry in derogatory terms but I use it with pride. It's something which our grandmothers fed us and our body and brain functions on that.'
"On martyrdom day, I pay my respects to Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev and Rajguru who sacrificed their life for the nation," PM said in a statement.
With a saffron-coloured cloth covering his head, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Wednesday offered prayers at the Golden Temple in Amritsar, where he was presented with a traditional robe of honour. The Punjab leg of Trudeau's visit comes after he mingled with Bollywood stars in Mumbai and a visit to the Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad and a trip to Taj Mahal in Agra. Here are glimpses from Day 4 of the Trudeau India visit.
Pro-Khalistan slogans were on Friday raised by supporters and activists of radical Sikh outfits at the Akal Takht, the supreme temporal seat of Sikhs, while a peaceful bandh was observed around the Golden Temple and interior walled city on the 41st anniversary of Operation Bluestar.
As industrial plants boost the village's profile, locals demand priority hiring, alongside better storage facilities and water security.
Hanuman Janmotsav marks Lord Hanuman's birthday. Treat him to laddus, fruit and more.
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Film folk offered a special prayer on Guru Nanak Jayanti, visiting gurdwaras.
The Supreme Court has put on hold the Uttar Pradesh government's plan to develop the Shri Banke Bihari Temple Corridor in Vrindavan, citing a lack of consultation with key stakeholders. The court questioned the state's approach and the urgency of enacting an ordinance to take over the temple's management.
At Border Pillar 609 at Babliyan near Jaisalmer, the one thing that dominates the landscape is something entirely different, something central to our identity -- the Tiranga -- flying boldly above the blazing desert.
The 'Toshkhana' (treasury) of the Banke Bihari temple in Mathura, locked since 1971, was opened for inspection under the supervision of a Supreme Court-appointed committee. The inventory included copper coins, stones, silver and golden sticks.
In a culture where children take up the profession of their father, her becoming a politician was seen as natural and acceptable.
