Weekend Getaways near Suratgarh

We reached Amritsar at 8:00 A.M. The temperature in Amritsar was very high and unbearable. We could only go to Golden Temple and Jallianwala Bagh. And then in the afternoon we left for Pathankot (from where our journey starts). And where our journey ends.

Getting aroundThe gateways to the Buddhist Circuit are Varanasi and Lucknow. The quickest convenient cost effective way to travel on this circuit is in a private vehicle with a guide, and only travel Delhi to Varanasi or vice versa by flight or overnight train. However you can also do this journey using local bus and train services. The entire sector is well aligned to the needs of pilgrims and tourists from around the world. Most material and religious needs will be well served.What to see and do - The ItineraryDay to day descriptions provide some background of why we do what we do each day. However please do research in detail before taking this itinerary, one of the most fascinating journeys of India.

AmritsarAn important city of Punjab. It is also the centre of Sikhism and the site of the Sikh’s principal place of worshipHow to reachThe Sri Guru Ram Das Jee International Airport, about 11 km. from town, is connected by domestic flights to Delhi, Srinagar and Chandigarh.Amritsar is connected by direct trains to major Indian cities like Delhi, Jammu, Mumbai, Nagpur, Calcutta and Chandigarh.Bus services also connect Amritsar with most north Indian towns, including Chandigarh (235 Kms), Delhi (450 Kms),What to do

From defining historical monuments to the streets of Amritsar, there is so much to do, love and experience in Punjab that every trip delayed to this state is a loss. Kick-start your journey through this city of religion and celebration with Cox & Kings.

5) Chandigarh - AmritsarMake a visit to India's one of the most well planned cities-Chandigarh. The city is beautiful and highly enjoyable. Everyone I ask says Chandigarh is a gem. Don't stop yourself here. Head over to Amritsar and visit the beautiful Golden Temple, India Pakistan border and feel the patriotism in your blood this Independence Day. Spend a day with soldiers and give them the respect they deserve.

Chandigarh to Amritsar is 230Kms and takes 4-5 Hours by car. You can start very early in the morning from Chandigarh to reach Amritsar by breakfast time and to have ample time to explore the city within a day.Apart from its famous Golden Temple, the city holds a rich history of Indian Independence.Start with Jallianwala Bagh, the iconic garden where the tragic Amritsar massacre took place in the British Era. The garden is very near to Golden Temple(almost within the same complex). So you can pay a visit to the famous Golden Temple consecutively.

