# Harmander Sahib As A Landmark Project



## Trimaan Malik (Feb 6, 2009)

Hi everyone,

Guru Fateh.

My name is Trimaan Malik and I am 13 and a student at Roy Martin Magnet School Las Vegas. It is a very good school and I am enjoying it a lot. I am in 8th grade

For my geography project I have chosen Harmander Sahib. I need your help for this. First, I have to build a small model and then talk about its history.

I need help in building the small scale model. What kind of materials to use and how to build it? I am planning to use a 4" deep metal tray of I can find it somewhere which will be filled with water.

Can you please help me with more ideas ?

Thank you very much.

Trimaan Malik


----------



## Archived_member7 (Feb 6, 2009)

Gur Fateh Trimaan veerji,

Good to hear ...well first get an idea hwo you would like to make it ..it is not easy ...i suggest you to look for the aerial view , left view, right view , front view and back view..on this basis you will be able to make something ..

Make a list of what  u want to use ..and what is the time frame ..what i feel is get pics of all the views ..get them printed ..cut out the model ..and paste it on cardboard..you will need to rake your brains for the top part ..that is the toughest ...


----------



## Gyani Jarnail Singh (Feb 7, 2009)

WATERPROOFING..is the most important part....wood..paper..etc will soak up water real soon....so keep that in mind as well...


----------



## NavjeetSingh (Feb 7, 2009)

all the above ideas are ,I think really going to help you.

For more and detailed information you can also consult the Welcome to Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee site. you can mail them and get your querries answered. 
Any how Good Luck for your project. .


----------



## Trimaan Malik (Mar 2, 2009)

Thank you for all the replies. I have a few more questions.
I wanted to know how the golden temple was built (materials, strategies, etc.).
I also wanted to know who built the temple.

Thanks


----------



## NavjeetSingh (Mar 2, 2009)

The 'Sarovar' (nectar pool) was built by the fourth Guru -Guru Ram Das Ji

and the main building -Darbar Sahib (the gold plated building in the middle of the pool) was built by fifth Guru - Guru Arjan Dev Ji.

the foundation stone was laid by a muslim pir. The achiteture of the Darbar Sahib was designed by Guru Arjan Dev Ji himself but the idea of the pool (sarovar) was of the third Guru - Guru Amardas Ji. 


To help you in your project.- 


Sri Harmandir Sahib, also known as Sri Darbar Sahib or Golden Temple, (on account of its scenic beauty and golden coating for English speaking world), is named after Hari(God) the temple of God. The Sikhs all over the world, daily wish to pay visit to Sri Amritsar and to pay obeisance at Sri Harmandir Sahib in their Ardas.

Guru Arjan Sahib, the Fifth Nanak, conceived the idea of creating a central place of worship for the Sikhs and he himself designed the architecture of Sri Harmandir Sahib. Earlier the planning to excavate the holy tank (Amritsar or Amrit Sarovar ) was chalked out by Guru Amardas Sahib, the Third Nanak, but it was executed by Guru Ramdas Sahib under the supervision of Baba Budha ji. The land for the site was acquired by the earlier Guru Sahibs on payment or free of cost from the Zamindars (landlords) of native villages. The plan to establish a town settlement was also made. Therefore, the construction work on the Sarovar(the tank) and the town started simultaneously in 1570. The work on both projects completed in 1577 A.D. 

Guru Arjan Sahib got its foundation laid by a muslim saint Hazrat Mian Mir ji of Lahore on 1st of Magh, 1645 Bikrmi Samvat(December,1588). The construction work was directly supervised by Guru Arjan Sahib himself and he was assisted by the prominent Sikh personalities like Baba Budha ji, Bhai Gurdas ji, Bhai Sahlo ji and many other devoted Sikhs.

Unlike erecting the structure on the higher level(a tradition in Hindu Temple architecture), Guru Arjan Sahib got it built on the lower level and unlike Hindu Temples having only one gate for the entrance and exit, Guru Sahib got it open from four sides. Thus he created a symbol of new faith, Sikhism. Guru Sahib made it accessible to every person without any distinction of Caste, creed, sex and religion. 

The building work completed in 1601 A.D. on Bhadoon Sudi 1st, 1661 Bikrmi Samvat (August/September,1604). Guru Arjan Sahib installed newly created Guru Granth Sahib, in Sri Harmandir Sahib and appointed Baba Budha ji as its first Granthi i.e. the reader of Guru Granth Sahib. After this event it attained the status of ‘Ath Sath Tirath’. Now the Sikh Nation had their own Tirath, a pilgrimage center

Sri Harmandir Sahib, is built on a 67ft. square platform in the centre of the Sarovar(tank). The temple itself is 40.5ft. square. It has a door each on the East, West, North and South. The Darshani Deori (an arch) stands at the shore end of the causeway. The door frame of the arch is about 10ft in height and 8ft 6inches in breath. The door panes are decorated with artistic style. It opens on to the causeway or bridge that leads to the main building of Sri Harmandir Sahib. It is 202 feet in length and 21 feet in width.

