Omaha daily bee., 1922-05-21
Tourist Finds
Amritsar Both
Safe and Quiet
Golden Temple, Fight for
Control Of Which Started
Unrest, Beauty Spot
Of India.
Amil,ar, May 2O.-"Giye a dos

Amilhar, Miy u GiNe dog 4
Dad name before hanging him"
This old proverb might well be ap-
piled 10 Amritsar today. Since the
riots Of April. 1919. during which sew
cral hundred persons lost their lives,
Amritsar became known throughout
India as dangerous center oi sedi-
ton. a place where an Englishman or
American could not go without insult
In Bombay heard stories from
British officers OF English women
and children being sent away rom
the city, OF continual evidences OF dis
respect shown every white man. Per-
haps that was true three or four
months ago. but today Amri,sar Is
both safe and quiet. Not a happy
quiet, !, is true. but a sullen submis-
sion to the inevitable. a submission
which may bode i'll for the future
should the reforms go by the board
| spent several hours in the bazars
and in the Golden Temple, the Sikh
Holy of Holes. wandering around by
myself, and while | did not receive
4. the salaam one always gets III Other
parts OF India. | was tolerated.
Perhaps one reason Tor this is the
camp OF Gurka troops outside the
city proper. which has been there
Stree the middle OF December. The
)Sikh hates aud fears the Gurka, Tor
j, was with Gurkas that Gen.
O'Dwycr suppressed the riots oil
1919.
Ii was seeking Sadar Bahadurr
Meh,ab Singh, one Of the leaders OF
the Sikh movement TO regain control
OF the Gurdwaras in the Punjab, and
to reach his office ! passed through
the courtyard OF the temple.
Must Leave Smokes Behind.
The Durbar Sahib, as it is known !
in Punjabi. consists OF three build
ings. The temple proper, which Is
solely for worship, sits Oh a sort OF
island in the midst OF large. square
pool At the entrance to the run
way which leads out into the lake is
an arch, the upper part OF which IS
an apartment in which are located !
the treasury Of the temple and the
rooms in which the sacred relics. and
decorations are stored. Directly back
from this, in a separate courtyard, IS
the secular temple, i'll which III old
days the rulers OF the Sikh nation
held their durbars and handed down
decisions in civil cases.
On entering the courtyard OF the
temple one must remove ones SHOES
and stockings. leave behind any
cigarets-tobacco is an aboniination
to the Sikh-and any leather objects
one may be carrying. Before the
present agitation began it was only
necessary to cover the shoes with
large plush slippers which were Sup
piled, but when the temple AGAR. be-
came safe for Europeans three
months ago the old order or bare
feet was strictly enforced
Beautiful Place.
The Durbar Sahib is not a large
temple, but outside and in IT is one
of the most beautiful OF lndia's holy
places. The domes and upper POT
tion of the shrine are covered with
beaten gold leaf, and the lower IS
built from pure white marble, carved
in fantastic figures. Inside the dec
oratons are gold, with designs gar
ried out in blue, enamel. Inc floof
and paving of the Immense Court
yard are OF pure white marble on
oblinq blocks, every block separated
by strips OF black marble. ,,.
The tank is surrounded by marble
steps leading down into the holy wa
ter and Sikh pilgrims before gong
10 worship remove their clothing ana
bathe. None but Sikhs may bathe
in the tank or even set loot on the
first step without reprimand.
On entering the shrine one IS ap-
rroaehed BY the priest OF the temple
bearing garland of yellow flowers in
one hand and sweets wrapped III
green leaves in the other. ne gar
land Is hung about ones neck as a
sign that pilgrimage has been made
and spiritual nourishment received.
THE sweets are a symbol Of Sikh gen
erosity--none has been turned hum
gry away from Sikh shripe.
Reader Chants.
A beegar sits outside the temple /
door stunning himself and muttering
All appeal for aims. Scattered about ;
the courtyard and near the entrances
to the shrine are Sikhs on guard.
Dressed in black smocks and white |
trousers, with the black pugaree OF
the Akali on their heads and long ,
kirpan slung from the shoulder by /
yellow web belt, they form mar
tiai temple guard.
Within the shrine, at the low altar,
sits the "reader," chanting from {
dawn until darkness the holy words
of the Sikh bible. Except for six
hours--from until 3 in the morning
this chanting continues, and the de1I
vout pilgrim often remains in the
temple until he has heard the holy
book chanted from beginning to end.
Others, disregarding the chanting,
pray at Vishnu's altar-there are no
idols or holy paintings in the Sikh
shrines--or sit reading the holy say
ings Of the Sikh prophets.
Such is the temple of the Sikhs. for
the control of which the Sikh began
his present movement. That won in {.
January Of this year, he has gone
much further in his demands, ana the !
end is not vet.
French Women Puzzled by