We all have that travel bug inside us and most of the people I have come across, the one thing which is common- “travel more, spend less”. The pleasure of visiting a new place without spending much is second to none. The other thing which is common between my fellow citizens is that they don’t have enough leaves so the weekend breaks becomes the new found best friend.Amritsar can be easily visited on weekends. We (group of 5 friends) travelled to Amritsar from New Delhi. It’s an overnight journey. There are several trains and buses between the Capital city to Golden city. Trains are more convenient, of course for the most obvious reasons. In case you are visiting the city only for a day, make sure you book a train which reaches Amritsar early morning. (as early as possible)We had planned the trip only for a day. We went straight to the Golden temple by taking a shared auto.The auto dropped us right outside the temple and charged us Rs. 35 per person (30 mins from railway station). We walked inside the temple complex with our luggage and went to their bathing area (free of cost). There was separate bathing area for men and women and is clean and well maintained but crowded. Cleanliness is maintained by volunteers.If you are staying overnight in Amritsar, it is highly recommended to stay in hotels which are close to the Golden temple. The range of these hotels varies (from Rs. 500 to 3000) and it’s up to the individual’s choice. But make it a point to get refreshed quickly and leave for the Golden temple.We kept our luggage in the luggage room (free of cost) and footwear in jora ghar (shoe stands) and entered the temple complex. An artificial stream was flowing to wash one’s feet before entering. Make sure to cover your head properly before entering the holy complex. Anyone can take a dip in the holy sarovar but use of soap or shampoo is not allowed. It’s believed that one gets cured of the diseases by taking a bath in the sarovar. As soon as we entered, the grandness of the temple bowled us over. The temple has gold work done on major part of it including the dome. The carving work done on the walls is amazing.The katha and kirtan at the temple was melodious. It took us approx. 3 hours to get the darshan. There are separate queues for women with toddlers. Unlike other temples in India, the volunteers don't pester you to go out once you enter the Sanctum Sanctorum. The kadha Prasad is offered with cupped hands and it is touched with the tip of krippan before it is distributed.It was almost lunch time when we moved out of the temple complex and headed towards the langar hall. We were to astonished to see hundreds of volunteers working there. The food served was fresh and hot, excellent Kheer, and a special mention of the unique way of serving drinking water. Everything was systematic and neat and clean. If you are not having the lunch there, still it’s a must to go and see the Langar area because you will be amazed how common people are providing their services to do activities like cutting vegetables, making rotis, washing used plates. Everything is very systematic. A perfect example of team work. (CEOs/Managers go have a look).We then covered Jallianwala Bagh (India’s bloody past) which is mere 5 mins walk from the Golden temple. In the center there is a memorial tower. It is difficult to think how, from a lane where three people can’t walk side by side, one man managed to perpetrate a massacre. It infuses patriotism in andreminded us of sacrifices made by our ancestors to win Independence. Once we were out of Jallianwala bagh, we found lot of taxi and auto owners asking for Wagah border. They take you on a sharing basis for Rs. 120 per person to and fro. Try to take comfortable seats in auto as its almost an hour drive but the condition of the road is good. (No point of doing advance booking)Make it a point to reach Wagah Border by 2 pm or let’s say as early as possible but be ready to wait for approx. 3-4 hours before the ceremony starts. But it’s still advisable if you want to sit and watch the entire ceremony. The place was excessively crowded plus a big queue for security check. We didn’t carry anything and it was such a relief because nothing (Nothing means nothing- no chips, popcorn, ladies handbag, camera cover, etc. Only water, wallets, sunglasses, cameras are allowed) is allowed inside and then you have to keep your stuff in road side vendor locker for which again you have to stand in queue.We reached in nick of time and occupied seat which gave okay view but we still felt lucky because there was humongous crowd standing and forced to watch the border parade on the big screens installed there instead of live.The retreat ceremony is for 45 minutes which includes the closing of international gates and the lowering of the flag. The atmosphere was simply electric. The crowd modified into a hooting cheerleader. Passion and patriotism was at all-time high. The moment became so live and full of energy. People danced on some of the famous patriotic numbers. Children also get a chance to take the flag and run.The auto dropped us at the same place and we decided to do some shopping. We went to Hall market which lies in the way to the Golden temple. Patiala salwar and jootis were exceptionally beautiful and cheap. We found handicrafts like phulkari and shops of weaponry like swords and krippan and other souvenirs in abundance. Later, we went back to the Golden temple and collected our luggage and had our dinner at one of the local dhabas. (within city limits non-veg food isn’t available). Don’t miss out the famous Amritsari Kulcha and Punjabi lassi (a giant glass with malai on top). We missed on sarson ka saag as its mostly available in winters.

We left Delhi early morning at around 6 and reached Amritsar at about 2 pm.

So it all started 3 years back when I planned a trip to explore the beauty of Amritsar.I was accompanied with one of my friend from South India (Malhar Ashrit) who always wanted to travel to this place, but had a budget constraint.So was that a big deal, NO.I booked the tickets in sleeper class coach of Indian railways for 280 bucks from Delhi to Amritsar. Train departed around 7:30 pm from Nizammudin, Delhi and reached Amritsar around 4 30 Am.There' s always a free bus service available to golden temple from Amritsar railway station. But, you need to stand in a big queue. Since, we wanted to save money, we waited for some 10-15 min for the bus to arrive and got a seat as well. The journey took us around 15 mins to reach Golden Temple (Free of cost service).The Golden temple provides you accommodation at a cheaper cost, but check-in time for it is 12 noon. We did not wanted to waste any time, took a lodge outside the Golden temple area to fresh-up and keeping the luggage, paid 200 bugs.( You can easily get cheap accommodation in-around the place).

4. Experience the Beating Retreat ceremony at Wagah BorderPlan a place to visit near Delhi on weekends to the Wagah Border to witness the Beating Retreat Ceremony. A local transport service from Amritsar will take you to Attari. Easy connectivity make Wagah Border one of the cheapest places to visit near Delhi. Avoid booking local taxis if you are on a strict budget. Remember to be seated not later than 3pm for the 4pm ceremony. Choose tourist guesthouses for the cheapest deal.