To enter the golden temple complex, we removed our shoes and socks, rinsed our feet, covered our head, and proceeded to walk around the huge square clockwise. Sikh pilgrims bath in the holy, tranquil water that surrounds the main shrine where the revered text of scriptures are kept. An ancient warrior people, the Sikhs are represented by a saffron dagger, and are also known by the turban worn by the men. They believe in equality of all people, unlike the old caste system, including equal treatment of men and women. No one goes hungry in Amritsar because of the huge community kitchen staffed by volunteers serving food 24/7.
