Amritsar was on my bucket-list from a long time. And the plan to visit came across when I found a group taking female travellers to experience Republic Day in Amritsar. It was a scary decision as I had never travelled with such groups as an individual. After discussing it with few set of friends, I gave it a shot!
We started off from Lal Quila by 10pm at night by bus. There we met other travellers. By 9 am in the morning, we were in Amritsar.
The first stop was the market behind the famous Golden Temple. We had Amritsari Kulche and Lassi from the nearby restaurants.
The next stop was Jallianwala Bagh, which is very near to the Golden temple. The entry is free. The main attraction is the well which is covered for safety purposes. The museum contains paintings and stories of Jallianwala bagh incident.
By 1pm, we left for Wagha border to see the special parade and celebration for Independence Day. As it is on outskirts of the city, we reached there by 3pm. Did not expect the level of crowd we faced that day.
The first performance we saw that day was of Varun Dhawan.
And then came the moment we all were waiting for. Vicky Kaushal and Yami Gautam came by.
After the performances, we saw the parade. The Josh was really out of the world. The soldiers from both sides intimidate each other by throwing high kicks and by staring, and the ceremonies are concluded by a simultaneous flag retreat. While the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) make us feel so energised throughout the ceremony, the crowd equally participates in the event by cheering for them.
The highlight was the event was when all the female members were invited to join the dance in the parade ground. Without a second thought, we joined all other girls who had come to perform for the event.
After the ceremony, we left Wagha Border with so much happiness.
After the break, we went to Mata Lal Devi Temple. The temple is unique in the way it is created. There must be hundred of statues of deities made out of carvings, mirrors, mosaics and statues.
We went back to the market and quickly did some shopping. Since we were running out of time, we had dinner and headed for Golden Temple.
As you enter the temple, there are counters where you can submit your baggage and shoes. It is mandatory that you cover your head when you enter the place. The peaceful and positive vibes start coming as you enter the main door. The temple looks heavenly when visited at night.
Inside the temple you can also try langar which is one of the delicious meals you will ever have. It is said that on the average day, 75,000 people eat a free meal here. It is just surprising to know that they server langar 24 hours a day.
After the visit, we sat by the pool for some time. Finally, we moved back to our stay.
By 4am in the morning, we left for station. With this, the whole experience came to an end.