A day in Amritsar: Home to the Golden Temple

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A day in Amritsar Home to the Golden Temple

• www.ticketgoose.com

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• Amritsar is synonymous to the Golden Temple, the
  holiest Sikh temple, which has been welcoming
  people from all walks of life and faith since
  1604.
• The majestic structure was gleaming in the
  October sun and its refection in the holy tank
  was a sight to behold. It was far better than I
  had imagined.
• I stood still just soaking in the grandeur. It
  exuded an aura that sought reverence.
• As I trundled along the temple bare feet with an
  orange headscarf covering my head, I felt one
  with the other devotees. 

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• We passed through the devout Sikhs taking a holy
  dip in the tank oblivious to the crowd around
  people sitting and meditating and not to mention
  the hordes of tourists who were in awe of the
  structure and clicking pictures away.

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• The ideal time to visit the temple is during the
  Palki Sahib ceremony.
• It is at this event that the Granth Sahib, the
  holy book of the Sikhs, is taken from Hari
  Mandir, which is the main shrine, to the sanctum,
  where it is kept till the next morning.
• When it is illuminated at night, people say you
  cannot take off your eyes from the sight.
  Unfortunately, I had to miss the spectacle as I
  was visiting the city just for a day.
• The temple accommodates devotees, who seek
  shelter on its premises for free. Rooms are also
  available for a nominal fee of Rs 50. Around
  40,000 pilgrims/ visitors sit together at the
  Guru-ka-langar or community meal every day

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• he volunteers varying from rich and poor, come
  together to make chapatis and dal and serve the
  devotees, wash the dishes, all without a whimper

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•  Nowhere will you find such camaraderie amidst
  40,000 people. It is commendable how the
  institution of community kitchen initiated by
  Guru Nanak has been strictly upheld even till
  today.
• I stepped out of the temple and headed straight
  to quench my thirst with the ubiquitous lassi
  that Amritsar is known for.
• My next destination was Jallianwala Bagh, a
  memorial of great national significance. In the
  April of 1919, thousands of people came together
  to celebrate Baisakhi, the Punjabi New Year. As
  the meeting was in progress, Brigadier-General
  Dyer came armed with his troops and ordered them
  to open fire without any warning.

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• As the buildings had narrow entrances, people
  could hardly escape. The bullet marks evident
  even today stand testimony to the turning point
  in Indias freedom struggle.
• I explored the museum and looked around for an
  hour or so before heading to my next destination,
  the Vaishnodevi Mandir, which is a replica of the
  Vaishnodevi Mandir in Jammu and Kashmir.

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• En route to the Wagah Border, which is about 25
  km away from the city, I had a sumptuous lunch at
  a roadside dhaba. The finger-licking vegetarian
  fare that I had there is something I always crave
  for. If you want to catch the border ceremony,
  head to this place post-noon. 

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• You will be there just on time for the beating
  retreat ceremony between India and Pakistan.
• Cars or buses are not allowed after a certain
  point. You will have to walk at least a kilometer
  to reach the border.
• Once you are there, it is a scene of chaos
  people jostling to get up the stairway to get the
  best glimpse of the ceremony. Men are supposed to
  form a separate queue from the women folk.
• Take care of your camera and wallet, as you will
  have to move along with the crowd.

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• As the ceremony began with chants of Vande
  Mataram and all the patriotic numbers from
  Bollywood were played, people started swaying to
  the music.
• This gave me a sense of solidarity. The ceremony
  ended with much fanfare, as even schoolchildren
  from the crowd participated in the event.

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• On my way back, my cab driver took me to the
  Kapra Market where I indulged in some retail
  therapy.

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• You can get the best Amritsari juttis, phoolkari
  dupattas, suits and bags in the market. A visit
  to the city is incomplete without filling your
  bag with these goodies.
• This city is also known for its street food.
  Sample the parathas, Amritsari kulchas, pakoras,
  sweets and lassi sold in pushcarts. You will
  leave the place wanting for more.

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Getting there

• Travelling by bus from cities like Delhi,
  Chandigarh and Patiala is a good option. Buses to
  Amritsar are available from all these cities. If
  you have travel plans for the city, look up for
  your tickets at TicketGoose.com.
• The next time you want to visit a temple town,
  think Amritsar. From visiting the temples to
  sampling the food and shopping, you will not
  regret one bit.
• Some of the travel operators providing the bus
  services are Paulo Travels,SVR Travels,Patel
  Travels and Hebron Travels