As a child I had always thought the Taj Mahal would bowl me over when I saw it for the first time and no other Indian monument would be comparable.

But the thought vanished the day I visited the Golden Temple in Amritsar, and slowly circled the outer periphery, head covered and eyes transfixed on inner sanctum – the building that houses Granth Sahab, something transcendental churned within me.

The stunning and imposing golden hues of light that emanated from the temple against the black of night were soul-stirring. It was as if time stood still and the only movement was the rustle of my dupatta as I walked barefoot, almost in slow motion. Every step was also a glaring reminder of the storied military and political history, the turmoil it had survived, but as a young child back then, the

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