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6. India
Amritsar -
Haridwar -
Rishikesh -
Manikaran -
Pushkar
Bombay -
Goa -
Hampi -
Dharamsala -
Gorakhpur
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Amritsar
Most of the people drove on directly further, and their paths separated into different directions. But many would meet again in Goa at the time of Christmas. Though I would of liked to have a closer look at Amritsar, the homeland of the Golden Temple and the spiritual center of the Sikhs. The Sikhs were easily recognized by their turbans and beards. Devout Sikhs avoid the consumption of drugs, tobacco and alcohol.
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Sesame was opened and the brilliance of the gold was dazzling, offering a foretaste of India's splendour. In 1974 I only reached Delhi and with the help of the embassy I flew back to Germany. The compelled long stay in Afghanistan had used up the largest part of my money. Today I'm grateful about this circumstance. After the invasion of the Soviet Army in December of 1979, it was no longer possible to explore the country.
In the tales of "Ali Baba and his 40 bandits" from "1000 and one night", one needed a password, in order to open the entrance to the cave, where the golden treasures were pilled up and to get out again. As long as I had a valid passport and nothing bad happened to me, I was allowed to enjoy the splendour of India, and to leave it again. A grateful seeker will return from India enriched with experiences, knowledge, and maybe a higher consciousness or at least more awareness. A hungry thief leaves the country, stripped of his energy and illusions.
Many junkies died in their 'paradise' and truth-seekers simply vanished, going into retreat in the Himalaya or in the wonderland of Hampi.
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Lichtfaktor
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Golden Temple by night
The Sikh Temple - or Gurdwara as the Sikh's preferred calling it - is on an island and the building is covered in gold leaf; it is surrounded by a park like garden which has four gates. These gates symbolize the openness of the Sikhs towards their fellow human beings and religions. According to the Sikh's beliefs bathing in or drinking from the holy bath improves your personal karma. I would have loved to take a bath in these holy waters but doing so was restricted to Sikhs. The name of the city is made up of Amrit = nectar and Sar = pond.
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Ardian Fu
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Golden Temple
Photos by Ardian Fu
At the entrance of the Gurdwara Halva (sweets from wheat-semolina, sugar, almonds and cinnamon) was sold, that were sacrificed together with money inside the Temple. Sitting in front of these mounds of money were musicians singing and playing themselves into trance with Kirtan. A truly mystic atmosphere in a magic place, a magic one could not escape.
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Golden Temple II
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Meditating Sikhs
Photos by Lichtfaktor
In the hotel I found a note, which Peter had given to me shortly before my departure. On it, was an address of a Professor Sharma in Haridwar. To my friend he must have been a kind of guru. Perhaps he could help me to find my internal peace again. So, I decided to take a train via Delhi to Haridwar.
further
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