The Hari Mandir, now called the Golden Temple, is a living symbol of the spiritual and historical traditions of the Sikhs. The tank and the temple have been a source of inspiration to the Sikh community ever since its foundation. It is evident from the Sikh chronicles that the Gurus exhorted their followers to accept all Sikh centers as places of pilgrimage. As Sri Hari Mandir Sahib was the first important holy shrine, it became, as the center of inspiration and action and the most significant achievement of the Gurus, the chief place of pilgrimage for the Sikhs.

The origin of the place where the Sri Hari Mandir stands is shrouded in mystery. Some trace its origin to the pre-historic, Vedic-epic period as a place of considerable religious importance in the form of a Amrit Kund (Spring of Nectar). But the site seems to have lost its eminence under the sway of the Buddhist movement, which swept away most of the important Hindu holy places. Before its association with the Sikh Gurus, the site of the Hari Mandir was a low-lying area, with a small pond (at the present site of the Dukh Bhanjani Beri – Healer of Sorrows), set in jungle terrain, surrounded by tiny hamlets. But the place was on the route of caravans passing to the North-West frontier and other old trade centers. However, the site of the temple lay desolate before it began to be visited by the Sikh Gurus.

Many popular myths and legends are connected with the origin of the Amrit Sarowar (Tank of Nectar). It is said that Guru Amar Das found on the banks of the pool the desired herb for the skin ailment of Guru Angad (the second Guru of the Sikhs). A persistent local tradition highlights the medicinal properties of the waters of the pond: Rajni, the daughter of Rai Dhuni Chand, a kardar (revenue collector) of Patti, brought her leper husband here and he was cured after having a dip in the pond. It is said that Ram Das (at that time, on a visit to a nearby area) came to the place to investigate the above episode and was so much impressed with the beauty of the surroundings that he decided to make it a pilgrim center.