Where is the Golden Temple?

The Golden Temple is an architectural religious structure, which received the name for the use of gold in its decoration. In the world of such famous temples - three, one is in India in the city of Amritsar, another - on the island of Sri Lanka, the third - in Kyoto, Japan.

Therefore, the answer to the question of which country the Golden Temple is located in will not be unambiguous, besides this name is used not only for architectural structures located in different countries, but also in the form of a book title published in 1956 by the Japanese writer Yukio Mishima.

The Temple of Harmandir in India

The Golden Temple (Harmandir Sahib) in the Indian state of Punjab in the city of Amritsar, located on the border of India and Pakistan, is an ancient architectural monument of the 16th century. He is also famous for the historical events that took place here in the 20th century. At the insurrection of the Sikhs.

Amritsar is a city with a million population, which means small by Indian standards, - the center of cultural and religious history of the Sikhs, and the temple located here is considered a spiritual sanctuary for 20 million of this people settled all over the world.

Its construction began in 1589 at the direction of the ruler of the guru Arjan Dev Gia. The building of the building was supervised by the Rikhit Singh, the Sikh Emperor himself, and funding was provided from the means of the city of Punjab. According to the calculations of the builders, 100 kg of precious metal was needed to cover the copper plates with gold.

The sacred temple stands on an island surrounded by the waters of the "Lake of Immortality" (Amrita Sarai), in which, according to the Sikhs, water has healing properties. In the lake there are red fish, carp. Many visitors try to swim in the lake to be healed of diseases.

On the photo of the Golden Temple you can see that you can walk to the building by the bridge, passing through the gates with the guard. Inside it is the sacred book of Guru Granth-Sahib, which is a collection of hymns of religious content. They were composed of 10 gurus of three religions: Sikhs, Muslims and Hindus, and performed during the day to the accompaniment of musical instruments.

The architecture of Harmandir is a mixture of Hindu and Islamic directions, it also contains original own features, its golden dome in the shape of a lotus symbolizes the Sikh's desire for life without blemishes and sins. On the perimeter of the lake there is a snow-white marble church, the lower part of the walls of which is a mosaic with images of plants and animals.

It is believed that the temple is open to people of all faiths and color, therefore symbolically it has 4 entrances to the sides of the world. The first guru, who here considered himself a wise mediator, sincerely preached the equality and brotherhood of all nations.

Legend of the "Lake of Immortality"

In the ancient legend of the Golden Temple and the lake next to him tells of a proud princess, whom the father chose the groom. However, she disagreed with him and did not want to marry, so her father decided to give her away for the first man to meet him on the road. The groom was a tramp plagued with ulcers, whom the girl led to this lake and left.

To the bride the groom has returned already a handsome man, but the princess did not believe him and claimed that he became the murderer of her husband. But then the accident prompted the girl to answer: 2 black swans sat down on the water of the lake, when they took off they were already white, and then the princess believed that her fiancé had been miraculously healed from the sacred water.

The sacred temple and the bloody 20th century

Historical events of the 20th century. Were rather gloomy and bloody, accompanied by murders of people. In 1919, there was a bloody massacre in the area of Jallianwalabagh in the central part of Amritsar, which became one of the shameful pages of British colonization in this country. On April 13, 1919, many pilgrims came to the city to celebrate the Sikh Vaisakhi, and British General R. Dwyer ordered the troops to shoot everyone, according to some reports about one thousand Sikh Indians died. After these events, Gandhi and his supporters headed the Non-Co-operation Movement, which began the struggle for India's independence, the beginning of it was a national strike.

The following military events with a bloody outcome occurred here in 1984, when the Sikh leader J. Bhindranwal and his associates occupied the Golden Temple in Amritsar and declared this the beginning of the struggle for the independent Sikh state of Khalistan. Prime Minister of India I. Gandhi gave an instruction about the destruction of the separatists, which was carried out by the Indian army with the use of tank troops. The consequence was a surge of Sikh terrorism, and then I. Gandhi was killed by her bodyguards, who were also Sikhs by nationality.

As a result of these events, the sacred church was half destroyed, but in time it was restored. Knowing where the Golden Temple is, many pilgrims come here to touch religious mysteries, make a ritual circle around the lake or swim in it to heal the body.

