When you are travelling with a person having faith in different religion, then on certain occasion the interest clashes with each other. It happened to me during my Amritsar tour. I was accompanied by a Muslim friend. We have good understanding with each other. It was our plan to visit the popular Golden Temple. A place for sikh and neither him nor we have any hesitation to visit the place. But the next day, we found ourself in a awkward situation. There was a well known ancient hindu temple nearby, and I wanted to visit the place but he was not ready as his religion does not permit him. So we came to understanding that I can visit the place of my own, while he take rest in hotel. This made me happy I went for a walk to the nearest Durgiana temple
The Durgiana Temple in Amritsar is popular as a premier Hindu pilgrimage site due to its stunning architectural resemblance to the Golden Temple, featuring a similar structure situated in the middle of a sacred sarovar (lake). Dedicated to Goddess Durga, it is also known as the "Silver Temple" and serves as a major center for worshipping Goddess Durga, Lakshmi, and Vishnu.
The temple is situated at a walking distance from my hotel. I went out there in early hours, when my friend was asleep. I made sure to return back soon, so that we can utilize our day time in more meaningful way. The temple is situated beside a busy road and unable to locate it easily. But once you will get inside the temple complex , we can see how beautifully it was built in a vast area.
Due to early morning hours, there were not much crowd. I think I was one of the few visitor in the temple in early hours. On entering the complex, I saw it has beautifully designed sitting area for the visitors. The temple is still at a walking distance but the arena is set with some good welcome set up. Situated in the heart of Amritsar, it is surrounded by a large sarovar (sacred water tank).
The temple complex also includes the Lakshmi Narayan Temple and several other smaller shrines within its premises. It is a significant pilgrimage site, particularly for Hindus, in the heart of Amritsar. It is generally considered a peaceful and less crowded alternative to the Golden Temple, providing a quiet space for spiritual reflection.
There was a large sprawling space right outside the temple building. I believe such place is quite good for family outing during the hours. Kids generally love to play in such spiritual place. I usually does that during my childhood days. The place is clean and quite peaceful. The temple is known for its large, intricately carved silver doors, which give it its "Silver Temple" nickname. There is a huge Iron bell installed at the entrance.
There is a alley, that will take the devotee to the main temple sanctum, that is situated in middle of the water body. The morning breeze and the splashes of water sending me a good vibes. I wanted to spend hours in the area and I did that. I took random picture of the temple and its roundabout. The water are is spread in big area. And it does appear quite serene.
It was my faith that took me to explore the temple, while my fri3nd prefer to stay at hotel. Without spending much time, I quickly returned hotel to join him and explore rest of the city more. It was a welcome visit to the ancient temple and I really admire the beauty and serenity at the place.
In good faith - Peace!!