A Weekend Trip to Amritsar

Amritsar is a city in the North West of India in the state of Punjab, found on the border of India and Pakistan.  It is home to one of the most beautiful temples in the world - The Golden Temple - a Sikh Gurdwara.

Marty, Melman and Gloria took a flight to Amritsar from Delhi - causing much amusement as usual!!!  The JetKonnect flight crew were really interested to know about the fundraising we were doing and also the work of Plan-UK.  Unfortunately this was the first time we faced any negativity to our cause.  We were in the Delhi airport and a curious child was asking us why we were dressed as we were.  He seemed quite amused by our rationale and was very interested in seeing our pictures.  Later on, his father then came and asked us about our fundraising and where we were from etc.  His response was "I suggest you go and clean up your London slums, before ours" and then walked off.

Unfortunately there are always going to be some that will oppose good work and continue to work.  However I would urge all those that are negative towards the cause, to imagine if their children had to grow up living with 5 others in a small room, made from corrugated metal, with no running water, animals living next to them, faeces on the floor, no education etc.  We are lucky to be born into families with opportunities for work, access to education, safe water and food.  Everyone has a right to this.

Rant over ... sorry.

In Amritsar, we visited the Wagha border and the simply stunning and magical, Golden Temple.

To get into Wagha border there was a crowd of at least 5000 people.  No orderly queuing seemed to exist ... just shoving.  Pushing and shoving.  It was insane!!  The Indians waiting to get through to see the parade were incredibly patriotic and desperate to get into the small 'stadium' with limited seating.  As soon as the gates opened, the crowd began running through to get to the next security station.  As British Indians, used to queuing, we were completely out of our comfort zone!!

The parade consisted of lots of bollywood and bhangra dancing, displays with the India flag, patriotic songs etc.  There was also a ceremony involving soldiers from both the Indian and Pakistani sides, and a ceremonial handshake between both sides.

There were some foreign visitors (us included) who had to sit in a designated foreigners area, some VIPs, and thousands of Indians who had come to see the show.  It was fascinating the range of individuals that had come - small children, schoolchildren, parents, grandparents, able-bodied, disabled etc etc.  Although it is amazing to see such dedication, to me, I found it saddening at the same time. What once had been one united country, had been split into two, and with such animosity.

We visited the Golden Temple twice - once in the evening and once in the early hours of the morning.  It was one of the busiest yet most peaceful places, I have ever visited.  The temple is sort of hidden, in the depths of the town, surrounded by shops and restaurants.  Once you enter, the magnificence of the building, and shimmering reflection in the water, strikes you.  So many people were visiting the temple, but yet there was a beautiful tranquillity about the whole temple.

There were people bathing in the water surrounding the temple - considered to be holy nectar; children praying; individuals in deep meditation; parents teaching their children about traditions; the langar canteen.  The temple itself has 3 different floors. Each with the holy manuscripts and gurus.

The early morning visit, meant we went at exactly the right time for one of the religious ceremonies.  Even at 4am in the morning (when we expected fewer vistiors), there were thousands of people.  Not just adults - children too!  We joined in with the ceremony, following the actions of those around us.  Although we felt slightly out of place, we were privileged to experience an aspect of the culture.

Truly amazing.

Don't forget to donate at www.justgiving.com/onesiesaroundtheworld.