In this blog, I will share my experience in Amritsar so that it may help you whenever you visit this place. Amritsar is an important city in the state of Punjab. It is well connected by train, airport, roadways from all the major cities so one can easily reach Amritsar without any inconvenience.
We visited it by Swarn Shatabdi Train where we got down at Ludhiana for tea and Jalndhar for Chole. This had a special type of fun involved. Initially we had our reservation at DeeSons Oyo but soon we realised that because of the soggy bedsheets and soiled linen we won’t be able to stay there. Soon we changed our mind and decided to shift at Hotel Ramada in the heart of the city. One can cover all tourist places in Amritsar in maximum two days. Don't plan your trip for more than two days for Amritsar.
Our first place was the most significant yet amazing experience of Amritsar.This was Wagah-Attari border where the spirit of Indian patriotism will start flowing in your veins.The phone networks are also jammed during the retreat.Each member should carry one water bottle with them as you will get seperated during checking and you will have to stand for 20-30 minutes for checking during a hot day. Be ready to witness the best performance of BSF soldiers. The crowd cheering for India and seeing Pak border will be one of the priceless historical moments which I will cherish during my entire life. We also recollected Indian gate which was portrayed in Veer Zaara. We also went downstairs and met few jawans. It was honour to get some photos clicked there. After the beating retreat, we went to Sharhad Restaurant and also visited its Museum. The walls had newspaper clippings and artefacts. Sarhad was also a case study for Harvard Business School. We at Lahori chicken and Amritsari fish Tikka.The night ended with seeing the attari station which is the last station from India as the train then departs to Pakistan.
After that,I went to Hall Gate Katra Jayant Marg for some Phulkari shopping.The shops also promised instant stitching two kurtas and got that delivered in my hotel. The rainbow colours dupattas almost took my breath away.
The next day started with the visit to the mesmerising Golden Temple. It is also known as Harmandir Sahib. The darshan between 11 am to 8 pm was quite cumbersome but absolutely worth the pain.It was over crowded at that time. We waited for almost 4 hours standing in the queue for darshan. As per google, the best time of darshan is in early morning (5 - 8 am) but if you are lazy beauty, then you can prefer 10-11 pm. You can also have Baba ka Langer there. Don't be in a dilemma that they will serve you quickly but I guarantee you will enjoy the kada prasad there.While standing in the line after two hours I also chose to do some sewa which was giving glasses of water to everything who was standing in the waiting queue. I had tears in my eyes and was overwhelmed when I reached the darshan point. The pool of nectar or amrit sarovar was worth having a holy dip. My husband took bath and got a feeling of solace. This temple was built by Guru Ram Dass and the sarovar was also man made. We also saw the bullet marks which was due to the Operation Bluestar.
Do's and Don't in Golden Temple
1) Cover your head before going inside the temple premises, avoid purchasing clothes to cover head from vendors outside as you will get it in temple.
2) Drink water provided in the four corners of temple while sitting on the floor.
3) Don't sit alongside holywater with your legs in the water.
4) Do enjoy golden fishes in the water.
After the pious visit of the golden temple, we proceeded for Jallianwala Bagh.The lassi in the route was one of the best beverages I ever had in life.Jallianwala Bagh is very close to Golden Temple just 0.5 km, so this is another benefit of taking Hotel near the golden temple. If you don't have an interest in history, then trust me this will be the most boring place for you and for those who find interest then spend a good time in the museum. There is no entry fee, and you can also see the dried well and bullet marks by the atrocious General Dyer. Inside it you will also fight the statue of Udham Singh and read his legendary contribution.
Post our visit, we also visited Partition Museum we showcased the remorseful saga of India’s partition. Although, photography wasn't allowed but we sneaked a few pictures. We also shared our feedback in a video which was recorded inside.
Gobind Garh Fort - Your trip to Amritsar is incomplete if you failed to acknowledge the valour of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. He is also known as the Sher-e-Punjab (Lion of Punjab) for his bravery and is respected as one of the most revered heroes in the Indian history. Even if he had lost one of his eyes, his courage was invincible. We also had a full fledged Punjabi thali inside and also had a cart ride.We also 4D movie which was based on the life of Maharaja Ranjit Singh and also a laser show depicting the historical times.It also showed how Shuja Shah Durrani of Afghanistan gifted him the Koh-i-noor which was later gave away as a compensation to the British Queen.
Overall, it was a fun filled experience visiting Amritsar. Moreover, it was a childhood dream come true. I would still love to visit it all over again. Trust me, despite a small city it will be an incredible experience if you plan your trip.