One City. Five Iconic Spots. Endless Emotions—Welcome to Amritsar!
Amritsar also holds deep historical significance as it is a mark of all that the country endured to be free today, and the best part of Amritsar is its Punjabi culture, rich in energy and positivity.
Let's deep dive into what makes 'Amritsar' a much-loved spot:
Golden Temple (Sri Harmandir Sahib)
Topping the charts is definitely the holy shrine of Amritsar. The Golden Temple was founded in the 16th century by Guru Arjan Dev and was completed by Maharaja Ranjit Singh in 1809.
This temple is famous worldwide for its breathtaking beauty—it has gold-plated domes and is surrounded by the Amrit Sarovar, creating a great reflection of the temple in the water. This holy temple also distributes langar (a free meal) to almost 50,000 people a day, and people can also join in the preparation of the langar, also known as Sewa.
One can also visit the Central Sikh Museum, which houses rare manuscripts and Sikh heritage artefacts and is also free to enter.
The best part is that this temple is open 24/7, so one can visit this temple anytime of the day.
Jallianwala Bagh
This place would send chills down your body! A dark day in history—on April 13th, 1919, Brigadier-General Dyer ordered his troops to open fire on an unarmed assembly of people. According to British reports, it is said that around 379 people were killed, but Indian reports say that almost 1,500 people were killed, with 120 bodies retrieved from the well located there.
This place was preserved by the government and now is known as 'Jallianwala Bagh', where one can see red brick walls with bullet marks, a Martyr's Well which is enclosed, and the Flame of Liberty which honors the dead.
In the gallery present here, one can look at paintings and letters of this time and also see a nightly light and sound show narrated from Udham Singh's perspective. One can visit this place from 6:30 am to 7:30 pm.
Partition Museum
This museum was inaugurated on 25th August 2017 and was the world's first 'people's museum', which was built to preserve the stories, letters, and objects donated by survivors of the Partition. This museum comprises items from pre-partition, 1947 violence, and post-partition rehabilitation, and one can also listen to the recorded oral histories as well as interactive media stations. This museum gives us a glimpse into what our ancestors went through and the instability they lived in.
One can visit this museum from Tuesday to Sunday (10 am to 6 pm).
Gobindgarh Fort
This fort is located in the heart of Amritsar and was originally built in 1760 by the Bhangi Misl (sovereign states of the Sikh confederacy) and was renamed by Ranjit Singh in the early 19th century. This iconic fort also has a living museum and, through exhibits and shows, tells thousands of stories and legends about Punjab. You can see shows like Sher‑e‑Punjab, which features the story of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, the Coin and Weapon Museum, the Pagri Museum, and the craft bazaar (Phulkari, juttis).
One can also go on rides like the camel cart, Segway, children's skill games, and delve into the delicious Punjabi food at the cafeteria. This place was once the sanctuary of the Kohinoor and provides a home to the impressive collection of old and rare currencies and a replica of the famed jewel (The Kohi-Noor) here. This fort is open daily, but the entry is chargeable.
Wagah Border Ceremony
The Wagah Border is located on the Grand Trunk Road. This place hosts the energetic 45-minute ceremony celebrating the daily flag lowering on the border. Here, you can witness the choreographed drills, patriotic songs, and crowd chants, which will definitely give you a sense of pride for your country—that it still stands with its head held high even after all it went through. This border holds great importance as it marks the division of the Punjab region during the Partition of India in 1947.
This border is also known as the Attari-Wagah Border, with Attari being the Indian side of the border. The border opens here at 10 AM for seating; the ceremony begins 30-40 minutes before the sunset.
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