The city with the name that itself means the Abundance of Amrit (the holy water) and the Holy Pool of Nectar is the city Amritsar known for neither being afraid nor hating anyone. Amritsar is the city that reflects a great yet historic significance in the birth and the upbringing of Sikhism. This holy pool of nectar, Amritsar is the most crucial center of Sikh Religion. With its spiritual and cultural activities that go on at every part of the day makes it one of the most peaceful location of India one can seek internal peace at. Known for its Amritsari Cuisine, the legendary hospitality of Punjabis over the top of it adds on to its charm that captivates the heart of one. Being the religious capital of Sikhism, Amritsar is the land to the world famous Golden Temple which is considered to be the most crucial holy and pilgrimage shrine of the Sikh Religion. Fascinating people from all across the globe, this magnificent Golden Temple holds a great historic significance. Because of its religious importance Amritsar is well known to the people worldwide and attracts uncountable number of travelers every year. Apart from just its religious significance, Amritsar is a well known center of trade and tourism. Another aspect that counts on to its popularity is the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre and its proximity to Wagah Border.
The city that holds a great historic importance has a past which is linked back from the 16th century yet the history of Amritsar can be tracked from the days back in the Indus valley Civilization. With the plenty of archeological sites that were found in Amritsar and the other parts of Punjab showcases the history of Amritsar which was marked in the Vedic Period by plenty of Sages and Saints. The great Ramayana also showcases the existence of the town as the place was considered to be the Ashram of Rishi Balmiki where Sita Mata gave birth to her twin sons, Luv and Kush.
The region also points out at the Greek influence that it had in around 326 B.C. when the area was ruled by the Alexander and as he was defeated by the Mauryas, the region was then a part of the Maurya Empire. The past also reflects the link of the region with the Gupta Empire from 4th to 6th century and later after the short ruling tenure of Shahi Dynasty the area was captured and ruled by the Sultan Mahmood of Ghazni.
The actual seeds of the city were grown when the fourth Sikh Guru Ram Das heard about the pool that was blessed with the powers of healing in 1577. He thought to build up a temple that would be the face of Sikh Religion and so he instructed his son and the successor Guru Arjan Dev to construct the temple and as per the instructions, he laid the foundations of the city of Ramdaspur in 1588 and the complex of the temple was built by the 1601.
It is said that the Mughal Emperor Akbar donated the land which surrounded the temple complex post he paid the Jat farmers. While the donation was done, Arujan Dev was done with the compiling of the all holy texts of the Sikhs and placed it in the temple precincts which were named as the Harmindir (Temple of God).
As the Khatris and Aroras established their business at the center of the town in the temple complex on the invitation of the Guru the growth of the town was then started increasing rapidly. Later in the 18th Century, the town was plundered by Ahmad Shah Durrani which was to be rebuilt by the very first sikh ruler of the Punjab, Maharaja Ranjit Singh who then reconstructed the temple with his donation of 100 kilos of gold to the Golden Temple which was then added on to the surface of the temple as plating and thus the temple got its name as the Golden Temple.
With the centuries that passed, the blood struggle for survival has been witnessed by this magnificent city. With the threats of survival that were there for both Muslim and Hindu rulers of the region, it was then fortified by the Guru Hargobind who just use to accept the offerings of weapons from his devotees and disciples which he then used while he was defending the temple town. Post the death of Emperor Akbar, as Salim took over the throne, he forced Guru Arjan Dev to convert into Islam as per the penance for the favors he did to the town and him. With the refusing of the offer, Guru was forced to death by Salim who was later known as the Emperor Jahangir.
The tales of Amritsar as a most crucial part of the freedom struggle of India are heard worldwide. With worst of the atrocities that were committed by the British has been one of the most bloody yet historic events in the history of Indian Freedom Struggle. As the Rowlatt Act was enforced by the British that allowed the British offices to arrest anyone without any explanation and put the person behind bars, the protests against the law was done continuously by the people and being on the safe side, the Governor of the Punjab Province o’Dwyer banned the public assemblies. As a result, the men, women, children and every old person of the town assembled in the Jallianwala Bagh to mark the anniversary of Khalsa Panth. As the gathering was being held, the General Dyer who was charged to enforce the law and order to the region, ordered his troops to open fire the gathering without any warning. Thus killing thousands and thousands of people.
