Posted 21 October 2022 in Culture & Heritage

Five reasons to Plan your next trip to Amritsar

Amritsar is very important to the history of India. The largest city of the state of Punjab, Amritsar is recognised as a significant cultural, financial and transportation centre. Amritsar has witnessed one of the significant moments of India’s independence at the Jallianwala Bagh. However, Amritsar is not only about that. It is about the culture, food and flavour of Punjab.

Sikh’s prime place of worship, Golden Temple, is in Amritsar. It is the Sikhs’ holiest gurudwara. Go on a spiritual tour and feel blissful at the gurdwara, primarily known as Harmandir Sahib.

A visit to Amritsar is incomplete without tasting the authentic cuisines of Punjab. Try Amritsari kulcha and lassi when in the city. Also, sarso ka saag tastes different in Punjab than it does in the rest of the country.

Furthermore, there are a lot of options for shopping in Amritsar from Phulkari dupattas to carpets to dry fruits. Amritsar is a full package for tourists.

There are at least 5 reasons why planning a trip to visit Amritsar:

1. Go on a spiritual and historical tour in Amritsar

Tourist places in Amritsar are all about history and spirituality. There are several tourist attractions in the city that visitors can look out for.

Golden Temple: Golden Temple is sometimes the only reason for tourists to visit Amritsar. Bless your soul with a visit to Sikh’s holiest gurudwara. The Golden Temple is also known as Harmandir Sahib. Sikh guru, Guru Arjan built this beautiful site in the 16^th Experience the most beautiful part of your tour at the temple by participating in the morning prayer.
There is a beautiful water body in the heart of the temple complex. Taking parikramas around the water body is a different experience altogether. Do not forget to take the delicious prasad at the temple.
Jallianwala Bagh: Jallianwala Bagh is situated on Heritage Street nearby Golden Temple. The incident at this historic site gave a new direction to India’s independence. Tourists will feel the emotions of people who were struggling for Indian independence here.
Wagah Border: Situated 25 km from the Amritsar city centre, tourists must visit Wagah Border and witness the Beating Retreat ceremony at the Atari-Wagah border. At the ceremony, guards at both sides from India and Pakistan engage in marching. It is a sight to behold. It is a perfect activity to engage in.
The Partition Museum: The Partition Museum is situated in the Town Hall building of Amritsar. It was inaugurated in 2017. The Partition Museum aims at becoming the main storehouse of stories, documents, and materials related to the partition of India and Pakistan.
Tourists can unravel details about the partition at this museum. They can listen to the accounts of survivors of partition.
Shri Durgiana Mandir: Located in the Goal Bagh area of Amritsar, the Durgiana Temple looks similar to Golden Temple. From the front, the temple is half marble and half gold. Durgiana Mandir is placed in the heart of a sacred lake.

The temple is a religious Hindu site and is dedicated to Hindu Goddess Durga. If you are looking for a religious tour, pay a visit to this temple.

2. Experience authentic Punjabi culture at Sadda Pind

If you want to experience the traditional taste and colour of Punjab, visit Sadda Pind in Amritsar. It is a museum depicting Punjabi village culture. The important characteristics of Sadda Pind are Punjabi dining and cultural activities.

Sprawled across an area of 12 acres, it is located at a distance of 8 km from the popular Golden Temple. If you want to visit the place directly from the airport, it is just 7 km away from the airport.

It offers a perfect weekend getaway, making for a short trip with friends and family. The idea behind Sadda Pind is to reintroduce Punjabi hospitality and culture. The staff here has more than 29 years of experience in hospitality. Connect and understand the Punjabi culture at Sadda Pind.

3. Try the taste of Punjab with Amritsari food

Punjabi cuisine is popular not just in India but across the world too. Tourists can get a taste of this cuisine in Amritsar. The city even has its own specialities that visitors should definitely feast upon.

