The Golden Temple, built under Guru Arjun Dev, is the holiest shrine of the Sikhs. It stands at the centre of a lake, connected by a causeway to the Western bank. The temple has four doors, which are symbolic of its open relationship to all four castes. It was conceived as a shrine to contain the Adi Granth, the important Sikh manuscript which was enshrined there in 1604. The temple was destroyed several times in the eighteenth century before reaching its final state under Maharajah Ranjit Singh. This view from the southwest also shows the Akal Takht or 'Throne of the Timeless', which faces the entrance to the Golden Temple as well as containing symbols of military and political power. It was built by Guru Hargobind to symbolise his decision to arm his followers against Mughal persecution following the martrydom of his father, Guru Arjun, in 1606.

The painting is by Marriane North, first drawn in 1878.

Not on Public Display

Image © Reproduced with the permission of the British Library