BEST OF AMRITSAR (FROM CHANDIGARH)

At a distance of 2 km from Amritsar Junction, Golden Temple is most sacred Sikh pilgrimage site situated in Amritsar town of Punjab state. Popularly known as Harmandir Sahib or Darbar Sahib, Golden Temple is acclaimed as one of the most visited pilgrimage centers in India.

Sri Guru Ram Das Ji, 4th Sikh Guru, started the digging of Amrit Sarovar in 1577 AD on the orders of 3rd Sikh guru Sri Guru Amar Das Ji. Which was later on brick-lined by Sri Guru Arjan Dev Ji, the 5th Sikh Guru, in 1588 and he also started the construction of Sri Harmandir Sahib. Sri Guru Granth Sahib was first installed at Harmandir Sahib in 1604 AD. The temple had to be substantially rebuilt after it was destroyed in fire accident in the 1760s. In the early 19th century, 100 kg of gold were applied to the inverted lotus-shaped dome and decorative marble work took place under the patronage of Maharaja Ranjit Singh.

Fondly known as Swarn Mandir, Sri Harmandir Sahib is built on 67 feet square platform in .....

At a distance of 3 km from Amritsar Junction and 1 km from Golden Temple, Jallianwala Bagh is a memorial garden located in Amritsar town of Punjab. Situated near Harmandir Sahib, it is one of the top places to visit in Amritsar.

Jallianwala Bagh is the unfortunate site where thousands of innocents were brutally killed by British troops on 13th April 1919, which was the day of Baisakhi festival for the people of Sikh religion. In order to celebrate this festival, a big crowd of many villagers had gathered in the Jallianwala Bagh to celebrate the day that Guru Gobind Singh founded the Khalsa Panth in 1699, and also known as the 'Birth of Khalsa.' On hearing that a meeting had assembled, Brigadier-General Reginald Dyer with his army of 150 troops ordered open fire at the crowd. According to British Raj sources, around 379 people were dead and 1500 wounded people were left to die in the well within the garden.

Today, this public garden houses a memorial, which was established in .....

At a distance of 9 km from Amritsar Junction, Punjab State War Heroes Memorial & Museum is situated in Amritsar - Attari Road on the outskirts of the holy city of Amritsar in Punjab. Since, it is located on the NH-1, and near to Wagah border makes it a prominent landmark and source of attraction for the tourists.

Built at the cost of Rs 130 crore, the Punjab State War Heroes Memorial & Museum was inaugurated in October 2016, by the then Chief Minister of Punjab, Parkash Singh Badal. The memorial museum is directed to showcase the fabulous gallantry deeds of the brave hearts of Punjab. It is planned to immortalize the deeds of brave soldiers and to inspire and infuse the spirit of patriotism in the youth. It is designed by an Indian architectural firm 'Kapoor and Associates' of New Delhi.

The beautiful structure has 45 m high stainless steel sword on the central edifice, representing the strength and courage of the people of Punjab while defending the nation in the hour of .....

At a distance of 30 km from Amritsar Junction, Wagah Border is the only road border between India and Pakistan. The border lies on the Grand Trunk Road between the cities of Amritsar, India and Lahore, Pakistan. Also known as 'Berlin Wall of China', Wagah Border is the only open border which is officially accessible by both the nations and also one of the top places to visit in Amritsar.

The border has a huge arch named 'Swarn Jayanti Dwar', and gates of both the countries. Also known as Attari, Wagah is mainly known for its 'Beating Retreat Ceremony'. The Beating Retreat Ceremony was started in 1959 and it was agreed by the government of both the countries. It is a symbol of the rivalry between the two countries. The flag ceremony is conducted by the Indian Border Security Force and Pakistan Rangers. Women guards of BSF have also been a part of this ceremony from July 2011. Almost 5,000 people visit the border to see the ceremony with great patriotism.

The highlight of this .....

At a distance of 1.5 km from Amritsar Junction and 4 km from Amritsar Golden Temple, Maharaja Ranjit Singh Museum is a popular museum situated in the middle of a beautiful Ram Bagh Garden in Amritsar, Punjab. It is one of the best museums in Punjab and also one of the top tourist attractions in Amritsar.

Maharaja Ranjit Singh Museum was originally the summer palace of first king of Sikh Empire, Maharaja Ranjit Singh. Later, it was converted in to museum in 1977 CE. It is a treasure house of the history, art and architecture of the Sikhs of the 18th and the 19th century AD.

The museum offers insights into the life of the Sikh monarch Maharaja Ranjit Singh. The Museum displays objects connecting to Maharaja Ranjit Singh such as arms and armour, outstanding paintings and centuries old coins and manuscripts. The paintings displayed in the galleries of the museum showcase the court and camp of the king. Among all the paintings, one that depicts the city of Lahore is most famous. .....

At a distance of 1.5 km from Amritsar Junction, Durgiana Temple is Hindu temple situated near Lohgarh gate of Amritsar, Punjab. It is a Hindu version of the Amritsar Golden Temple and also one of the top pilgrimage places to visit in Amritsar.

Durgiana Temple is dedicated to Goddess Durga. It is also known as Lakshmi Narayan Temple, Durga Tirath and Sitla Mandir. The original temple was built in 16th century and was rebuilt by Guru Harsai Mal Kapoor in the architectural style of the Sikh Golden Temple in 1921 CE. The newly built temple was inaugurated by Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya. The temple is also called the Silver Temple due to its carved silver doors.

The temple stands on middle of the sacred lake known as Durgiana and a bridge connects easily to the temple. The dome of the temple is gilded and marble is extensively used in the temple's features. Its dome and canopies are similar to that of the Golden temple of Amritsar. There is a huge collection of Hindu scriptures .....

At a distance of 1.5 km from Amritsar Junction and 2 km from Harmandir Sahib, Gobindgarh Fort is a historical fort located in the city of Amritsar, Punjab. Initially known as 'Bhangian Da Qila', Gobindgarh Fort is one of the famous places to visit in Amritsar.

Gobindgarh Fort was built by the army of Gujjar Singh Bhangi of Sikh Misls in 1760 CE. This fort was reconstructed by Maharaja Ranjit Singh between 1805 and 1809 CE. The British authorities occupied it in 1849 CE and it was in the army's possession for nearly 150 years. The Darbar Hall, Hawa Mahal and the Phansi Ghar were added to the fort during British rule only. After the Indian Independence, Indian army took control over the fort and was used to provide temporary shelter to a large number of refugees from Pakistan during India-Pakistan partition.

Gobindgarh Fort was constructed with brick and lime on a square pattern with a parameter of 1500 square meter with two strong gates, four large bastions and well-defined .....