“Road Trips aren’t measured by Mile Markers, But by Moments!”

When we reached to Amritsar by our car, at first sight, it seemed like an oversized version of Delhi’s Chandni Chowk to me.

The roads were narrow and crowded. The pavements are taken up by street vendors; the streets are full with rickshaws, cows, cars and people! We headed towards our hotel, Hyatt (Ista) Amritsar which was nestled in the heart of the city, just 10 minutes away from the Golden Temple.

Amritsar is the capital of Punjab. ‘Punjab’ literally means the land of 5 rivers- the Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Sutlej, and Beas. And, the word ‘Amritsar’ is derived from the name ‘Amrit Sarovar’, which means the pool of the holy nectar surrounding the Harmandir Sahib, popular as the Golden Temple. Golden Temple is also called so because the entire upper half of the temple is inlaid with copper covered over by gold plate (over 200 lbs of gold was used).

On the first day of our trip, we visited the holy ‘Golden Temple’ which is the main centre for the Sikh religion. We took a rickshaw from the parking gate as the lane leading to the entrance was very narrow. We were aware of the fact that visitors need to cover their head, so we were carrying our own scarves. On arrival, we submitted our shoes and socks and entered the temple grounds. The marble pavement was very hot against my bare feet. As I walked in, I was amazed by the beautiful mix of colors in the complex. I came across a community kitchen at the temple called Guru-ka-Langar, it was indeed the world’s largest eatery! .

On our way back, we went to Jallianwala Bagh, a memorial park that commemorates the British military's use of gunfire against peaceful protesters in 1919. Jallianwala Bagh stands as the witness of one the most tragic incidents of the Indian history. If you come to Amritsar, this place is a must visit.

On the next day of our trip, we went to visit the Wagah Border to see the flag raising and lowering ceremony. The ceremony was done with great pomp and show. The tall soldiers in massive turbans were high-stepping and slamming gates. The entire event created a patriotic fervour amongst us.

It started raining very heavily the next day, but we left for Delhi by our car on time. Our short road trip came to an end with some beautiful unforgettable memories!

Quick Facts:

Best Time to Visit: October - March

Shopping: Punjabi Jutis, Phulkari (traditional embroidery), lacquered woodwork, Warian etc.

Sight-Seeing: Akal Takth, Ram Tirth etc.

Places to eat: Bharavan the Dhaba, Kanha Sweets, Kesar da Dhaba etc.