Amritsar, historically called Rāmdāspur and conversationally as Ambarsar, may have been established in the sixteenth century by Guru Ram Das, the fourth Sikh guru, but the legend weaves a mythical connection between the spot and the Hindu epic Ramayana.
Amritsar is a city that needs to be experienced more than to be seen. HRIDAY (Heritage City Development and Augmentation Yojana) plan of the Government of India has picked it as one of the heritage cities of India.
If you are planning a visit to this city, here’s all the astounding spots that have the right to be visited.
Here are the 10 Best Top rated Attractions of Amritsar:
The Golden Temple, Amritsar
The crown gem of Amritsar, the Golden Temple – the preeminent spiritual site of Sikhism, is unquestionably its main center of attraction, and it’s also known as Golden Temple, meaning “abode of God” or Darbār Sahib, meaning “exalted court.”
Initially constructed in the sixteenth century, it was re-created by the Sikh empire, in marble and copper in 1809, they enclosed the temple with gold foil in 1830, which prompted the name – the Golden Temple.
The Harmandir Sahib is an open place of love for everyone, regardless of their background and faith. It has a square arrangement with four doorways, has a circumambulation way around the pool. It displays a tremendous architecture, which is a novel mix of Hindu and Islamic styles.
Enhancing the internal walls of the temple are semi-precious stones, Meenakari work, and glasswork that are a treat to your eyes. The serene water body encompassing the temple upgrades its magnificence.
With its golden sheen and amicable quality, the holy place remains as the ideal image of tranquility and endless joy. Additional structures contain a clock tower, the workplace of Gurdwara Committee, a Museum, and langar – a free Sikh communal run kitchen that distributes a simple vegetarian feast to all guests without discrimination.
Guru Granth Sahib, the sacred book of the Sikhs, is kept inside this Gurdwara during the day and taken to the Akal Takht around evening time. Cover your head when you enter this place of worship, because of the compulsory custom of this site. There’s no entry fee and it’s open 24×7 every day.
Address: Golden Temple Rd, Atta Mandi, Katra Ahluwalia, Amritsar
Wagah Border
Situated around 30 km from Amritsar, Wagah is the main street border crossing that runs among India and Pakistan. Each night, the border transforms into a ceremonial ground before the nightfall and pulls in crowds of voyagers.
The Wagah-Attari border function occurs at the border gate, two hours before nightfall every day. The flag ceremony is led by the Pakistan Rangers and Indian Border Security Force (BSF) when soldiers from both sides take part in the Beating Retreat and Change of Guard functions.
A marching function, known as the “Silly Walk Ceremony”, is directed each night alongside the flag service – an everyday practice when the bringing down of the national flag happens on both sides of the border by the soldiers, with intricate and quick military activities.
Although there was not a conflict at that time, the ceremony started in 1986 as an agreement of peace. The entire service is a vivid treat for the guests. Since seats are not reserved, do arrive a one hour before the service starts and carry along a pair of binoculars for a superior view.
There’s no entry fee and the timings for the function are 04:15 pm to 05:00 pm during winter and 05:15 pm to 06:00 pm during summer.
Address: Wagah, Hardo Rattan
Maharaja Ranjit Singh Museum
Maharaja Ranjit Singh, prominently known as Sher-e-Punjab or “Lion of Punjab”, was the pioneer of the Sikh Empire, who ruled the northwest Indian subcontinent in the first half of the nineteenth century. Maharaja Ranjit Singh Museum is committed to him.
It was one of his lovely summer royal residences. It gives inside data on the life of the first Sikh ruler, alongside the Sikh community’s history, art, and architecture, between the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.
Changed over in 1977, the museum comprises a ton of artifacts and individual things of the Maharaja, for example, his reinforcement and weaponry. The museum highlights dresses, weapons, and coins in addition to other things.
You can likewise observe a few articles and paintings associated with the different fights that were fought by the ruler. This mirrors the secular soul of the Maharaja and the rich history of the Sikh province.
