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| Welcome to Amirtsar |
Amritsar is in
Punjab state in North India and is the spiritual
capital of the Sikh religion. City was founded
by Ram Das, the fourth guru, on land given by
Akbar in 1577. The city houses the holiest place
for the Sikhs, The Golden Temple. They try at
least to visit the temple and bathe in the large
pool (sarovar) that surrounds the temple when
possible. Amritsar is the Administrative Centre
and a trade cum industrial city where carpets,
fabrics of goat hair, and handicrafts are made.
It lies on the main GT road from Chandigarh to
Jalandhar to Amritsar to Lahore, Pakistan.
Lahore, which was the historic capital of the
pre-partition Punjab is about 50 Km west of
Amritsar.
The Punjab region has seen many revolts and most
of them had Amritsar as their pivotal point. The
first Amritsar massacre took place in the
Jalianwala Bagh, an enclosed park, in Apr.,
1919; hundreds of Indian nationalists were
killed and thousands wounded when troops under
British control fired upon them. |
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| Main Attractions |
Golden Temple:
Also called Sri Harmandir Sahib, the Golden Temple
was laid by Guru Ram Das in the 14th century. It is
acclaimed as one of the holiest sites of the Sikhs.
It has four doorways and gorgeously decorated
arches. Reflecting influences of both Hindu and
Muslim styles of architecture, the temple standing
in the middle of a tank, exudes tremendous
architectural brilliance which draws the attention
of numerous tourists around the globe. Although
principally a pilgrimage spot for the Sikhs, it is
visited by people of all religions and proves to be
one of the greatest tourist attractions in Amritsar
on your tour to India.
Jalianwala Bagh:
Sited near the Golden Temple, it bears testimony to
the disaster called Jallianwala Bagh Massacre at the
time of the rule of the British Raj. A congregation,
attended by several Punjabis on the occasion of
Baisakhi (New Year) celebrations on 13 April 1919
was set on fire by General Dyer. Till date it serves
as one of the greatest tourist attractions in
Amritsar.
Durgiana Mandir:
Located close to the Golden Temple, this temple,
modeled in the style of the Golden Temple, is
dedicated to the Hindu goddess Durga. However, it
also offers prayers to deities of Lakshmi and
Narayana. Believed to have been built in the 16th
century AD, the temple stands in the center of a
lake.
Baba Atal Rai Tower:
Situated not far from the main town, Baba Atal Rai
Tower is believed to have been the place where Guru
Har Gobind died. Christened after the son of Guru
Har Gobind, this nine-storey building gives you a
panoramic view from the top. The first floor of the
tower preserves some of the trinkets that bear
associations to Guru Nanak’s life and his teachings.
Tarn Taran:
Situated at 25 km from Amritsar, Tarn Taran houses a
sacred tank which is believed to have healing
powers. It has a Gurudwara as well which was built
by Guru Arjan Dev in AD 1768.
Also excursions to Gobindwal Sahib, Amanat Khan
Serai, Baba Bakala and Dharamshala from Amritsar can
be highly rewarding.
Events and Festivals:
Baisakhi and Guru Nanak Jayanti are two of the most
important festivals that are celebrated in Amritsar.
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