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| AMRITSAR TRAVEL GUIDE Amritsar is located in the northwest part of India in the State of Punjab, 32 miles (51 km) east of Lahore, Pakistan. Some have taken the name Amritsar to derive Amrit- sarovar meaning "The Pool of the Nectar of Immortality" though -sar, "Natural pool" does not derive from sarovar, "Artificial tank or body of water". It is home to the Harimandir Sahib, also known as the Golden Temple, and is the spiritual and cultural centre of the Sikh religion. It is also known for the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre (1919) and Operation Bluestar (1984). Amritsar city is one of the major cities of the Sikh nation. 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. (Earlier Guru Ram Das had begun building Santokhsar Sarovar, near the village of Sultanwind in 1564 {according to one source in 1570}. It could not be completed before 1588. 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 Arjun Dev in 1586. Since then this city is known as Amritsar (after the name of the sarovar). The foundation of the Darbar Sahib had been laid by Guru Arjan on January 3, 1588. (Later, it was propagated that the foundation stone of Darbar Sahib was laid by Sain Mian Mir, a Muslim holy man. Sain Mian Mir was very friendly with Guru Arjan Dev but the foundation of Darbar Sahib was laid by Guru Sahib himself). In 1590, Guru Arjan Dev moved to the village of Wadali where Guru Hargobind was born on June 19, 1590. By 1601, the Darbar Sahib was fully ready. In 1603-1604, the first volume of the Guru Granth Sahib, the Sikh scriptures, was prepared in this city and was installed at Darbar Sahib on August 16, 1604. 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 (temporal and transcendental authority). The building of the Akal Takht was twice demolished by Afghan armies and was very badly damaged by Indian government forces in June 1984 during Operation Blue Star launched to deal with a Sikh successionist movement headed by Jarnail Singh Bhindranwala. The Indian government repaired it in September 1984. The Sikhs began demolishing it on January 26, 1986. The present structure has been constructed by five service-groups headed by Baba Thakar Singh of Bhindranmehta Jatha. On April 13, 1634, the Mughal army attacked Guru Hargobind here. From 1635 to 1698, Amritsar remained in the control of the Mina family (descendants of Pirthi Chand). During this period, on November 23, 1664, Guru Tegh Bahadur visited the town. In April 1698, Bhai Mani Singh was appointed as the caretaker of the shrines of Amritsar. The Mughal chief of Patti tried to occupy Amritsar several times. One such attempt was made in April 1709. The Sikhs, under the command of Bhai Mani Singh and Bhai Tara Singh of Dallwan, repelled this attack. When Baba Banda Singh Bahadur occupied several areas in the Punjab, Bhai Mani Singh chose to leave Amritsar in order to avoid the Mughal attacks. On December 30, 1711, the Mughal emperor, Bahadur Shah, granted Ajit Singh Palit the charge of Amritsar in order to use him against Baba Banda Singh Bahadur. After the death of Bahadur Shah, Ajit Singh Palit returned to Delhi. In 1721, Bhai Mani Singh returned to Amritsar and re-started regular worship. His first act was to solve a dispute between the Tat Khalsa and the Bandai Khalsa factions for the right to the management of the shrines in Amritsar. On March 29, 1733, a major gathering of Sikhs was held here in front of Akal Takht. During the same time a Sarbat Khalsa gathering was also held. It discussed the Mughal offer of Nawab-hood. In April 1734, Bhai Mani Singh was arrested and was executed in Lahore on June 24, 1734. GENERAL INFORMATION Time zone IST (UTC+5:30) Elevation 218 m (715 ft) District(s) Amritsar Population 1,500,000 (2007) PLACE TO VISIT Golden Temple - is the main attraction in the city, and the most important religious place to the Sikhs. It's a stunning complex, and always full of thousands of pilgrims from all over India, excited to be at a place that they usually only see on television. The excitement to be here is infectious, and many people will be more than happy to tell you all about their religion and customs, and show you around the temple itself. Cover your head, remove your shoes and wander around one of the most amazing places in India. The complex is open almost 24 hours (from 6 AM until 2 AM) and is worth visiting twice: once during the day, once at night, when it's beautifully lit up. Darshani Deori - This is the main entrance, sporting a distinctly Victorian clock- tower. Amrit Sarovar - The giant pool of water that surrounds and reflects the Golden Temple. Sections (marked off by ropes) are set aside for (male) pilgrims wishing to bathe. Harmandir Sahib - This is the Golden Temple itself, floating above the Amrit Sarovar, housing the sacred Adi Granth scripture which is recited out loud during the day. This is the most crowded point, accessible by a bridge from the edge of the pool, and entry here is regulated by guards. Akal Takht - directly opposite the Harmandir Sahib. Meaning "the Timeless, this is where the highest council of Sikhs sits and deliberates. At night, the Adi Granth is transferred to the Akal Takht. Central Sikh Museum - 2nd floor (entrance on the right side of the main side of the main entrance). Devoted to large gallery of paintings, mostly showing the gruesome ways countless Sikhs have been martyred, and various knick-knacks from the gurus. Free. HOW TO REACH By plane - Raja Sansi International Airport is about 11 km and a 15-20 minutes drive from the city center. It's one of the modern airports in India and quite adequate if not exactly exciting. Most flights are to Delhi, an hour away, but there are an increasing number of international connections: Jet flies to London, Air India flies to Toronto via Birmingham, and Singapore Airlines flies directly to Singapore. There are also surprising numbers of flights to Central Asia (eg. Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan). By train - The Shatabdi Express is the fastest and most comfortable way to arrive from Delhi. The journey takes around 5 hours from New Delhi. Amritsar 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. It's advised to book your onward train ticket as soon as you arrive in Amritsar, or before if you know the exact date, as trains are often heavily booked. Some other good trains are Paschim Express and Golden Temple Mail, but be sure of your reservations on time. By car - Long-distance taxis are available from most places. It takes around 6-7 hours from New Delhi via NH-1 By bus - Amritsar is well-connected by bus to most major cities and the northern areas within a days drive. Pathankot is about 2.5 hours away, and there are daily direct buses to New Delhi, Jammu, Katra, Chandigarh, Dharamsala (once daily, ~6 hours), etc.You can find Volvo buses from Chandigarh , Delhi and Katra to Amritsar. |