Amritsar Tour

FactFile
» Location from major metros : Delhi ( 447 km), Mumbai (1843 km), and Chennai (2542 km)

» Known for : Golden Temple - the most revered seat of spirituality for the Sikhs religion.

» Climate and the best time to visit : Amritsar experiences an extreme type of climate marked by very hot summers and very cold winters. During summers the maximum temperature touches 34 C and the minimum goes down to 15 C. On the other hand, during winters the maximum temperature reaches 18 C and the minimum goes down to 0 C.


The city
Amritsar city, popularly known as the "holy pool of nectar", is one of the most ancient and fascinating cities of India which was founded by the fourth Guru of Sikhs, Guru Ramdas. As per the legend this was the place where, Luv and Kush, the twin sons of Lord Ram, were educated and were taught the Ramayana by the learned sage Valmiki, before Sikhism came into existence and present city came to be known as Amritsar. Today, Amritsar has grown into a historical place and a religious centre of the Sikhs. Golden temple is the most important monument in the city and major part of the history of the city revolves around it.

Attractions in the city
» The Golden Temple : Sikhs and people from other religion as well come here from all over the world to pay their respect to Guru Granth Sahib and bathe in the Amrit Saras Kund for spiritual purification. The temple was founded by the fourth Guru of Sikhs, Guru Ram Das which is a two storey marble structure, with an imposing dome of pure gold. The original copy of the Granth Sahib, which is kept in the Golden Temple during the day, is ceremoniously returned to the Akal Takht, at night.

» Jalianwala Bagh : This garden is a memorial of the freedom movement which commemorates the martyrs, and keeps everyone reminded about the tragic incident that took place years ago. General Dyer, a British general ordered firings against innocent people on April 13, 1919, which took lives of over 2000 unarmed people. Today, this site of brutal massacre, encloses a memorial with an eternal flame, dedicated to the martyrs.

» Durgiana Temple : This temple is dedicated to Goddess Durga and is located outside the Lohagarh gate of the old city and is an important centre of pilgrimage for the Hindus. Other attractions of the city are Baba Atal Rai Tower, Ram Bagh garden, Fatehabad Mosque, Tarn Taran, Harike Wetland Wildlife Sanctuary, Wagha Border.

Other places to visit
» Tarn Taran : It is situated 25 kilometres from Amritsar and is a famous excursion point. There is a sacred tank here which is supposed to have healing powers and it is said that if a person suffering from leprosy swims here, his disease would be cured. There is also a Gurudwara built by Guru Arjan in AD 1768 which was built in memory of Guru Ram Das.

» Gobindwal Sahib : It is located at a distance of 30 km from Amrirsar and it is said to be the final resting place of Guru Angad Devji.

» Amanat Khan Serai : Amanat Khan Serai, known for its ornamental gateway and glazed tile decorations. It is located at a distance of 38 kilometres from Amritsar and must be be visited by those who visit Amritsar.

» Baba Bakala : Located at a distance of 45 kilometres from Amritsar, Baba Bakala is an important site to visit around Amritsar. There is a splendid Gurudwara here which is dedicated to the ninth Guru of the Sikhs, Guru Tegh Bahadur.


How to reach
» By Air : Amritsar Airport connects to the major cities of the country and is located at a distance of 11 Kms. from the city.

» By Rail : Amritsar railway station is connects it to various parts of the country. Amritsar is well connected to Bhopal, Delhi, Calcutta, Jaipur, Lahore, Lucknow, Mumbai, Patna, Baroda by rail routes.

» By Road : Amritsar is connected to the nearby cities by well developed roadways.