Sacred Sikh Architecture as Places of Spiritual Connect: A Case of Golden Temple, Amritsar

Type:

Book Chapter

Author:

Jatinder Kaur

Published:

2024

Publisher:

Springer International Publishing

Architecture as a canopy for sustenance of life, has mostly been understood as the physical manifestation to provide safety, comfort and solace. The built forms for various building typologies such as Residential, Commercial, Recreational, Industrial etc. respond to the needs and expectations of users and owners, but the architecture of sacred spaces has many more layers of experiences and emotional responses that reach out to one’s spirit and soul. Sacred architecture of all faiths mostly incorporates architectural elements and spaces that respond to its belief systems, rituals and philosophy for the upliftment of the human spirit. Architecture in this dialogue has the capacity to leave meaningful impacts on worshippers, by registering impeccable impressions that turn into memories over time. This unique attribute of sacred architecture helps transform these “Spaces” into “Places”, where worshippers revisit for spiritual continuity. The architectural attributes contributing towards the enhancement of human spirit need to be explored in the discourse of Sacred Sikh Architecture, i.e., Gurudwaras (places of worship in Sikh religion). The Golden Temple Amritsar, being the most revered Gurudwara of Sikh faith is believed to possess the hidden power to uplift the human spirit and comfort the soul. The aim of this research is to study the architectural elements and spaces in the Golden Temple Amritsar that generate spiritual experiences of placemaking through the engagement of …

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