The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions (177 page)

di Granth 33). The ‘amrit vel
’ is the hour before dawn especially precious for prayer. See
AMRITDH
R
;
AMRITSAR
.

 
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(
Pañj
b
, ‘one who has received amrit’). An initiated Sikh.

 
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Amritsanskar
(Sikh initiation)
:

see
AMRIT
.

 
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(
Pañj
b
, ‘pool of nectar’). Sikhs' spiritual capital. Amritsar,
Pañj
b
, is 400 km. NNW of Delhi and 30 km. from Pakistan. It is especially holy to Sikhs on account of the
Harimandir
(Golden Temple). Amritsar, first known as Gur
k
Chak, R
md
spur, and Chak R
m D
s, was founded 1577 CE by Gur
R
m D
s
, who built a brick temple there. The city took its name from the pool. In 1984, the Indian army stormed the Harimandir to dislodge Sikh militants.
In 1919, many Sikhs who, disregarding the Rowlatt Acts, had gathered on
Vais
kh