|
the
state of Punjab. It is one of the most ancient and
fascinating cities of India. The city was founded by the
fourth Guru of Sikhs, Guru Ramdas. With the respect of
the pilgrims that pulls into Amritsar, the city has
become the symbol of Sikhism. Today, Amritsar has
evolved as a historical place and a religious hub of the
Sikhs.Amritsar is situated only about 29 km from Wagah,
on the India-Pakistan border. The overland travelers
have to go through Amritsar to Pakistan as it was the
only land crossing open between India and
Pakistan. It has an unmistakable frontier town
atmosphere. The foreign tourists require a permit, if
they intend to stay in Punjab for longer period or are
traveling through Amritsar to the border and want an
overnight stay. Hindi, Punjabi and English are the main
languages which are spoken here. The best season to
visit Amritsar is from October to March.
History of Amritsar
Amritsar was a traditional junction of trade routes and
the Yarkandis, Turkomens, Kashmiris, Tibetans and
Iranians that were found here indicate its connections
with the Old Silk Road and the trade routes of Central
Asia. The legend has it that this was the place where,
Luv and Kush, the twin sons of Lord Ram, got education
and were taught the Ramayana by the learned sage Valmiki,
before Sikhism came into existence and present city came
to be known as Amritsar. The original site for the city
of Amritsar was granted by the Mughal Emperor Akbar
(1556 –1605) but the Sikh Guru, Ram Das insisted on
paying its value to the local Jats who owned it, thereby
eliminating the possibility of future disputes on
ownership. Ram Das then invited local merchants to live
and trade in the immediate vicinity and the town became
Amritsar. In 1761, the Afghan Ahmad Shah Durrani sacked
the town and destroyed the temple. The temple was
rebuilt in 1764 and during the reign of Ranjit Singh was
roofed over with gilded copper plates, thereby giving
rise to the name 'The Golden Temple'.
Festivals of Amritsar
Baisakhi is the main festival which is celebrated all
over Amristar. It is a religious festival in which
people bath in rivers and worship at temples. To the
Sikh community, Baisakhi is of special significance as
on this day, in 1689, the Khalsa was founded by Guru
Gobind Singh, converting the Sikhs into a martial
community. In Amritsar, the farmers celebrate the
festival with great enthusiasm. It is an occasion for
great celebration, with dances and rejoicing. The birth
anniversaries of the ten gurus are observed as holy days
and those of Guru Nanak in November and Guru Gobind
Singh in December are celebrated as festivals. The
celebrations include the recitation of the Guru’s verses
and processions carrying the Granth Sahib. A four day
festival and fair is held at Ram Tirath on the full moon
night of November. It is here that the Maharishi Valmiki
lived for a long time and wrote Ramayana. Love and Kush
were born to Sita in this Ashram.
Shopping in Amritsar
Phulkari work on fabrics and articles of traditional
embroidery, woodcraft, gold and silver threaded
footwear, cut-glass, silver work, carved bracelets,
ivory combs, jewellery, handloom, textiles, Woolen
tweeds, suiting, blankets, shawls in traditional weaves,
durries, carpets, swords in different designs and
jutties (traditional embroidered shoes) can be brought
from Amritsar. Amritsar is a whole-sale market for
textiles and shawls that serves the entire Punjab
hunterland.
Tourist Attractions in Amritsar
The main tourist attraction in Amristar is the Golden
Temple. The Golden Temple, the most important and holy
Sikh shrine, is located in the old part of the town of
Amritsar. The Golden Temple is also known as Hari Mandir
(Temple of the Lord). The temple is surrounded by a
pool, which gives the city its name ‘Amritsar’, the pool
of nectar. The glittering golden domes of the temple are
reflected in the pool, and a marble pathway leads to the
temple. The temple domes are covered with 400 kilograms
of gold. Besides, the Golden Temple, the Ram Bagh
Gardens, Jallianwala Bagh, Durgiana Temple and Baba Atal
Rai Tower are the various places which can be visited in
Amristar.
More....
How to reach Amritsar
By Air:
Amritsar is connected by Indian Airlines flights with
Delhi, Jammu and Srinagar. The airport is situated about
11 km from the city centre.
By Rail:
Amritsar is directly connected by rail with Agra,
Bhopal, Mumbai, Kolkata, Delhi, Pathankot, Lucknow,
Patna, Varanasi and all parts of India. It is also
connected to Lahore via Attari Border. This train is
seriously affected by the state of political relations
between India and Pakistan.
By Road:
Amritsar is connected by road with all important cities
like Delhi, Pathankot, Chandigarh, Jammu, Dehradun,
Kullu, Manali and Dharmsala. |
