Amritsar, the largest and most important city in the Punjab state, is located in northwestern India, 25 km east of the Pakistan border. The city is the birthplace of Sikhism and the site of the Sikhs’ chief pilgrimage destination: the Harmandir Sahib, or Golden Temple. More than 30 million visitors come to Amritsar annually.
Founded in 1577 by the fourth Sikh guru, Guru Ram Das, the city is an interesting mix of religious traditions. In addition to the Golden Temple, there are numerous Hindu temples as well as Muslim mosques. Christians make up less than 2% of the city’s population.
Amritsar is known as “the city where no one goes hungry” due to the Sikh concept of seva. Seva means “selfless service,” which is exemplified in the service of more than 100,000 meals each day in a large facility adjacent to the Golden Temple.