New Delhi, Aug. 22 -- Jasvir Kaur climbs the staircase of Sri Harmandir Sahib in Amritsar slowly. The pilgrimage has become harder with age, her knees protesting at every step. Yet each time she visits the Golden Temple, the 62-year-old from Punjab's Tarn Taran district insists on climbing to the upper floors of the sanctum. She pauses beneath the painted ceilings, her eyes taking in the centuries-old frescoes covering the vaulted surfaces in fading shades of terracotta, rose pink, indigo, emerald green and muted ochre. Delicate vines unfurl into flowering sprays, curling around birds, arches and ornamental borders. Faceted mirror inlays catch the light filtering in, making the painted ceilings shimmer softly against the temple's gilded g...