Showcasing the bloody struggle for survival, the walls of Jallianwala Bagh still bears the holes of the bullet with which people then were brutally killed. To escape the firing, few people jumped into the well that is present there and eventually they died. As British tried their best to suppress the incident, the fuss was there in the entire country and eventually Mahatma Gandhi called the Civil Disobedience and as a result British were forced out of India.
As India got its independence, another major event written in the history of Amritsar was another state of the bloody struggle between the Indian Administration and the Sikh Militants who wanted Punjab as a separate nationhood. With this demand of the leader of the Sikh Militant, Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale the wildlife was spread all across the nation and the and as a result, heavily armed Bindranwale with his followers holed up in the complex of the Golden Temple and the game of bloody survival was then played between the troops and the followers which resulted in the death of many and the fire on the Akal Takht which was the seat of the authority of the Sikh Religion by the rolled up tanks of the army.
With the defeat and killing of the Bindranwala and his followers and many of the soldiers, the reconstruction of the Golden Temple was done and the glory of the temple was retained then. Eventually, as per the outcome of the operation, the Prime Minister, Mrs. Indira Gandhi was assassinated by her own bodyguards and as a result many Sikhs were killed by the Hindus. The next Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi came up with another campaign which was called as the Operation Black Thunder to cleanse the complex of the militants in 1987 that eventually resulted in minimum of damage and elections were then carried in Punjab and Akali Dal emerged as the winner of the elections while the normalcy was returned to the state and Amritsar since then became the most crucial spot of the Sikh Religion.
Being the city of spiritual importance makes it a place of great connectivity; Sri Guru Ram Das Jee International Airport is situated at a minimal distance of 11 Kilometers from the happening city of Amritsar. This place of attraction is well-connected from the other major cities of India – there are regular flights to and from the destinations of Delhi, Chandigarh, Mumbai, Bangalore etc.
In case if you are travelling from the Gateway territory of Delhi then you need to follow the National Highway 44; if you planning on visiting Amritsar from Chandigarh then you need to follow the National Highway 3 – the Golden city is well-linked by road. Numerous buses run to and from Ambala, Delhi, Patiala, Chandigarh, and Jammu etc. A visit to Amritsar via road is simply easy and well-outlined.
The northern city of Amritsar is equipped with a connecting source named as Amritsar Railway station; it great fully connects the city to almost all of the prominent tourist destinations of India including Delhi, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Agra, Chandigarh, Kolkata etc.
The northern spiritual spot - Amritsar is nicknamed as the Golden City, one can visit this place of divinity any time of the year; however, beginning from the month of October to the end of March is regarded as the most-favourable duration.
From standard hotels to the luxurious one; all type of hotels are there in Amritsar [elegant architecture, well-designed rooms, numerous amenities, several satisfying facilities, notable restaurants serving great food etc]. Pick whichever suits your choice and spend a lovely time exploring the eminent city of North [Amritsar].
A day or two is quite satisfactory; the moment you will step into the vicinity of this sacred city – you heart will definitely fall in immense love [the positive vibes, the spirituality and freshness consumed air, generous people around – always ready to assist your presence etc]. Here are the names of some eminent consumed destinations one should definitely visit – Golden Temple, Jallianwala Bagh, Akal Takht, Durgiana Temple, Dukh Bhanjani Beri etc.
The city of Amritsar resides in the striking state of Punjab [the land of Five reasons]; Bright shaded clothes just like the resident’s high spirits and level of excitement; men wearing Punjabi Tamba and Kurta and women dressed in Patiala salwar and kurta. People belonging to the varied walks of life and faith live in the caring hands of Amritsar. The city of Amritsar shines brighter during the festive occasions of Vaisakhi, Navratri, Diwali, Dussehra, Hola Mohalla, Maghi, Lohri, Holi etc.
The pride and the soul of Amritsar and the Sikh Religion, Golden Temple is the crucial pilgrimage center for Sikhism. Known worldwide for its beauty, mystic pond, mouth watering aate ka halwaand the religious myths fascinates people to at least visit this mesmerizing place once in their lifetime.
