The City of the Amritsar

What Mecca Madina is to the Muslims, Benaras to the Hindus - Amritsar is to the Sikhs. The city of Amritsar houses the most sacred shrine of the Sikhs. The Harimandir, as well as the highest seat of Sikh temporal power - the Akal Takhat. The history of this city is inextricably linked to the history of the Sikhs. From its foundation in the 16th century till the modern times, it stands for the spiritual and temporal seat of the Sikhs. These essays by the learned Sikh scholars highlight the origin, evolution, development and its symbolic significance for the followers of the Sikh faith. The essays, taken together, provide a compendium of information about this historical city.