Akal Takht

Akal Takht ( Akal Takhat also; Panjabi: ਅਕਾਲ ਤਖ਼ਤ, Akal takhat ) is a building in the complex of the Golden Temple of the Sikhs in the northern Indian city of Amritsar. The name means' seat ( throne ) of a timeless ". This refers to the seat of God.

The Akal Takht is one of " five Takht " ( throne or seat of authority ). The Jathedar ( religious leader ) of the Akal Takht and the four other Jathedat the rest Takhts together the physical religious leader of the Sikhs.

The building was originally built by the sixth Guru, Guru Hargobind, as a symbol for political sovereignty of Sikhs. He also symbolized in the 17th and 18th centuries the political and military resistance against the Mughal Empire. Ahmed Shah Abdali led in the 18th century a series of attacks on the Akal Takht and the Golden Temple by, the entire complex was once even completely destroyed. On June 4, 1984, he was during the Operation Blue Star, which should serve to expel militant Sikhs by the Indian Army, very badly damaged.

The present building was completely rebuilt in 1986 and is larger than the original one.