A gold plaque etched with Sikh Mool Mantar ‘Nirbhau Nirvair’.

There are moments in life when one feels truly blessed. One such moment was when I was invited to create this book on the Golden Temple by my publisher, Om Aurora. Since I was a child, summer always meant travelling to Amritsar to stay with my paternal grandparents, who lived just minutes away from Sri Harmandir Sahib. Every day followed the same pattern - going to Jallianwala Bagh and then walking over to pay our respects at the Golden Temple. To this day, the taste of karah prasad received after darshan remains a special memory. Those childhood visits, without my realising it, sowed the seeds of a lifelong connection with this sacred shrine.

A pilgrim bows in reverence before the Nishan Sahib, the eternal symbol of Sikh faith.

Making the book turned into a journey of devotion as much as one of photography. I visited Amritsar a number of times, spending hours within the sacred precincts, waiting for the right light and the right moment. Since the book was planned in an extra-large format, I wanted every photograph to hold up to the highest standards of print reproduction.

Each day, the Palki Sahib is respectfully brought before the Akal Takht to be decorated.

Most of the images were shot on a medium-format digital camera, prized for its detail and tonal range. Some of the earlier photographs, taken on 35mm film, were later complemented with digital work, allowing me to document the shrine across different periods of time.

A young pilgrim sits before the Akal Takht. While its marble facade has undergone extensive renovation, the original brick

wall endures, preserved behind the arches as a testament to its sacred history.

Spread across 256 pages, the book is divided into six chapters. It opens with the Sikh Gurus, followed by the history and architectural evolution of Sri Harmandir Sahib and the importance of Akal Takht. The chapter on Palki Sahib depicts in complete pictorial sequence the sacred daily journey of Guru Granth Sahib - from Amrit Vela, when it is carried from the Akal Takht to Sri Harmandir Sahib, to late at night, when it is returned to Kotha Sahib.

Kotha Sahib, a sacred chamber within the Akal Takht, is where Guru Granth Sahib rests at night after being ceremonially brought from the Golden Temple. Historically, it was the resting place of Guru Arjan Dev, the fifth Sikh Guru. Even today, a carpet covered with white sheet lies beneath the bed, preserving the memory of the Guru's presence.

The following chapter immerses the reader in the profound experience of darshan, capturing the sanctum's spiritual energy, beauty and ambience. The close-up photography brings alive the shrine's marble inlay, gilded work and ornamental panels, both inside and out. The book closes with a chapter on the collective seva of the sangat at Langar Sahib - a tribute to one of the world's great living traditions of equality, where volunteers prepare and serve meals daily to all, regardless of caste, creed, religion or nationality.

The richly decorated first floor of the Golden Temple features a narrow corridor with balconies overlooking the sanctum sanctorum, where Guru Granth Sahib rests. Worshippers pause here, immersed in the serene and sacred ambience.

During the making of this book, the day of Hola Mohalla still stays with me. I followed the Palki Sahib procession, photographing each stage, as it reached the entrance of Sri Harmandir Sahib. The swelling tide of devotees gently pushed me into a corner but I was completely at peace with it. Amid the movement and emotion, photography became nearly impossible. There are moments when the camera must give way to faith. Later, as the Palki Sahib emerged through the Darshani Deori on its return to Kotha Sahib, the waiting sangat showered the procession with a profusion of flower petals; the sheer bliss of this experience transcends description.

Langar sewa is a tribute to one of the world's great living traditions of equality, where volunteers prepare and serve meals daily to all, regardless of caste, creed, religion or nationality.

The chants of "Sri Waheguru" rose to a crescendo, filling the complex with incredible energy. Standing behind the Palki Sahib with millions of fragrant petals falling on me, it felt as though the Gurus themselves were showering their blessings. It was the most sublime experience.

A view of the Golden Temple. Photos and text by the writer

I was fortunate to have the guidance of Dr Inderjit Singh Gagoani of Khalsa College, Amritsar, in shaping the book's historical and textual content, and the support of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee was vital. The book is priced at Rs 1,46,900, corresponding with Guru Nanak Dev's year of birth, 1469. The first and the last copies will be auctioned and the proceeds will be sent to the Golden Temple management.

- Tarun Chopra is an acclaimed photographer and author

Golden Temple:

An oasis of spirituality

by Tarun Chopra.

Speaking Tiger.

Pages 256.

Rs 1,46,900