| Amritsar
- Punjab |
Amritsar is one of the unobtrusive
cities which are quiet yet tastefully significant
with immense strategic importance as it borders Pakistan
with the Wagah border. Quiet city would be paradoxical
to the popularly known loud Punjabi culture –
loud hearty laugh and loud talk or Not mentioning
all the Punjabi songs which have a steady rhythmic
beat dichuk dichuk consistency that makes one guess
– could this be a happy song or a sad song!
However I found all of those loud things overshadowed
by the loudness of honks of vehicles on the street.
Quiet and cool was something one found before 6.00
am or after midnight. Adventure walks on the streets
should be taken with care as footpaths are rare.
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How
to get there -
Do whatever... BUT Dont take the Shaan-e-Punjab train
from Delhi! Its a dirty old train even after taking
the AC chair car it sucks big time. I would request
Indian railways to name the train Shaan-THA-Punjab!
It was good when the coach was new.Alas. BTW this in
Jan 2012.
Start from New Delhi would be the best option as Amritsar
is well connected and is just 500km away. Road,or better
train or flights also available. |
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What to see
* The Golden Temple
* Aggressive Retreat ceremony at Wagah border (lowering
of flags at Indo-Pak border often called
“Berlin wall of Asia”)
* Jallianwala Bagh
Deals!!!! - Shopping bargains on garments as it is
a wholesale hub (Woollen and Summer clothes)
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The Golden Temple
after Sunset |
The (Golden temple) Harmandir Sahib is considered holy
by Sikhs. The most holy text of Sikhism, the Guru Granth
Sahib, is always present inside the temple. Its construction
was mainly intended to build a place of worship for men
and women from all walks of life and all religions to
come and worship God equally. The present day Golden Temple
was rebuilt in 1764 by Maharaja Jassa Singh Ahluwalia
. Between 1802–1830 Ranjit Singh did the sewa of
adding gold plating and marble to the temple, while the
interior was decorated with fresco work and gemstones.
More on wikipedia - (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harmandir_Sahib
)
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| Fish
in water surrounding Golden Temple |
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| At entrance to Jallianwala
Bagh Memorial |
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Martyrs well and
Bullet marks on wall |
Jallianwala bagh is a public garden in Amritsar in the
Punjab province of India, and houses a memorial of national
importance, established in 1951 to commemorate the murder
of hundreds of peaceful celebrators on the occasion of
the Punjabi New Year on April 13, 1919. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jallianwala_Bagh_Massacre
) |
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Sugarcane juice - fresh and sweet
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T-shirts in the
market place |
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Royal Enfield with
the workx |
| WAGAH Border |
| The Wagah border, often
called the "Berlin wall of Asia",is a border
crossing on the India–Pakistan Border where each
evening there is a retreat ceremony called 'lowering of
the flags',which has been held since 1959. At that time
there is an energetic parade by the Border Security Force
(B.S.F) of India and the Pakistan Rangers soldiers. It
may appear slightly aggressive and even hostile to foreigners
but in fact the paraders are imitating the pride and anger. |
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Ready ! |
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Arms shops..Notice
the guns ! |
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