This city in northern India is home to the beautiful Golden Temple. Amritsar is the Sikhs’ religious/holy city. Every Sikh (men wear turbans on their heads, women wear saris) is required to visit the Temple at least once, so thousands of pilgrims are in the complex and city every day. The temple is gilded with 220 pounds of gold. It is on an island in the middle of a holy lake in a gigantic white marble compound. Everyone needs to remove their shoes, wash their feet and wear a head covering to enter. The gate to the temple grounds is being repaired but maintains it’s beauty:
My Very attractive head covering has the symbol of the Sikh religion:
One of the most amazing things about this temple complex is that everyone is invited to have a meal in the dining building below:
This amounts to an average 60,000 meals a day (100,000 on a busy day). Volunteers prepare, cook and serve the food. This is a cartload of plates to be distributed and some women preparing naan:
Spending time in this charming walled city is like going back in time. The shops furnaces are fueled with fire and the array of things on sale is mind boggling to a girl from Pittsburgh.
I might look like I’m enjoying this auto rickshaw ride (no other option in this town) but I am holding on for “dear life”.
That afternoon we drove to the India-Pakistan border to sit in a stadium (with 15,000 others) and watch each countries’ flag being lowered. This flags lowering ceremony is performed every evening at sunset. There was dancing before the ceremony and lots of soldiers marching:
I am so glad that I experienced today in India!
Barb Does The World 
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