The bridge is connected with the 13 feet wide ‘Pardakshna’ (circumambulatory path). It runs round the main shrine and it leads to the ‘Har ki Paure’ (steps of God). On the first floor of ‘Har ki Paure’, there is continuous reading of Guru Granth Sahib.

The main structure of Sri Harmandir Sahib, functionally as well as technically is a three-storied one. The front, which faces the bridge, is decorated with repeated cusped arches and the roof of the first floor is at the height of the 26 feet and 9 inches.

At the top of the first floor 4 feet high parapet rises on all the sides which has also four ‘Mamtees’ on the four corners and exactly on the top of the central hall of the main sanctuary rises the third story. It is a small square room and have three gates. A regular recitation of Guru Granth Sahib is also held there.

On the top of this room stands the low fluted ‘Gumbaz’(dome) having lotus petal motif in relief at the base inverted lotus at the top which supports the ‘Kalash’ having a beautiful ‘Chhatri’ at the end.

Its architecture represents a unique harmony between the Muslims and the Hindus way of construction work and this is considered the best architectural specimens of the world. It is often quoted that this architecture has created an independent Sikh school of architecture in the history of art in India.


----------



## dalsingh (Mar 2, 2009)

I'm not sure if this point has been made already but the gold covering was put on Harmandir Sahib in the time of Maharajah Ranjit Singh. A long time after the passing of our human Gurus. It was white marble before this.


----------



## Arvind (Mar 2, 2009)

Instead of water, and worrying about waterproof materials etc... you may like to choose colors to give that impression.... as in blue for water... yellow for the golden covering.

With Regards,
Arvind.


----------



## Trimaan Malik (Mar 4, 2009)

Thank YOU for all of the replies.

I wanted to know who did the gold leafing of the Golden Temple?
How is the golden temple a significant landmark to India?


Thanks


----------



## spnadmin (Mar 5, 2009)

Trimann ji

Forgive me, an antique school teacher. But one way to tell the story is to take your readers on a tour, maybe even a virtual tour with videos linked to written narratives, going from location to location. Each part of Harimandir Sahib has a story. 

*File:The Golden temple map.jpg*

*From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia*

                                                  Jump to: navigation, search


File
File history
File links




 This is a map of the Golden Temple created by me--Sikh historian 11:59, 28 October 2007 (UTC).

*I bet -- If you click on the link that says Sikh historian you will find a way to a person who would be willing to be interviewed. 
*


----------



## spnadmin (Mar 5, 2009)

aad0002 said:


> Trimann ji
> 
> Forgive me, an antique school teacher. But one way to tell the story is to take your readers on a tour, maybe even a virtual tour with videos linked to written narratives, going from location to location. Each part of Harimandir Sahib has a story.
> 
> ...


----------



## spnadmin (Mar 5, 2009)

* "The Golden Temple" *

 Around the world, to non-Sikhs the Harimander Sahib is, perhaps, better known by its English 'sobriquet' - a name given to the Temple because of the lavish gold plating that adorns the walls of its two upper floors, which include its dome, the airy Shish Mahal, where three Gurus spent many hours, and its minarettes. Maharaja Ranjit Singh, the great Sikh Maharaja of the only Sikh state to never be ruled by the British during his lifetime was, besides one of the greatest generals of military history, one of the few rulers of India to serve his Kingdom and its subjects of, various religions, with an eye to the equality of all. He was also a great patron of the arts. During his lifetime he had strived to bring all Sikhs under the rule of one great Khalsa Kingdom. When he gained control of Amritsar he used much of the great excess wealth the Punjab produced to rebuild many Gurdwaras associated with the days of the Gurus as well as having many more constructed. 


*
He was, along with his grandson, Nau Nihal Singh, very generous in his patronage of the Gurdwara at Tarn Taran, but the Harmandir Sahib held that same special place in his heart, that it holds for all Sikhs. Here he contributed tons of gold to cover the exterior walls of the Gurdwara's two upper floor's ornately fashioned metal panels. The beautiful dome, shaped like an inverted lotus, which sits above the curved bangaldar roof of its Shish Mahal, alone was covered in 220 lbs. of the precious metal. *
(The SGPC in March 2005 has prohibited Sikhs from referring to the  Sri Harmandir Sahib as the Golden Temple.) 

* But did you mean, who were the workmen who applied the gold to Harimandir Sahib?
*


----------



## spnadmin (Mar 5, 2009)

Definitely -- A multi-media project is possible. 

Here for starters is a great set of photos on Flicker. Unless you scream for me to stop I will probably have 50 videos by the end of the day on this thread.  But then.... we all will learn and enjoy them.

GOLDEN TEMPLE - a set on Flickr


----------



## spnadmin (Mar 5, 2009)

Trimann,

This is the rediff.com Video Search link. They must have the largest set of videos about Harimandir Sahib right in one spot. 

golden temple video|golden temple clips|golden temple trailers ::Rediff Video search


----------



## spnadmin (Mar 5, 2009)

A YouTube site for many videos. 



http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=golden+temple


----------

