Amritsar – Experience of Richness and Divinity

Amritsar is a city in Punjab which is present in the Northern India.  People usually take an over-night bus journey or a train journey of 6 hours to reach this destination. I don’t know when I fell in love with this holy city. I used to hear a lot from people and also read a great load about this place. Never had the chance to visit this place which was rated quite highly by almost everyone I knew. Amritsar being both a holy city and a place of historic importance is definitely a must visit for everyone. Fortunately, I got this opportunity recently and went there on a three-day trip. The place was incredible! Great place, great people and don’t get me started on the Amritsari cuisine which is literally “finger-licking good”.

Hotels are not very hard to reserve and most of them have a decent location i.e. near the famous landmarks.

Top 3 places to visit in Amritsar

Golden Temple or Harmandir Sahib

When something that you’ve only seen in your textbooks and magazines in your childhood stands right in front of you with all its might and holiness, you have to pinch yourself to make sure that it is not a dream. This was my experience when I saw Golden Temple. It is located at the centre of the city, built amidst a large pond which reflects the magnificent golden structure. You start sensing positivity when you enter the temple’s gate and it is all due to the environment created by the people there. Everyone praying quietly and co-operating with each other in the queue shows the mind-set of the people there. It fills you with tranquillity and leaves a smile on your face.

Jallianwala Bagh

One of the biggest evidences of the Indian freedom struggle is the Jallianwala Bagh. In 1919, a meeting was called here and thousands gathered to attend it. The Britishers got to know of it and immediately tried to stop it. This place only had one entrance. General Dyer, who was leading the troops blocked it and started blindly firing on innocent men, women and even children. A total of 1600 rounds were fired and over a thousand people were dead and six hundred were injured. Innocent civilians had to die but their death did not go in vain as this news spread like fire in India and gave rise to a new revolt. The place gives you a feeling of patriotism. You can still see the impressions of bullets on the walls. A museum has been created to remember the freedom fighters of our country and it is must visit in Jallianwala Bagh. You certainly leave this place with some kind of determination in your mind.

Attari-Wagah Border

One can’t simply come to Amritsar and leave without seeing the Retreat parade at the Attari-Wagah Border. Amritsar is just a thirty-minute

bus journey away from Lahore and this border marks the boundaries between India and Pakistan. The border is about sixty minutes away from the city. The ceremony is called ‘The lowering of the flags ceremony’ and is performed at 6’o clock in the evening. The soldiers of both the countries perform a retreating parade which is followed by lowering of the flags of India and Pakistan. A huge crowd turns up every evening on either side of the border to witness this ceremony. It gives you a great feeling to watch these soldiers and to be honest, even the scorching sun in the month of June did not lower my spirits after watching them.

Amritsari Cuisines

“This is the best I’ve ever had.” This was the exact sentence that came from me after tasting Amritsar’s food. Amritsari Kulcha and Chole with Lassi is the meal that you’d want in your menu every day. It really gives you this feeling of  being in heaven which you can never forget. The food is bliss. No more words to describe and this is NOT exaggeration.

Overall, it was a great trip for me. Brilliant place to visit, divinity oozing out from everywhere and a must visit for all. I’d love to visit this place again and it holds a special place in my heart.