The Golden Temple The Harmandir Sahib (The abode of God) , informally known as the Golden Temple The Harmandir Sahib , also referred to as the Golden Temple , is a prominent Sikh gurdwara located in the city of Amritsar, Punjab, India. Construction of the gurdwara was begun by Guru Ram Das, the fourth Sikh Guru, and completed by his successor, Guru Arjan Dev. In 1604, Guru Arjan Dev completed the Adi Granth, the holy scripture of Sikhism, and installed it in the Gurdwara. In 1634, Guru Hargobind left Am ritsar for the Shivalik Hills and for the remainder of the seventeenth century the city and gurdwara was in the hands of forces hostile to the Sikh Gurus. During the eighteenth century, the Harmandir Sahib was the site of frequent fighting between the Sikh s on one side and either Mughal or Afghan forces on the other side and the gurdwara occasionally suffered damage. In the early nineteenth century, Maharaja Ranjit Singh secured the Punjab region from outside attack and covered the upper floors of the gurdw ara with gold, which gives it its distinctive appearance and English name of "Golden Temple". The present day Golden Temple was rebuilt in 1764 by Maharaja Jassa Singh Ahluwalia (1718 – 1783) with the help of other Misl Sikh chieftains. Between 1802 – 1830 Ran jit Singh did the sewa of adding gold plating and marble to the temple, while the interior was decorated with fresco work and gemstones. Harmandir Sahib is considered holy by Sikhs. The most holy text of Sikhism, the Guru Granth Sahib, is always present in side the temple. Its construction was mainly intended to build a place of worship for men and women from all walks of life and all religions to come and worship God equally. History Harmandir Sahib literally means Temple of God. The fourth guru of Sikhism, Guru Ram Das, excavated a tank in 1577 CE which subsequently became known as Amritsar (meaning "Pool of the Nectar of Immortality"), giving its name to the city that grew around it. In due course, a splendid Sikh edifice, Harmandir Sahib (meaning "the abo de of God"), rose in the middle of this tank and became the supreme centre of Sikhism. Its sanctum came to house the Adi Granth comprising compositions of Sikh gurus and other saints considered to have Sikh values and philosophies, e.g., Baba Farid, and Ka bir. The compilation of the Adi Granth was started by the fifth guru of Sikhism, Guru Arjan Dev. Construction of the Harmandir Sahib The Harmandir Sahib at night Originally built in 1574, the site of the temple was surrounded by a small lake in a thin forest. The third of the six grand Mughals , Emperor Akbar , who visited the third Sikh guru, Guru Amar Das , in the neighbouring town of Goindval , was so impressed by the way of life in the town that he gave a jagir (the land and the revenues of several villages in the vicinity) to the guru's daughter Bhani as a gift on her marriage to Bhai Jetha, who later became the fourth Sikh guru, Guru Ram Das . Guru Ram Das enlarged the lake and built a small township around it. The town was named after Guru Ram Das as Guru Ka Chak', Chak Ram Das or Ram Das Pura . During the leadership of the fifth guru, Guru Arjan Dev (1581 – 1606), the full - fledged Temple was built. In December 1588, Guru Arjan invited Hazrat Mian Mir , a Muslim Sufi saint from Lahore , to initiate the construction of the temple by laying the first foundation stone (December 1588 CE). Some of the architectural features of the Harmandir Sahib were intended to be symbolic of the Sikh worldview. Instead of the normal custom of building a temple on high land, it was built at a lower level than the surrounding land so worshippers would have to go down steps to enter it. In addition, instead of one entrance, the Harmandir Sahib has four entrances. The temple was completed in 1604. Guru Arjan Dev, installed the Guru Granth Sahib in it and appointed Baba Buddha Ji as the first Granthi (reader) of it on August 1604. In the mid - 18th century it was attacked by the Afghans , by one of Ahmed Shah Abdali 's generals, Jahan Khan, and had to be substantially rebuilt in the 1760s. However, in response a Sikh Army was sent to hunt down the Afghan force. They were under orders to show no mercy and historical evidence suggests the Sikh Army was decisively victorious in the ensuing battle. Both forces met each other five miles outside Amritsar; Jahan Khan's army was destroyed. The Harmandir Sahib Complex and areas in its vicinity Harmandir Sahib in 1880 Wide - angle view of the Harmandir Sahib The Harmandir Sahib's eastern entrance gate (see map) The temple is surrounded by a large lake or temple tank , known as the Sarovar, which consists of Amrit ("holy water" or "immortal nectar"). There are four entrances to the temple, signifying the importa nce of acceptance and openness. Inside the temple complex there are many shrines to past Sikh gurus, saints and martyrs ( see map ). There are three holy trees ( bers ), each signifying a historical event or Sikh saint. Inside the temple there are many memoria l plaques that commemorate past Sikh historical events, saints, martyrs and includes commemorative inscriptions of all the Sikh soldiers who died fighting in World Wars I and II. Questions 1. When was the temple built. 2. Who was it built by? 3. Who is it important to? 4. Are there any significant architectural features? What are they, what do they represen