The paintings generally portray scenes from the Sikh ruler’s court and camp. Encircled by the Rambagh Gardens, famous for its sculpture of the incredible ruler with his horse, the royal residence presents a pretty picture.
When you step inside the museum, you will have the option to observe an abundance of artifacts and relics that stay a declaration to the glorious times of this extraordinary ruler.
There’s no entry fee and it’s open from 10:00 am to 05:00 pm, ordinarily with the exception of Mondays and Public Holidays.
Address: Lawrence Road, Ram Bagh, Company Bagh, Amritsar
Gurdwara Sri Tarn Taran Sahib
Gurdwara Sri Tarn Taran Sahib is a renowned religious spot in Amritsar. The place of worship was set up in the year 1590 by the fifth Sikh guru – Guru Arjan Dev. It is acclaimed for the month to month gathering of pilgrims upon the arrival of Amavas (a no-moon night).
It draws in the pilgrims as well as an enormous number of travelers also, on account of its grand building. The monumental white structure with a golden dome stands surrounded by a quiet water body, which has the differentiation of being the biggest one among all the water bodies of the Gurdwaras.
There’s no entry fee and it’s open from 05:00 am to 10:00 pm consistently.
Address: Old City, Tarn Taran Sahib
Mata Lal Devi Temple
A holy Hindu temple, Mata Lal Devi Mandir is an exceptional place of worship that is quite prevalent among Hindu devotees. The temple is dedicated to a 20th-century female saint known as Mata Lal Devi.
It’s based on the famous Vaishno Mata Mandir in the Jammu Kashmir state. Built-in 1989 in the region of Rani Bagh of Amritsar city, it’s also known as Mother India temple. Unlike other temples, this place boasts of vividly reflected hallways, ankle-deep streams, twisted paths, mines, and a grotto.
The path to the last hall where figures are kept is led by the cavern. Several types of beams are also placed in the path to the main gallery of the sanctuary.
An intriguing characteristic of the temple is that it contains several Hindu gods and features several caverns and shrines. It is believed that the temple is full of astounding powers and any woman who prays for kids at this temple is given the wish.
Visit this spot to encounter the uncommon atmosphere and magnificence of this sanctuary which you may not discover in some other sanctuary in India or somewhere else. There’s no entry fee and it’s open from 05:00 am to 11:00 pm, consistently.
Address: 61/62, Model Town, Rani Ka Bagh, Mohindra Colony, Amritsar
Jallianwala Bagh
Maybe there is no other remembrance in India that paints such a powerful adventure of the freedom struggle as the Jallainwala Bagh. Spread over 6.5 acres of land, the open garden remains a declaration to the most horrifying open slaughter that the British Army committed on unarmed Indians.
It was just about a century prior, in the year 1919 when the British powers under the order of General Dyer mercilessly opened fire on a serene gathering of men, ladies, and kids at this very spot and left hundreds dead and thousands injured.
The immense stone commemoration at the garden is a distinct remainder to the dark day in India’s freedom history.
Indeed, even today, you can see the shot marks on a segment of the walls of the gardens and the well into which a few people had jumped to death on that unfortunate day.
Jallianwala Bagh is a must-visit place where you can experience a dull section in the nation’s opportunity to battle and give proper respect to the victims. On the off chance that you visit the spot at night, you can watch the light and sound show that reproduces the alarming episode. There’s no entry fee and it’s open from 06:30 am to 07:30 pm, consistently.
Address: Golden Temple Rd, Amritsar, Punjab
Akal Takht
Akal Takht implies the position of royalty of the immortal one. It is a Sikh sanctuary that speaks to one of the five seats of power in Sikhism. It was made by Shri Guru Hargobind as a place of equity and thought of brief issues; the most notable seat of the natural right of the Khalsa (the aggregate body of the Sikhs) and the spot of the Jathedar, the highest representative of the Sikhs.
Akal Takht is viewed as noteworthy as the Golden Temple by the devotees of the religion. The sanctuary stands simply opposite the Golden Temple and is a delight in itself.
