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Amritsar (The Lake of the Holy Nectar) is in the state of Punjab, India. The 2001 Indian census reported the population of the city to be over 1,500,000, and that of the entire district to number just over 3,695,077. Amritsar is located in the northwestern part of India in the State of Punjab, 32 miles (51 km) east of Lahore, Pakistan.
It is home to the Harimandir Sahib, also known as the Golden Temple, and is the spiritual and cultural center of the Sikh religion. This important Sikh shrine attracts more visitors than the Taj Mahal in Agra and is the number one destination for non-resident Indians (NRI) in the whole of India. This city is known for the incidents of Jallianwala Bagh Massacre in 1919 under British Rule and Operation Bluestar in 1984 under the late Prime Minister of India, Indira Gandhi.
The main commercial activities include tourism, carpets and fabrics, farm produce, handicrafts, service trades and light engineering. The city is popular and known for its food and culture. Amritsar is also home to Pingalwara, the home for the destitute founded by Bhagat Puran Singh, and Central Khalsa Orphanage, which was once a home to Shaheed Udham Singh, a prominent figure in the Indian independence movement.
Under instructions from Guru Amar Das, this city was founded by Guru Ram Das in 1574, on land bought by him for 700 rupees from the owners of the village of Tung. In 1574, Guru Ram Das built his residence and moved to this place. At that time, it was known as Guru Da Chakk. (Later, it came to be known as Chakk Ram Das). Guru Ram Das began excavation of the Amritsar Sarovar tank in 1577. It was ready by 1581. This tank was renovated by Guru Arjan Dev in 1586. Since then this city has been known as Amritsar. The first stone of the foundation of the Darbar Sahib is said to have been laid by Sain Mian Mir Sahib, a Muslim saint from Punjab, at Guru Arjan's request. It is here that the Akal Takht (The throne of immortality) the seat of Sikh political power was built by Guru Hargobind in 1609. Two flags representing temporal and spiritual authority and Sikh sovereignty were set up in front of the Akal Takht. Here Guru Hargobind wore two swords of Miri and Piri. Around 1830, Ranjit Singh had Muslim goldsmiths to gold-plate some parts of the inner section of the Darbar Sahib. The Gold plating led to it being called the Golden Temple.
In 1846, the British established themselves in the Lahore Darbar, and, Amritsar became a place of frequent visits by the British. In 1858, a municipal committee was set up here. In 1862, train services between Lahore and Amritsar were started. Khalsa College, the first Sikh college was established here in 1892. In 1969 Guru Nanak Dev University was established here. In 1913, the city was electrified. In September 1915, the British declared Amritsar a holy City. On April 13, 1919, General Reginald Dyer opened fire on the gathering, at Jallianwala Bagh, near Darbar Sahib, killed 379 people and wounded another 1200. The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (S.G.P.C.) and the Shiromani Akali Dal were established here in 1920.
Amritsar is located at 31.63° N 74.87° E. It has an average elevation of 234 metres (768 ft). Amritsar has a continental climate, typical of northwestern India. The winter season (November to March) when temperatures ranges from 18 °C to about 4 °C, the hot season (April to June) when temperatures can reach 49.5 °C, monsoon season (July to September) and post-monsoon (September to November). The best time to visit Amritsar is between October and March.
The city lies on the main Grand Trunk Road (GT Road) from Delhi to Amritsar connecting to Lahore in Pakistan. The G. T. Road, built by Sher Shah Suri, runs through the whole of the northern half of the Indian subcontinent, connecting Peshawar, Pakistan to Sonargaon, Bangladesh.
The city's international airport, Raja Sansi International Airport, is growing in size rapidly handling around 150 flights a week. By July 2008, it will be doubled in size, 4 jetways, with a new parking area and much more.
Amritsar is an important railway station and is well connected to major cities in India through daily trains. Onward/return trains can be booked online, at the train station or, most conveniently, at the small booking office in the Golden Temple Complex. There is also a train and bus service to Pakistan from Amritsar
Places of Interest:
• Jallianwala Bagh
• Company Bagh
• Hall Bazaar
• Dhabas (The Brothers, Bharavan da dhaba, and many more)
• Lawrence Road
• Gurdwaras
• Harimandir Sahib (Golden Temple)
• Gurdwara Manji Sahib, Devan Asthan
• Gurudwara Shaheed Ganj Sahib Ji (Dhan Dhan Baba Deep Singh Ji)
• Gurdwara Ramsar Sahib
• Gurdwara Baba Deep Singh, built at the site of the martyrdom of Baba Deep Singh
• Gurdwara Bebaaksar Sahib
• Birth Place of Guru Hargobind Sahib
• Gurdwara Darbar Sahib, Tarn Taran (twenty five km south of Amritsar)
• Gurdwara Baba Budha
• Guru da Bagh, Kokawali
• Gurdwara Bowli Sahib, Goindwal Sahib
• Gurdwara Bir Baba Budha, Thattah-Chabhal
• Gurdwara Darbar Sahib, Khadur Sahib
• Chheharta Sahib, Guru Hargobind Ji
• Baba Bakala, where Bhai Makhan Shah proclaimed that he had found the ninth Sikh Guru in Guru Teg Bahadur
• Birth Place of Baba Budha Ji, Kathunangal
• Saragarhi Gurudwara
• Tala Sahib Gurudwara
• Gurudwara Bhai Manjh Sahib Ji
• Gurudwara Pau Wind Sahib Ji (Dhan Dhan Baba Deep Singh Ji)
Temples
• Durgiana Mandir (Seetla Mandir)
• Sage Valmiki's Ashram Named as Ram Tirath
• Mata Lal Devi Mandir
• Maha Kali Mandir,Near Escorts hospital.
• Gopal mandir
• Ram Tirath
• Shivala Bhaian Temple
• Doonge Hanuman, Baazar Tookrian
• Bijli Pehalwan Mandir
• Kishan Dham Mandir
Websites:
http://www.target-tours.com/city-guide/amritsar.html
http://www.amritsari.com/
http://www.traveltoamritsar.com/
http://www.amritsar.com/
http://wikitravel.org/en/Amritsar
http://www.amritsartravel.com/
http://www.indianrail.gov.in
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