Thousands of tourists visit Amritsar every day as it is the most important religious place for Sikhs. The magnificent Golden Temple at Amritsar, also known as Harmandir Sahib, is made out of pure gold. This great Gurudwara at Amritsar is a place where visitors from any religion instantly find peace and serenity. The view of this temple casting its reflection in a beautiful water reservoir is world famous. The site of the Golden Temple is breathtaking by night, when the temple is well-lit. The pool around the Golden Temple, gives the city its name, Amritsar, in which Amrit means elixir and sar represents Sarovar, a Hindi word for lake. On any given day, the temple attracts more visitors than any other tourist places in India, including Taj Mahal.
This temple came into existence during the late 16th and early 17th century due to the contributions of two great Sikh Gurus, Guru Ram Das, the 4th Guru and Guru Arjan Dev, the 5th Guru. The holy literature for Sikhs, Guru Grantha Sahib is present inside the Gurudwara all the time.
Amritsar is also known for Jallianwala Bagh, a gathering point surrounded by walls with one narrow exit where 1526 innocent men, women and children were massacred by the British Brigadier-General Reginald Dyer. This black incident, one of the high-points in India’s freedom struggle, has been noted down in history as Jallianwala Bagh Massacre. The place today hosts museums recounting the incidents on the black day and about the freedom fighters of India.
Wagah Border, situated near Amritsar, is another major attraction about the city. Also called the Berlin-Wall of Asia, this is the place where the borders of India and Pakistan meet. Every evening, the soldiers from both the countries undergo a retreat ceremony known as Lowering of Flags, during which both the sides perform zealous parades matching each-others skill and passion. Throngs of civilians flocking at the place in order to witness the ceremony perform dances on patriotic songs to demonstrate their love for the country.
Apart from the above famous attractions in terms of places, Amritsar is famous for its delisous lassi, a famous identity of the burly punjabis. Besides lassi, one can also enjoy various delicacies of chicken and fish while in Amritsar.
One of the major and most famous cities in India, Amritsar gives a true taste of Punjab with a tinge of history and a strong flavor of religious unity in India.
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Quick Reference
Amritsar is the most important religious place for Sikhs. The magnificent Golden Temple attracts thousands of tourists of any religion every day. Golden Temple, also known as Harmandir Sahib, is made out of pure gold. The temple casting its reflection in beautiful reservoir is a visual treat. The Golden Temple is breath taking at night when well lit. Amritsar is also known for Jallianwala Bagh Massacre. Jallianwala Bagh hosts a museum of paintings about incidents on that took place on the Black Day and about the freedom fighters of India. Another major attraction of the city is Wagah Border, also known as the Berlin-Wall of Asia, where the borders of India and Pakistan meet. Every evening, people flock at the border to see the Retreat Ceremony.
Destination Grade: |
A (What is this?) |
Rating: |
8/10 |
Population: |
3695077 |
5 Star Hotels: |
Ista Amritsar |
Luxury Hotels: |
Mohan International Hotel, Grand Legacy, M.K Hotel, Ranjit\'s svaasa, |
Airport: |
11 km is the Raja Sansi International Airport, Amritsar |
Railway Station: |
Amritsar |
Nearest Major City(s): |
Jalandhar and Ludhiana |
How to reach: |
Amritsar is well connected to all major cities of India by a network of railways, roadways and airways |
Major Tourist Attraction: |
Golden Temple, Jalianwala bagh, Wagha border |
Speciality(Famous for): |
Golden Temple |
Food speciality: |
Delicious Lassi, various delicacies of Chicken and Fish. |
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