Now he is always open to all coming, monks who live here constantly sing and read texts from the sacred book of the Sikhs that are transmitted through loudspeakers throughout the complex. At the top is the Sikhism Museum, which displays an exhibition on the history of oppression of this people by the Mughals, the British and I. Gandhi.

The Golden Cave Temple in Dambulla

Another option to answer the question, in which country is the Golden Temple, is on the island of Sri Lanka. It is a shrine of Buddhist pilgrims and tourists. This temple cave complex includes the most ancient Golden Temple in the world, numbering more than 22 centuries.

The history of the temple narrates about King Walagambach, who in the 1st century BC. BC. E. Was expelled here by his enemies and lived in a cave with local monks. After 14 years, he took re-throne, and here he ordered the creation of a cave temple, as described in the inscription in the language of the brahmanas, located at the top near the entrance. Since then, temples in Dambulla have gained popularity as a place where Buddhists come from all over the country for worship.

During 2 thousand years on the territory of the complex, the rulers of the island made many changes, including:

• In the 12th century. King Nissakamulla instructed to cover all 73 statues of Buddha with pure gold, where the name of the Golden Cave Temple came from;
• In the 18th century. Local artists and architects made architectural changes in the temple, which continues to this day: the periodic restoration of various paintings using persistent dyes, whose recipes are kept in great secrecy;
• In the 20 century. The colonnade and pediments were completed to cover the temple from a strong wind.

What to see in the temple in Dambulla

The answer to the question "To see the Golden Temple, which country should I go to?", Will be in Sri Lanka in Dambulla. Here one of the most ancient religious buildings of the island has been preserved.

The complex includes the Golden Temple, 5 cave temples and many more small caves (about 70), in the construction and reconstruction of which participated almost all the rulers of the island of Ceylon. It is located on the top of a mountain 350 m high by 20 hectares, recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

These religious buildings introduce pilgrims and tourists to the history and art of Sri Lankan masters over the past centuries. As in all Buddhist temples and monasteries, when visiting it, travelers feel the harmony of their inner world, which helps to overcome stressful conditions and to enjoy the contemplation of the beautiful.

The decoration of the temple is a collection of Buddha statues, which gathered 2 millennia, as well as paintings, the theme of which are various milestones of his life.

Almost all the Buddha statues are located in the cave temples, mostly in a deep meditation pose, there is also a statue of King Walagambah of wood. In one of the caves you can see a natural miracle - flowing upward water, which then flows into the golden cup.

In another cave there is a stupa, used earlier as a safe for the jewels of the royal wife, which was plundered. In the cave, painted in the 18th century, there are about 1,000 images of the Buddha on the walls and the ceiling, as well as more than 50 of his statues in sitting and lying positions, including one of the statues is 9 meters in size.
The youngest of the caves, which was restored at the beginning of the 20th century, is the most colorful one, because paints for 100 years did not have time to grow dull.

Temple in Japan: history

Another architectural structure, called the Golden Temple in Japan, is located in the ancient capital of Kyoto in the territory of the temple complex of Chinamaden. In Japanese, its name sounds "Kinkaku-ji", which means "Golden Pavilion".

The Japanese consider it to be the most beautiful building in their country, the Golden Temple is even older than the Indian temple - built in 1397 as a villa for the rest of the ruler Yoshimitsu, who abdicated and lived here until his death. Now it is a place of storage of Buddhist relics.

The name "Golden" reflects not only the appearance, but also the building material, because the 2 upper floors of the temple are covered with sheets of real gold. The building stands on the shore of the lake, which reflects its golden glow very beautifully, along the perimeter there are stones to emphasize its wealth and grace.

The temple, from the point of view of the Japanese, is perfection, which is beautiful, original and restrained beauty: soaring above the surface of the Mirror Lake, it harmoniously fits into the surrounding park. Architecture and nature here are equivalent to creating an artistic image. In the center of the man-made lake are the islands of the Turtle and the Crane.

The combination of the temple and the lake evoke a vision of seclusion and silence, peace and tranquility, the reflection of heaven and earth is the highest manifestation of natural properties.

Temple in Kyoto: structure

In the middle of the 20th century. One of the monks, crazy, and in order to combat beauty, committed the arson of the shrine, but he was able to restore it in its previous form. The building is surrounded by a magnificent Japanese garden paved with paths and decorated with small ponds and streams, which is considered one of the most beautiful in Japan.

