| Season | Opens | Darshan | Closes | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summer (approx Apr to Sep) | Prakash approx 2:00 AM | Continuous darshan through the day and night while the Guru is installed | Sukhasan approx 10:30 to 11:00 PM | Open |
| Winter (approx Oct to Mar) | Prakash approx 3:00 AM | Continuous darshan through the day and night while the Guru is installed | Sukhasan approx 9:30 to 10:00 PM | Open |
| Complex and Sarovar | 24 hours | Parikrama, sarovar and langar accessible round the clock | Never closes | Open |
Unlike a Hindu temple with fixed darshan slots and a midday break, the Golden Temple keeps the doors of the complex open every hour of every day of the year. What actually moves with the clock is the presence of the Guru in the sanctum. At the Prakash ceremony before dawn, Sri Guru Granth Sahib is carried in the golden Palki Sahib from the Akal Takht across the causeway and installed inside Harmandir Sahib; from that moment darshan flows continuously.
The seasonal swing matters if you are chasing a specific ceremony. In the long summer, Prakash can begin around 2:00 AM and Sukhasan slip past 10:30 or even 11:00 PM; in winter, Prakash is closer to 3:00 AM and Sukhasan around 9:30 to 10:00 PM. These are tied to sunrise and sunset, so treat any single printed time as approx. During Gurpurabs the schedule stretches with akhand paths and extra kirtan.
Practical tip: for darshan without a crush, arrive in the Amrit Vela (the ambrosial pre-dawn hours) or late at night. Midday, weekends and festival days see the causeway queue back up for an hour or more. Confirm same-day Prakash and Sukhasan times on the SGPC site if timing a ceremony precisely.
← Back to the full Golden darshan guideCompiled from public sources including Golden Temple official daily routine and timings (goldentempleamritsar.org) · SGPC (managing body of Sri Harmandir Sahib) · Langar at the Golden Temple · Accommodation at Sri Darbar Sahib. Timings and seasonal closures change; confirm with the temple trust before travelling.