5 Places to Visit in Amritsar
Amritsar is a city of northwestern India which is the headquarters of Amritsar district, and it is located in Majha region in Punjab. Before we get started with the list of top 5 Places to Visit in Amritsar, let’s know more about this city.
Amritsar is also known as the home to the Harmandir Sahib, which is known as the golden temple, which is also one of the Sikhism spirituality significant and most visited gurudwaras.
The city is also known for the best wooden chessboards and chess pieces manufacturing industry. It is chosen for the heritage cities for HRIDAY – Heritage city development and augmentation yojana scheme of government of India.
The town is situated 217 km (135 mi) northwest of state capital Chandigarh and 455 KM (283 miles) northwest of New Delhi, which is the national capital. It is near Pakistan, with the Wagah border being only 28 KM (17.4 mi) away.
Road, rail and air services well connect Amritsar with the rest of the country. There are direct rail links to Delhi, Calcutta and Mumbai. Amritsar is a beautiful city, and it also has some lovely places to visit.
Let’s know some of the most popular places to visit in Amritsar.
1. Golden Temple
The most popular place in Amritsar is Golden temple which is a preeminent pilgrimage site of Sikhism. In other words, it is the gurudwara sahib built around a human-made pool which was completed by guru ram das in 1577.
This monument was destroyed several times by the Muslim armies from Afghanistan and the Mughal empire and was rebuilt by the Sikhs repeatedly. The gurudwara is spiritually the most shrine in the Sikh religion.
In the early 1980s, the temple became a reason for conflict between the Indian government which was led by Indira Gandhi, some Sikh groups and a militant movement led by Jamail Singh Bhindranwale trying to create the new nation as Khalistan.
It is a wonderful place to visit, which the entire top of the temple is made of gold which enhances the beauty of the temple. The most exciting fact about this temple is, it contains hand-painted mosaics and patterns, which makes it the most significant symbols of Mughal and Indian architectural genius.
2. Jallianwala Bagh
The Jallianwala bagh massacre, also known as the Amritsar massacre, took place on April 13, 1919, during the order of brigadier general Reginald dyer troops of British Indian army to fire their rifles in the crowd of unarmed Indian civilians at Jallianwala bagh in Amritsar, Punjab.
In this accident, at least 400 people were killed, including 41 children and over 1000 people got injured. Jallianwala Bagh is a public garden which is of 6-7 acres, walls on all the sides with five entrances. The brigadier blocked the main exits, and the troops continue to fire the Indian civilians.
He later declared that his purpose was to punish the Indians and not to dispel the rally. The reason why it is known as the Amritsar massacre is that it took place in Amritsar- a city in northern India. Jallianwala bagh contains a well, and during that accident, many people jumped into the well to escape from the gunfire, but many of them got drowned. More than 120 dead bodies were pulled out of the well.
The place is now a tourist spot and well-maintained by the Govt. of Punjab.
3. Wagah Border
Wagah border is located in the Wagah zone of Lahore, Punjab and Pakistan. The town is very famous for the Wagah border ceremony and serves as a goods transit terminal and a railway station between Pakistan and India.
Wagah Border is 6,000 km away from Amritsar and lies on the historic grand trunk road between Lahore and Amritsar in India. The border is located 24 km away from Lahore and 32 km from Amritsar.
Wagah border, the name comes from the Wagah village near which the Radcliffe Line, the boundary demarcation line dividing India and Pakistan upon the partition of British India was drawn. The Wagah railway station is 400 meters to the south and 100 meters from the border.
The place will definitely give you goosebumps if you are an Indian, or even if you are an outsider, you can’t miss the Wagah Border Ceremony conducted by the BSF. Undoubtedly, one of the best places to visit in Amritsar.
4. Durgiana temple
The Durgiana temple, which is also known as Lakshmi Narayan temple, Durga Trait and Sitla Mandir, is a temple which is located in the city of Amritsar, Punjab. It is a Hindu temple, but somehow it looks similar to the golden temple.
The name of the temple derives from the name of goddess Durga, and the goddess is worshipped here. Idols of Goddess Lakshmi and Vishnu are also worshipped here. The temple is located in Lohgarh gate in Amritsar.
It is situated near the Amritsar railway station and is about 1.5km from the bus station.
5. Hall Bazaar
Hall Bazaar is a shopping complex located in Amritsar. It is one of the busiest shopping centres around the city. Shopping in hall bazaar is a beautiful experience if you are visiting it with your family.
It is known for the best offering electronic items, ornaments, excellent quality books, handicrafts and ready-made garments. The looks of the hall bazaar are similar to the Mughal style gate, situated with a giant clock with the caption “Amritsar – Sifti da Ghar”.
Many of the best restaurants are also located in hall bazaar, which offers excellent quality food. It is also famous for its Gandhi gate on one of the entry points. The best time to visit the hall bazaar is during the winters, between October and February.
The hall bazaar is located 1 km away from the railway station of Amritsar and which Is very easy to find. Tourists can also reach there by walking, autos, rickshaws or bus.
The main items to attract will be the woolen items like carpets, blankets and shawls and many other products like wooden bangles, silver jewellery, good quality shoes, and traditional embroidered garments. So, if you are planning to visit Amritsar, make sure these places to make your trip Memorable.
Author Credits – Anusha Mathur