Amritsar, Punjab

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Punjabi, Official Language of Punjab
Travelers who don’t speak Punjabi, the official language of Punjab, far in the Northwest reaches of India, fear not; Hindi is widely spoken as well as English.

Yabba Dhaba Doo
It is said that the majority of India’s truck drivers are Punjabi, thus the majority of highway dhabas serve Punjabi food. At closer inspection, this isn’t all that true.

WHEN TO GO

Best: October – March
Cool and pleasant temperatures give tourists plenty of reason to roam the city. January can bring freezing temps, pack accordingly or route an itinerary before or after this month. Wool shawls or jackets are needed to stave off the overnight frosts which can occur.

Good: April – June

Hot. If you can stand the heat then come on over to Amritsar. Most foreign tourists stay away during this. Light cotton clothes, hats, sunscreen and plenty of water will be needed.

Skip: July – September

This can be a good time for sightseeing, however monsoon rains can be sudden and heavy at periods. Pack an umbrella!

HOW TO REACH

Auto: Amritsar is connected by well maintained highways from all directions. Highway 15 connects the city via the north and south corridors as Highway 1 connects from the west and east. The latter will connect travelers on the west side to Pakistan, while leading traffic eastbound to Delhi. Northbound traffic on Highway 15 reconnects with Highway 1 (now 1A) just before the Jammu & Kashmir border. Southbound traffic via the same highway will travel to Rajasthan and beyond.

Bus: State and private buses run daily to and from Amritsar. Bus service from Amritsar to Lahore runs twice weekly. PUNBUS serves the surrounding cities as far away as Chandigarh. Two bus terminals serve the city.

Taxi: Available for hire for travel within the city, to Wagah border or other local areas.

Train: Amritsar is well connected by train via the railway station in the heart of the city. Daily service to and from Delhi via Shatabdi express #12013 is the best option. Daily service from Mumbai and several other states also exists. Tuk tuks available for local transport at the station. Complete timetables available at India Rail Info. Book tickets with Indian Railways online or in person.

Plane: Daily nonstop flights to Amritsar from Delhi are provided by multiple carriers throughout the day. Service from Mumbai, Kolkata and Bangalore require a layover in New Delhi. Car rental and taxi service to the city center is available at the airport.

Amritsar For Beginners | Next Steps | Deep Finds

No permit is required to reach India’s nearest city to Pakistan’s border. This fact alone fits right along with the cross section of contradictions tourists will find in Amritsar. One needs a permit to travel the Indo-Tibetan border to the east, yet the border area between two countries fighting a cultural war of words remains wide open. Tension between the two governments leaves a population of Muslims, Sikhs and Hindus fighting to carve a life out of an area still sensitive about Partition, and now grappling with a younger generation addicted to various drugs illegally spilling over the border from Pakistan. The hard work of elders who built modern Punjab into a financial success for many is now at a crossroads.

Punjab is the home of Sikhism, a religion not to be confused as a sect of Hinduism. It is a completely separate religion and the host of Amritsar’s main tourist attraction, the Golden Temple. Travelers will experience an entirely different language (Punjabi) throughout the state. Road signs proudly display Punjabi script for a population that is known for it’s farming, cuisine, religion, and music. Caught between two countries, Amritsar and Punjab exist nearly as a land within their own.

Traditions run thick. Female tourists would be advised to travel in groups or with a male. Stick to well traveled areas while visiting the city. Foreign tourists are not a new sight within the city, however one feels outside of the Golden Temple we are thinly tolerated.

WHAT’S HERE

Golden Temple
A remarkable feat of architecture which begs to be seen. Finding this landmark within the old city is simple and anyone, Anyone, can help you find your way. Appropriate dress is required for entry, albeit I saw tourists in shorts and t-shirts in audience. Head coverings are mandated before entry which are sold for a small fee outside. All are welcome to this impeccably clean temple.

Jallianwala Bagh Memorial
Switching gears from the feeling of euphoria fresh off a Golden Temple visit to touring the 1919 massacre grounds of defenseless Indians by the British takes some time. Walk through well maintained grounds where various memorials or tributes have been built to mark the senseless act. Near the Golden Temple.

NEXT STEPS

Wagah-Attari Border Ceremony
Everyday, at the same time and place, a curious ritual takes place at the far Northwestern edge of Punjab, India. Indian Border Security Force soldiers perform a flag lowering ceremony that attracts more than 1,000 tourists and locals at the Wagah Border.
 
 
 

DEEP FINDS

Ram Tirath Fair: Roughly 2 weeks after Diwali comes this 5 day celebration. Ram Tirath, 11 kms from Amritsar, is an ancient pilgrimage center associated with the period of Ramayana. A 3 km wide tank surrounded by temples is the main attraction. Approximately 100,000 pilgrims converge for the annual festival, who believe a moonlit dip in the sacred water is a must. Special bus service from Amritsar to Ram Tirath last the length of the festival. Be prepared for the countless impromptu stalls selling everything from sweets to religious trinkets.

Basant Panchami: A great spring festival held at the end of January or beginning of February, dedicated to Saraswati, the goddess of learning. On this day everyone wears a yellow cloth as it represents the ripening of the spring crops. Even the food is colored yellow by using saffron. The Golden Temple hosts a large gathering which is visited by both Hindus and Sikhs. Kite flying is of particular interest to attendees who come from all around. Special bus service transports people from the surrounding areas to Amritsar.

Baisakhi Festival: A festival marking the arrival of the harvesting season. Occurring around April or May of each year, this day is marked with great fanfare. Residents of Amritsar celebrate this festival with colors as Bhangra dances and Punjabi songs are performed. Sikh followers celebrate the festival as it is the sacred day when Guru Gobind Singh established the Khalsa Panth.

Guru Nanak Jayanti: A birthday celebration of Guru Nanak Dev, the first Sikh guru and the founder of the Sikh religion. Special programs are held at individual Gurdwaras (Sikh temples), specifically the Golden Temple. The celebration also includes a three days period during which the holy book, the Guru Granth Sahib is read continuously, from beginning to end without a break. Local bands perform during the day of the festival as the Guru Granth Sahib is carried in a procession on a float, decorated with flowers, throughout the villages of Punjab. Free sweets and lunches are offered to everyone who attends regardless of faith.