DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.636#0189
The Sikh Sect. 177
contrary, denies that God associates himself with images, but
believes that he is manifested in a written book (Granth).
Hence, although the temple is free from images, and is
dedicated to the one God under his name Hari (applied
also to Krishna or Vishnu), a visible representation of the
invisible God is believed to be present in the sacred book.
The Granth is, in fact, the real divinity of the shrine, and
is treated as if it had a veritable personal existence. Every
morning it is dressed out in costly brocade, and reverently
placed on a low throne under a jewelled canopy, said to have
been constructed by Rafijit Sinh at a cost of 50,000 rupees.
All day long chowries are waved over the sacred volume,
and every evening it is transported to the second temple on
the edge of the lake opposite the causeway, where it is made
to repose for the night in a golden bed within a consecrated
chamber, railed off and protected from all profane intrusion
by bolts and bars.
On the occasion of my first visit to the Golden Temple
two or three rows of temple officials and others were seated
in a circle round the vaulted chamber, to the number of about
a hundred, listening to the Granth which was being chanted
by the presiding Guru and his assistants in a loud tone, with
an accompaniment of musical instruments. The space in the
centre was left vacant for offerings, and was strewn with
flowers, grain, and small coin. A constant line of wor-
shippers, male and female, entered one after the other, cast
down their offerings, bowed their heads to the ground before
the Granth and before the presiding Guru, and reverently
circumambulated the corridor of the temple. I noticed that
one poor old woman threw in two small coins, and then,
bending low, touched the marble floor with her forehead.
On leaving the temple I talked for a time with an in-
telligent Sikh who had received an English education.
Pointing to an idol of Krishna which had been set up on
the margin of the lake, I asked whether the Sikhs were
N
contrary, denies that God associates himself with images, but
believes that he is manifested in a written book (Granth).
Hence, although the temple is free from images, and is
dedicated to the one God under his name Hari (applied
also to Krishna or Vishnu), a visible representation of the
invisible God is believed to be present in the sacred book.
The Granth is, in fact, the real divinity of the shrine, and
is treated as if it had a veritable personal existence. Every
morning it is dressed out in costly brocade, and reverently
placed on a low throne under a jewelled canopy, said to have
been constructed by Rafijit Sinh at a cost of 50,000 rupees.
All day long chowries are waved over the sacred volume,
and every evening it is transported to the second temple on
the edge of the lake opposite the causeway, where it is made
to repose for the night in a golden bed within a consecrated
chamber, railed off and protected from all profane intrusion
by bolts and bars.
On the occasion of my first visit to the Golden Temple
two or three rows of temple officials and others were seated
in a circle round the vaulted chamber, to the number of about
a hundred, listening to the Granth which was being chanted
by the presiding Guru and his assistants in a loud tone, with
an accompaniment of musical instruments. The space in the
centre was left vacant for offerings, and was strewn with
flowers, grain, and small coin. A constant line of wor-
shippers, male and female, entered one after the other, cast
down their offerings, bowed their heads to the ground before
the Granth and before the presiding Guru, and reverently
circumambulated the corridor of the temple. I noticed that
one poor old woman threw in two small coins, and then,
bending low, touched the marble floor with her forehead.
On leaving the temple I talked for a time with an in-
telligent Sikh who had received an English education.
Pointing to an idol of Krishna which had been set up on
the margin of the lake, I asked whether the Sikhs were
N