Amritsar, India Attractions & Things To Do
Amritsar is a holy city in the state of Punjab, India. The name of the city derives from the name of the pool around the Golden Temple (aka Harmandir Sahib) and means "holy pool of nectar." It is the spiritual and cultural center of the Sikh religion, and they are rightfully very proud of the city and their very beautiful and unique Gurdwara, their place of worship. The Golden Temple was initiated by Guru Ramdaas Ji, the fourth Sikh Guru, and completed in 1601 by his successor Guru Arjan Dev Ji. It is now a major pilgrimage and tourism center. Experience the beauty and spirituality of this city when you stay with us at Best Western India!
The fort occupied a unique place in the Indian military history. Built in 1760, it was called Bhangian Da Kila (Bhangis was one of the twelve Sikh misles). According to historians, during 1808, the fort was known as the fort of Gujjar Singh Bhangi. Later it was re-built by Maharaja Ranjit Singh with the help of Jodh Singh. The legendary Maharaja strengthened the fortification of the fort in order to keep his treasures and treaties in safety. The specially constructed Toshakhana, in the centre of the fort, also stored large amount of grains and provisions for the 12,000-strong army. The fort is a recent addition to the attractions at Amritsar when the Army handed it over to civil authorities.
[top]Located 25 km south of Amritsar, like the Dukh Bhanjani Beri in the Golden Temple, the Sarovar in this Gurudwara also possesses healing powers. As the folklore goes, it is believed that any Leper who can swim across the Tank will be miraculously cured. Gurudwara Taran Taran has a yellow building next to the west entrance that provides free accommodation to the pilgrims.
[top]This is India's largest bird sanctuary. At present, it extends upon an area of 73 kilometers squared. Every winter, the sanctuary provides shelter to about 200 bird species. During migratory season, approximately 20,000 ducks reside in the park. Harike attained the status of a bird sanctuary in 1982. In 1990 it was declared a Ramsar Site.
[top]The Jallianwala Bagh is the site of the 1919 Amritsar massacre. On April 13 of that year, the British Indian Army soldiers opened fire on an unarmed gathering of men, women and children. The firing lasted about 10 minutes and 1650 rounds were fired, killing 1579 people. A memorial was built on the site and inaugurated by the then-President of India, Dr. Rajendra Prasad, on April 13, 1961. To this day, the bullet holes can be seen on the walls and adjoining buildings. The well into which many people jumped and drowned attempting to save themselves from the hail of bullets is also a protected monument inside the park.
[top]Those with a couple of days to spare while in Amritsar must visit the beautiful Kangra Valley in Himachal Pradesh, about four hours' drive from Amritsar. Kangra Valley has an excellent view of snow-capped peaks. Situated amidst the scenic white ridge of Dhaula Dhar range, Kangra could be the best destination for the tourists to unveil the secrets and charm of the nature. Besides the natural beauty of the valley, its vivacious people, miniature paintings, temples, forts and adventure sports attract huge number of tourists every year from entire world. From the excursion point of view, Kangra offers tremendous number of adventurous sports and activities. From the options galore, tourists can go for trekking, skiing, mountaineering or a perfect sun walk down the lane of lush green tea gardens. Apart from the excursion and natural beauty, Kangra is also famous for its monastery, the Namgyal Monastery is one of the major attraction of this place.
[top]Khalsa College is located a short distance from the Golden Temple. The architecture of the main buildings is very impressive for its era. If you have time, it's a nice campus with great architecture.
[top]The Golden Temple is the main attraction in the city, and the most important religious place to the Sikhs. It's a stunning complex, and always full of thousands of pilgrims from all over India. The excitement to be here is infectious, and many people will be more than happy to tell you all about their religion and customs, and show you around the temple. Cover your head, remove your shoes and wander around one of the most amazing places in India. The complex is open almost 24 hours (from 6 AM until 2 AM) and is worth visiting twice: once during the day, once at night when it's beautifully lit.
[top]A visit to the border is an interesting experience, especially at sunset when the retreat ceremony takes place with the Border Security Force on the Indian side and The Sutlej Rangers on the Pakistan side. You can observe a well coordinated and spectacular display which compares very favorably with the changing of the royal guards in London.
[top]Hotels in Amritsar