Each floor of the Golden Temple in Kyoto has its own purpose:

• On the first one, called the "Temple of Purification with Water" (Hosuin), surrounded by a veranda that protrudes above the surface of the pond, there is a hall for guests and visitors, the interiors are made in the style of villas of the aristocracy;
• On the second, resembling the dwelling of the samurai and called "Grotto surf" (Töönhor), richly decorated with Japanese painting, there is a hall of music and poetry;
• The third floor represents the cell of a monk of Zen Buddhism and is called the "Top of the Beautiful" (Kuketyo), it has two beautiful arched window openings built in the style of Buddhist architecture of the 14th century, religious ceremonies are held there, on the inner and outer sides this hall is covered with leaves From gold on a black background;
• On the roof is a statue of a Chinese phoenix.

In the garden there is a source of Gingasen (Milky Way), from which the shogun Yoshimitsu drank. The most valuable treasure is the Fudodo Hall, in which the Buddhist deity Fudo Myo is located.

Yukio Mishima's book The Golden Temple

This book "Kinkaku-ji", translated into many languages, including Russian (translated by B. Akunin), was written in 1956 and tells about the real events of the fire in the temple, when in 1950 a novice in the monastery Burned this beautiful building. The author of the novel is the Japanese writer Yukio Mishima, recognized in the country as a famous and significant creator of the second half of the 20th century.

Thanks to this novel and its popularity, many learned about the country in which the Golden Temple is located and how a terrible event happened, as a result of which the temple was burned and destroyed.

The protagonist of the novel is the son of the poor priest Mizoguchi, who from childhood was captivated by his father's stories about the beauty of the Golden Temple. After his death, he went to his friend Dosan, who served as abbot of this temple, entered the school at the Buddhist Academy. Being himself ugly externally and having a defect in the form of stuttering, he often came to the sacred building, bowing before his beauty and begging to reveal his secret.

Over time, the protagonist enters the university and dreams of becoming a successor to the abbot, but his unseemly and cruel acts forced Dosen to change his mind.

Gradually, internal torments and mental vibrations Mizoguchi acquire a strange goal: for the love of beauty and grandeur of the temple, he decides to burn it, and then commit suicide. Choosing the right moment, he burns and runs away.

Mishima treats the Golden Temple as the embodiment of the ideal beauty of the world, which, according to the protagonist, there is no place in our ugly world.

The fate of Yukio Mishima

The fate of the writer of the Golden Temple, Yukio Mishima (1925-1970), was also tragic. As one of the most famous Japanese writers of the post-war period, Mishima was nominated for the Nobel Prize three times, he wrote several novels that became popular and famous throughout the world: Kyoko House, Shield Society, The Sea of Abundance, etc. His Literary activity and the direction of the works changed throughout life: the first novels were devoted to the problems of homosexuality, then it was influenced by aesthetic directions in literature. Roman Mishima's "Golden Temple" was written just in this period, he describes a profound analysis of the inner world of a lonely person and his mental suffering.

Then came the Kyoko House, which was a reflection of the very essence of the era, provoking opposite critical assessments: some called it a masterpiece, others called it a complete failure. This was the beginning of a turning point and a deep disappointment in my life.

Since 1966, the author of the Golden Temple Yukio Mishima becomes ultra right, he creates a militant group "Shield Society", whose goal proclaims the restoration of the imperial rule. With 4 of his associates, he is trying to make a coup, which he came up with in order to effectively stage his suicide. Having seized the military base, he makes a speech for the emperor, and then makes himself a hara-kiri, his comrades finish the ritual, cutting off his head. This was a tragic ending to the life of the famous Japanese writer.

So how many in the world are the Golden Temples?

Existing in different countries Golden Temples, built in ancient times, are religious buildings, each of which has become a place where many pilgrims and travelers seek. They want to sink not only into history, but also into the world of religious ideas, preaching the desire for a virgin and sinless life, for harmony of the environment and inner world of every person of any religion.

The history of these churches is full of ambiguous and contradictory events, sometimes incredibly tragic. Some of them were reflected in famous literary works: one of them is the novel "The Golden Temple"
Y. Mishima.