Sightseeing in Amritsar - what to see. Complete travel guide

India is rich in sacred cities, and Amritsar is definitely one of them. Moreover, this city is the holy area of the Sikh religion. It is situated in the northwestern part of the Punjab State, not far from the border with Pakistan. Some tourists may wonder what the main attractions of this region are. Travelers from all over the world visit Amritsar to see the holy temple for all Sikhs – the gilded Golden Temple that is built near a beautiful bathe. According to a legend, bathing in this lake brings a gift of eternal life. Besides this landmark, the region is extremely beautiful and definitely deserves the attention of tourists.

Guru Ram Das, the fourth Sikh guru, bought the village of Tung in 1574. This plot of land was situated near a lake, and so the guru founded a settlement with the same name. Ram Das built his residence in the town in the same year. The construction of the city lasted more than two centuries. Amritsar still has a special city layout called Katras. This is a series of closed quarters that are not easy to enter. The purpose of building the city this way is simple – for invaders, it is much harder to conquer such a city as each quarter is fully independent.

When visiting holy places of Amritsar, tourists need to follow certain rules in order not to get into unpleasant situations. Nowadays, there is only one threat left for tourists – local pickpockets. Other than that, the region is calm and safe for travelers. Don’t forget that once you are in the territory of the Golden Temple, it is prohibited to consume alcoholic drinks. If you break this rule, you might end up at a police station. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

Just like it was mentioned above, the first thing that tourists need to do when they arrive in Amritsar is to visit the Golden Temple. This is an incredibly gorgeous and enchanting place. The building has two floors decorated with sculptures of saints and sophisticated elements of décor. The temple is open from early in the morning and until late at night. Trust us it is worth visiting the temple twice – in the morning in order to see processions of pilgrims and in the evening when the temple is illuminated by millions of lights. This is a truly mesmerizing view. Don’t miss this opportunity to see a unique and one-of-a-kind architectural landmark.

Jallianwala Bagh is a historic garden located not far from the Golden Temple. This is a picturesque area with cozy pathways and a tranquil atmosphere. It is pleasant to relax here. However, many people feel it uneasy to visit Jallianwala Bagh because they know the sad history of this garden. A tragic event took place here in 1919. The British army violently killed Indians who had a peaceful demonstration in the garden. The event is famous as the Jallianwala Massacre. Nowadays, a memorial in the garden reminds of that tragic day.

In order to get yourself familiar with traditions of Amritsar, consider visiting a true gem of the region - the Sheesh Mahal that is a temple in a cave. This shrine is dedicated to Mata Lal Devi. However, tourists need to be prepared for quite a long road to the temple. They will walk in long labyrinths inside the cave and cross underground streams. Only after that they will reach the praying hall. Indian women come to this temple in order to get a blessing and conceive a child.

Every evening, a funny and curious event takes place in Amritsar. Local people gather to close the border of India with neighboring Pakistan. The border ceremony is a whole ritual, and so tourists may find it interesting to watch it. For this purpose, they need to go to the town of Attari Wagah before the sunset. This town is situated not far from Amritsar. During this ceremony, soldiers lower the flag and tightly close the big cast-iron gate. After that, they close many small locks. It is important to close the gate as loud as possible. Once the ceremony is over, the town sleeps calmly.

Guests of Amritsar need to keep in mind one thing that they need to consider when preparing to visit the border closing ceremony. When heading to the ceremony, tourists need to leave all non-transparent bags in their hotel rooms. Women cannot even take clutches and cosmetic bags. Even camera cases are prohibited. A failure to follow this rule increases your chance not to see the interesting ceremony. One last thing – do not forget sunglasses as the sun sets exactly where the public gathers.

It is possible to reach Amritsar by airplane from Delhi. The flight lasts only one hour. In the city, it is comfortable to travel in a taxi. Of course, tourists can arrive in the city by train. Many Indian cities have bus connections with the marvelous city of Amritsar. Naturally, the bus is slower, but it is possible to see the country better during the ride.