Mystic psalm sound - Harmandir Sahib - Amritsar / India by www.selimharbi.com published on 2012-11-29T17:51:24Z Ambient sound recorded in the magnificient Golden Tempel or the Harmandir Sahib in Amritsar / Punjab-India. The essence of Sikh faith is tolerance and universality. Since inception, Sikhism incorporated egalitarian traditions of Islam, harmoniously wed to transcendental wisdoms of Hinduism. "This religion has existed for six centuries through the teaching of a certain Guru Nanak (1469-1539). He received a mystical revelation when he swam in a river. He realised that "none is Hindu or Muslim" and that one God should be worshiped. Nanak was never regarded as a prophet but rather as a reformer whose mission was to lead Humans to God. His message focused on the worship of the divine in a free and simple fashion, adopting hence a noble and peaceful attitude towards adoration, one meant to know no constraints or shackles. About 2% of the Indian population embrace Sikhsim – around 20 million people - , but a burgeoning large diaspora lives in the United Kingdom, Canada, Pakistan and Singapore.I visited the subcontinent for a few months in an attempt to scratch the surface of the sublime and ambiguous spiritual myriad. Besides the striking aesthetical beauty of innumerable spots in India, I was stunned by the juxtaposition of the people’s strength of will one onside, and the appalling poverty on the other. Coming from North Africa where mystical Islam has a long tradition of broadmindedness and openness, perpetuated by the Marabous and the holy healers, I immediately related to the Sikh philosophy and the essence of its ideology. One cultural window therefore popped for me to understand one dimension of India and its complexity. In the heart of Amritsar (Punjab province), the Sri Harmandir Sahib - or more commonly known as the Golden Temple – erected in year 1604, to become one of the most sacred shrines of Sikhism. It stands in the middle of a large pool of water (Amrita, nectar coveted by the gods and demons in Hindu mythology) which reflects the stunning gilding of the Temple below the clear blue skies of Punjab. Thousands of visitors flock every day, turning the site into an epicentre of a varied and colourful human microcosm. Some are pilgrims, others are regular worshippers, but the temple is constantly looked after by disciples and volunteers who alternate in cleaning, cooking and serving god’s guests. Mandeep, a young Sihk invites me into the back court of this religious structure. To my surprise, a scene of a restless human herd unfolded before my eyes: first the bakery, where bread gets prepared every day, then the kitchen with its enchanting smell of cardamom. Everyone had their sleeves up. They were the hard working servants of the Sri Harmandir Sahib. Sikhs at the Golden Temple utter few words, preferring silence and humility. Religious devotion is shown through a spirit of solidarity and within a doctrine of optimism. “… The Harmandir as a repository of rational thought, as a place where the ethical and philosophical insights of men of wisdom and divine inspiration could be heard in a calm and contemplative atmosphere” Photo Reportage by Selim Harbi : www.selimharbi.com all rights reserved-2013 Genre Ambient