With thousands of people who visit this holiest shrine every day, Golden Temple welcomes everyone with an open heart and does no discrimination on any bases may it be their caste, class, religion of anything else. Golden Temple is thus a place only known for its mesmerizing beauty or its religious beliefs; it is the pride of the Sikh Religion and also the world famous tourist destination of India.
From just being a Jallianwala Bagh this ground is now known as The Jallianwala Bagh because of the bloody struggle for survival game and event that happened here as a part of the freedom struggle of India on 13th April,1919. Located at a distance of just a kilometer from the famous Golden Temple, it reflects the freedom struggle of Indians and their courage to fight for their lives and for their mother land.
As the day celebrates the Punjabi New Year Day, the people of the town were gathered in the ground and British then started blind firing on the crowd that resulted in the death of thousands of people then. The scares of the killing can be seen on the walls of the Bagh as the bullet holes. Yet the most crucial and historical location of India that lies in Amritsar.
The other most crucial tourist destination to be visited is the Wagah Border which is located at a distance of just 30 kilometer from the famous and holy Golden Temple. The only road Border crossing between India and Pakistan hosts the ceremony of Beating Retreat and Change of Guard every day that fascinates thousands of people to assemble at the either sides of the border and feel proud and enthusiasm for their armies and their country. Here the soldiers of both the countries demonstrate their heartfelt gratitude for their countries and make the viewers get the feeling of nationalism and proud of their nations.
The only crucial Hindu Temple in Amritsar is dedicated to Goddess Durga. Built by Harsai Mal kapoor in 1908, this temple holds the great significance for the Hindu people of Amritsar.
Located at a distance of half kilometer from the magnificent Golden Temple, this beautiful architectural marvel looks just as a replica of the Golden Temple. It is the most important must visit location of Amritsar.
Akal Takht is another most important center in the Sikh Religion as it is the Sikh temple which is built inside the Golden Temple. Built by the Guru Hargobind Singh Ji, this place was initially the place of Justice where the temporary issues of every day were resolved.
Regarded as the Highest Seat of Earthly Authority of Khalsa, the meaning of Akal Takht is believed to retain the meaning of one Timeless Throne. The symbol of political and sovereignty representation of the power of the Sikhs, this is the must visit location of Amritsar.
Located at the Tarn Taram district of Punjabi, Tarn Taran is the famous pilgrimage site of the Sikh Religion. Constructed by the fifth Guru of Sikh, Guru Arjan Dev, Tarn Taran Gurudwara houses the largest pond amongst the entire Sikh shrine and is well known Sikh pilgrimage site of India. Built in the beautiful architecture, this Tarn Taran Gurudwara fascinates people in uncountable numbers every year. While on the day of Amavas (New Moon Day) thousands of people visit the shrine.
Another crucial location one must visit is the Maharaja Ranjit Singh Museum dedicated to the first ruler of Punjab, Maharaja Ranjit Singh. The man who worked behind the freedom of the major parts of Punjab from the shackles of Mughals is the first Sikh Maharaja of the state. Now as converted into a museum, the Maharaja Ranjit Singh Museum displays the chivalric activities of Maharaja, the artefacts and other antique weapons and antiquities that were used by him in the battle fields while he was on a war with his enemies. With the Light and Sound Show that is organized by the museum is the add on to the charm of the museum taking one in the flash back of the glorious past once lived.
The famous architectural marvel of Punjab is the historical Bathinda Fort which somewhere is known for its deep association and involvement with the history of the imprisonment of Sultana Razia. Situated at the Malwa Region of the Punjab State. Known for its architecture, this magnificent Bathinda Fort looks like a sheep in the sea of the sand.
This magnificent fort also houses a Gurudwara inside the fort and the bricks of the fort are considered to be the bricks from the Kushana Period.
Apart from these attractions, as per the point of interests of Amritsar, one can opt for Amritsar Sightseeing Tour, Amritsar Shopping Tour and Amritsar Food Tour. Explore this beautiful religious city and attain some inner peace.
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