The five-storeyed white structure of the Akal Takht highlights the Sikh style of engineering, marble decorations, and a gold-leaf arch. It is an extraordinarily serene spot that draws in travelers because of its exceptional beauty that must be acknowledged in person.
There’s no entry fee and it’s open from 02:30 am to 10:00 pm, consistently.
Address: Harmandir Sahib, Golden Temple Rd, Atta Mandi, Katra Ahluwalia, Amritsar
Gobindgarh Fort
Gobindgarh Fort that spreads across 43 acres of land is a milestone fascination in Amritsar. Following its foundations to the eighteenth century, the fortress has remained as a witness to much carnage that has denoted the city’s history.
Be that as it may, even today, it remains steadfast. Up to this point, the stronghold was under the control of the military. But from February 2017, it has been opened to people in general as a live legacy museum.
Among the significant attractions of the fortress are a coin museum, ancient fighting museum, haat bazaar, and whispering halls. A one of a kind fascination of the spot is Sher e Punjab, a 7D show created on the life of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, which will take you back to the nineteenth century and leave you with a vivid encounter.
You can likewise participate in games and live dance exhibitions and win prizes. Different food stalls around the spot will guarantee that you gorge upon mouth-watering delights during your visit to the fortification.
Regardless of whether you are a history buff or not, visit this post for an exciting encounter. Entry Fee is ₹ 25 for Indians and ₹ 100 for outsiders both substantial up to 5:00 pm and it’s open from 10:00 am to 10:00 pm, consistently.
Address: Old Cantt Road, inside Lohgarh Chowk, Vijay Chowk, Amritsar
Jama Masjid Khairuddin
Khairuddin Masjid, otherwise called Jama Masjid, is a delightful mosque built by Muhammad Khairuddin in 1876 CE. It is one of the most appreciated religious places in Amritsar by both the local people and travelers.
It is additionally a noteworthy mosque that holds a critical position in the pages of India’s freedom struggle. Tootie-e-Hind, Shah Attaullah Bukhari, called upon his people to take up weapons against the British sovereigns from this very mosque.
The mosque consists of three vaults and four minarets. It reflects customary Islamic design with delightful calligraphy enhancing its walls, which gives the structure a one-of-its-sort look. The mosque is built of white marble and is embellished with green color miniature paintings.
The place looks enchanted underneath the blue skies. With the religious and historical significance, the mosque pulls in a ton of guests also because of its great engineering and excellence. There’s no entry fee and it’s open from 07:00 am to 07:00 pm, consistently.
Address: Hall Bazar, near Hotel Grand Park, Amritsar
Hall Bazaar
A visit to Amritsar can never be viewed as complete without a visit to one of the famous commercial centers of the city – Hall Bazaar.
A customer’s heaven, this old bazaar is the center of numerous things, including gadgets, trendy accessories, bangles, phulkari embroidery work, local handicrafts, traditional garments, Chinese lamps, and even basic things of everyday use. Yet, the commercial center is for the most part acclaimed for extravagant and beautiful jootis.
The Mughal-style entry door of the bazaar, known as Gandhi Gate, is another fascination of the spot. Strolling and shopping in the thin paths of the market that offers a sensory overdose of vibrant sights and sounds can be an enjoyment itself.
Remember to gather a couple of things from the market as memorabilia of your Amritsar trip. Likewise, experience the well-known dishes of the district at one of the deep-rooted restaurants in the region. There’s no entry fee and it’s open from 9:00 am to 7:00 pm, every day.
Address: Hall Bazaar Road, Amritsar
Conclusion
Entwined with the historical backdrop of Sikhism, this city is home to the Golden Temple, simultaneously, Jallianwala Bagh which keeps on portraying Amritsar’s fundamental situation in the nation’s freedom struggle.
Intriguing legends, religious structures, notable buildings, clamoring bazaars, vivid celebrations, and flavourful food all meet up to check it as an energetic travel destination.
Regardless of whether you need to get a brief look into Amritsar’s unbelievable past or absorb its current flavor, a visit to the city will empower you to return with an improving encounter. Thus, head to the city and start your euphoric traveler experiences in this astonishing place that is known for legacy and culture.