Amritsari Kulcha: Amritsari Kulchas are a delight. It is one of the famous dishes in Amritsar. Kulchas are breads stuffed with different varieties of vegetables like potatoes, paneer, and cauliflower mixed with spices. The main characteristic of this dish is that it is cooked on a tandoor. It is then served with desi ghee and butter. Eat kulchas with pickles and raita for an incomparable experience.
Makki Ki Roti and Sarson Da Saag: This dish represents Punjab. Eaten especially during winters, makki ki roti and sarson da saag gives extra warmth to your body in the winter season. Makki ki roti is simply a chapati made from corn and sarso saag is a dish made from mashed mustard leaves. This dish is available in nearly every restaurant of Amritsar.
Keema Kulcha: One of the famous dishes of Amritsar, it is simply a kulcha with the stuffing of chicken keema instead of vegetables. You can have one of the best keema kulchas in Amritsar at Friends Dhaba. The dish will stay for a long time with you.
Paya: Paya is a speciality of Amritsar. It is a soup dish in which goat and sheep legs are cooked in authentic Punjabi spices to make it into a broth. It is best served with Keema paratha. You might get this dish in different parts of the country too but it tastes different in Amritsar because of the spices. The spices added in the broth give flavour and a different taste to the dish.
Amritsari Lassi: If you are in any part of Punjab, lassi is a must-try drink. Lassi in any other part of India would not taste the same as in Punjab. Lassi is a glass of churned yoghurt loaded with cream and dry fruits. It can be served with Amritsari Kulchas. One can have the best lassi in Amritsar at Gian Di Lassi, Kesar da Dhaba, and The Kulcha Land.
Mutton Tikka and Shammi Kebab: Kebabs and tikkas are one of the must-try dishes in Amritsar. The main characteristic of Mutton tikka is that it is marinated in authentic Punjabi spices and curd. It is then cooked on tandoor and brushed with desi ghee. Shami kebabs are deep-fried chicken dishes.

Some of the places in Amritsar where you can have the best non-vegetarian dishes are Beera Chicken Corner, Bubby Fish & Chicken Corner, Surjit Food Plaza and Sakhis Watz Kukin.

4. Festivals you must not miss in Amritsar

Baisakhi: Baisakhi is one of the major festivals of Amritsar. Celebrated mostly among the Sikh community in April, there is a lot of zeal and enthusiasm among the locals during Baisakhi. The celebration during the festival includes performing Punjabi folk dance Bhangra. The day is auspicious as Sikh guru, Guru Gobind Singh set up the Khalsa Panth on this day. Baisakhi is also known as harvest festival as farmers in Punjab gather the crops grown in the whole year.
Gurupurabs: Gurupurabs, especially Guru Nanak Jayanti, are important festivals of Amritsar. The festival is significant to the Sikh community. Guru Nanak Jayanti is the birthday of the first Sikh Guru.
Hola Mohalla: This unique festival is celebrated for three days. It is a Sikh Olympic event where locals participate in fights, wrestling matches, poetry and kirtan. In the festival, people camp out together and have langar - free community kitchen. For lunch, people sit together in queues and gorge themselves on vegetarian dishes. Some of the activities people can enjoy at the event are bareback horse-riding, Gatka and tent pegging.

5. Vibrant Market Experience

Amritsar is a paradise for shoppers looking for different types of textiles. Amritsar is known for Phulkari sarees and dupattas, Punjabi suits, juttis, Amritsari wadi and papad (eatables). Tourists cannot leave Amritsar without taking these things back with themselves. Tourists can get hold of different types of juttis in Amritsar at Hall Gate, and Katra Jaimal Singh Market.

Amritsar is also renowned for its wooden chess boards. The city houses chess pieces manufacturing industries.

Travel tips for Amritsar

If you want to travel like a local in Amritsar, use an autorickshaw. This will save youmoney and time.
Before entering the famous Golden Temple, make sure you are in either traditional attire or wearing a long kurta. The head should be covered with a dupatta.
Always respect the culture and customs of the place you are visiting.
Do not use mobile phones in Golden Temple or other gurudwaras.

How to reach Amritsar?

By Air: Sri Guru Ram Das Jee International Airport serves Amritsar city. Located at a distance of 11 km from Amritsar city centre, this airport caters to domestic and international airlines. IndiGo operates over 45 direct flights to Amritsar and major cities like New Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Srinagar, Dubai, and Guwahati. With its connecting flights, Amritsar is connected to the rest of the country. The IndiGo flight route takes around one to two hours from Amritsar to these cities.
By Rail: Amritsar Junction is the main railway station of Amritsar. The station connects the city with neighbouring states and cities of the country. Various trails ply to and from the city connecting it to the major cities.
By Road: One can get to Amritsar via various buses ranging from Volvo, government and other private buses. The buses connect the city to some of the major cities of Punjab and even to neighbouring states.

Climate in Amritsar

Like other cities of North India, Amritsar has a semi-arid climate with extreme climatic conditions and very little yearly rainfall. Amritsar has very hot summer months and winter months are freezing cold. During winters, the temperatures can drop to minus degrees and temperatures in summer months can go up to 45°C.

Best time to visit Amritsar

Winter months are the best to travel to Amritsar. The months from November to March are ideal for sightseeing and roaming around the city. Compared to the summer months, the temperature during winter is pleasant and perfect for a city tour. Scorching heat in summer makes it impossible to walk outside during the day time.

Conclusion

With so much to see and enjoy in Amritsar, one needs to plan the itinerary accordingly for a comfortable and hassle-free journey to the city. From its tourist places to cuisine, everything is just worth the journey to Amritsar.