Amazing Amritsar!

Streets bustling with bazaars, people jostling for space, the aroma of food wafting everywhere…Amritsar is a town that has captured the hearts of many. Although it might seem overwhelming at first, few days here and Indian Vagabundo assures you that you would want to come back to this wonderful place.

Amritsar is the spiritual and cultural center of sikhism in the world. It also has been focal point of Indian freedom struggle. People from all over India and the world travel here to visit Golden Temple and enjoy the cultural & historical potpourri the city has to offer.

Places to Visit in Amritsar:

Jallianwala Bagh

Just a few minutes’ walk from Golden Temple is the great Jallianwala Bagh. A place of national importance, the garden is associated with the Indian Freedom Movement. With efforts being made to preserve the place for what it was half a century ago, the place is now a full-fledged garden with pathways, and has a light and sound show too.

Golden Temple

The serenity and the beauty of the Golden Temple is mesmerising. People often compare visiting this temple to visiting the Taj and Indian Vagabundo guarantees that it is equally spectacular, probably even more so. Continuous chants, the stillness of the water, the thousands of people providing service for nothing in return, and the ornate beauty of the Temple itself all adds up to make a visit here really and truly special. Indian Vagabundo would also recommend also signing up and helping to cook in the Langar.

Wagah Border

No trip to Amritsar is complete without attending the ‘Lowering of the Flags’ ceremony at the India-Pakistan Attari Border Crossing, popularly known as the Wagah Border. Soldiers make efforts to outdo the ones on the other side, and crowds cheer on with slogans like Vande Mataram and Jai Hind. 

Places to eat in Amritsar:

Kachoris, aaloo kulchas, Amritsar naans, chur chur naan, punjabi lassi, kheer, mithaais, jalebi, matthis and more – Indian Vagabundo is confident that the food in Amritsar will be the highlight of the trip!

Kaku di Lassi, the stuffed kulchas at Bharawan ka Dhabha, Kesar da Dhaba, are a few places Indian Vagabundo suggests.

Accomodation:

The stay in this city is not very expensive, the lower range budget hotels like Akaal Residency are clean simple and good value for money. And you even have a few unique options like Virasat Haveli. For more options, check out TripAdvisor.

Best time to visit:

November to March – The best time to visit Amritsar is between November and March, when the weather is comparatively pleasant and ideal for sightseeing and visiting the Golden Temple. However, sometimes the temperature can touch a freezing –4 Degree Celsius.

April to June – Before the cool showers of the monsoon hit Amritsar, the city braves the heat and dust associated with the summer season. The temperatures during these months can touch a high of about 49 Degrees Celsius.

July to October – After the scorching heat of the summers, the monsoon season brings a welcome relief to the city of Amritsar. The city experiences mild to heavy rains during these months. The weather is mostly pleasant and cloudy most of the time during this period.

Getting There:

You can drive into Amritsar from neighbouring states. Bus services also connect Amritsar with most north Indian towns, including Chandigarh (235 Kms), Delhi (450 Kms), Shimla, Kulu, Manali, Dharamshala and Dalhousie in Himachal Pradesh, Dehradun and Rishikesh in Uttar Pradesh and Jammu.

Amritsar is also connected by direct trains to major Indian cities like Delhi, Jammu, Mumbai, Nagpur, Calcutta and Puri.

The Rajasansi airport, about 11 kms from town, is connected by domestic flights to Delhi and Chandigarh. You can get to town by a pre-booked rented car, taxis or auto-rickshaws.

While in Amritsar, praise the timeless (Sat Sri Akaal), enjoy parikramas of the Golden Temple, feast on the langar, and eat everything Amritsari you can find under the sky. Indian Vagabundo wishes you happy holidays!