First Edition Books and Rare Art

Sikh Golden Temple Amritsar rare photo

A remarkable panoramic and partially aerial view of a crowded scene at the Golden Temple, Amritsar from the early 1930s. It shows the then newly built surrounding buildings incuding the clock tower as well as the Darshani Deori (gateway) with the original paintwork – now whitewashed.

At the bottom printed with green lettering is: ‘Golden Temple Amritsar/Golden Temple Photo Co. (Opp. Golden Temple) Clock Tower, Amritsar’ with a further inscription in Gurmukhi. 3 gelatin silver prints. Image size 21.5 x 6ins. Mount 24 x 10ins.

Sri Harmandir Sahib, also know as the Golden Temple in Amritsar or Shri Darbar Shaib, is the holiest shrine of the Sikh religion and foremost pilgrimage spot, located in the center of the old part of Amritsar.

The Golden Temple sits on a rectangular platform, surrounded by a pool of water called the Amrit Sarovar from which the City is named. Its’ four doors welcoming people of all four castes, this first Sikh shrine in the paradigm for Sikh shrines, or gurdwaras (the word means literally a door, dwara, to ultimate enlightment, guru).

Amritsar is one of Punjab´s principal cities, dating back in history over 400 years. It is known more for the world famous Golden Temple, the seat of Sikh religion.Situated on the north-western border of India, the city is also gateway for the travelers on the overland route through Pakistan. The Wagah border, which is the check-post is about 29 kms away. Amritsar literally means “the pool of nectar”, the name derived from a pool constructed at the sacred site in the 16th century, gifted by the Mughal Emperor Akbar to Guru Ramdas, the fourth preceptor of the Sikh faith.

Early photography of the Golden Temple is rarely available and highly sought after.

More on Amritsar here