Bathinda to Amritsar

Amritsar : The City of Golden Temple

Facts at a Glance
Area : 50 sq km
Languages: Punjabi, English, Hindi an Urdu
State : Punjab, India
ST D Code: 0183
Population: 1,011,500 

Best Time to Visit : October to March

Geography & Climate

The holy city of Amritsar City Guide is located in the north western part of India, in the vibrant Punjab state, at an altitude of 31°37'59.16" N and latitude of 74°51'56.16" E. The trapezium shaped city is spread over an area of 50 sq km and falls under the administrative division of Jullandhar. Its distance from the nearest Lahore city in Pakistan is 50 km. The city witnesses all four major weather seasons of India viz. winter, summer, monsoon (Rainy Season) and post-monsoon. The winter season starts in November and ends in March, when the temperature of the city ranges from -3 °C to 18 °C. The summer season lasts from April to June when the temperature could reach up to 46°C. The temperature during monsoon season (July to September) and post-monsoon (September to November) remains comfortable and varies between 22 to 35 °C.How to Reach 
Amritsar City Guide is well connected by a network of airways, roads and railway lines. 

By Air : 
Sri Guru Ram Das Jee International Airport is 11 Km away or 20 minutes drive from the city center. Most flights are Delhi bound which is at an hour's distance, however an increasing number of international flights also originate from the Amritsar city. British Midland International and Jet Airways fly to London, Air India flies to Toronto via London while Air Slovakia flies to Barcelona and Birmingham. A good number of flights are bound for Central Asian region to the countries like Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan.

By Train: 
Shatabdi Express,Shan-e-Punjab Express, Golden Temple Mail, Akal Takht Express etc. are few of the trains that run daily for Amritsar City Guide from major cities of India like Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata. You can conveniently book you tickets online as well as from a small booking office situated in the Golden Temple Complex in Amritsar. 

By Road :
Amritsar is well connected by road network. Long distance taxis operate from Delhi and you can reach Amritsar within 07 hours by car. Luxury Volvo buses run daily from Chandigarh, Delhi, Dharamshala and Katra for the city. 

Places to see in Amritsar

Golden Temple : Golden Temple is the main attraction of the city. The stunning complex is the holiest place for the Sikhs. The temple complex is open almost 24 hours, from 6 am to 2 am. It is worth visiting twice a day, once in broad day light and again at night when it is brilliantly lit up. However, before entering the temple complex, do not forget to remove your shoe and cover your head with a scarf or piece of cloth. Amrit Sarovar, Harminder Sahib, Dashani Deori, Akal Takht and Central Sikh Museum, all are located in Golden Temple complex and are worth visit Amritsar City Guide.

Jalianwala Bagh: The garden complex is just 10 minutes walk from the Golden Temple. The memorial was built in 1961 as a tribute to 1579 civilians who were massacred by the British on 13 April 1919. Bullet holes could be seen to the date on the walls of garden complex. 

Summer Palace of Maharaja Ranjit Singh: Located in Ram Bagh, the palace now houses a museum that exhibits oil paintings, weapons used by the Sikhs and coins.Mata Temple : The roundabout path of the temple has low tunnels and inclined walkways. Traditionally, women wishing to be pregnant come here and pray.

What to Eat in Amritsar 
When in Amritsar, do not forget to take a bite of Amritsari Naan and Papad. Lassi, Dal Makhani, and Masala Dosa are also popular dishes of the city. Golden Temple serves langar (basic meal) to the faithful and visitors everyday, that too free of cost. Besides all this, you can also enjoy Continental and Chinese delicacies in the city and Amritsar City Guide.

What to Shop in Amritsar 
You can shop for the following:
Brightly colored Phulkari shawl, saris and hand scarves
Spicy Warian pulses from Hall Bazaar 
Sikh religious symbol s like Khandas, Karas, swords, doggers etc.
Punjabi music, CDs of the Temple chants and knick-knacks of Guru Nanak.

History Amritsar derives its name from Amrit Sarovar – "the pool of the nectar of immortality"which is situated in Golden Temple complex. Legend had it that emperor Akbar granted the land of the city to Guru Amar Das while another legend had it that the land for the city was actually purchased by Guru Amar Das on a payment of Rs. 700 to a Zamindar on the instance of Akbar. Gupta kings ruled the city from 4th to 6th century and Sikhs came on the scene during 16th century when Guru Ram Das established a temple (now known as Golden Temple) around a small pool in the city in the year 1547. The temple was completed in the year 1601 by his successor Guru Arjan Dev Ji. The city is largely populated by Sikhs and is famous for Golden Temple and Jalianwala Bagh from visit Amritsar City Guide.