Amritsar is a holy city in the state of Punjab. The meaning of the term Amritsar means 'Pool of Nectar'. Under the guidance of Guru Amar Das, the city was founded by Guru Ram Das in 1574. The main commercial activities include tourism, carpets, fabrics, farm produce, handicrafts, service trades and light engineering. The city is also known for its food and culture and is therefore, a paradise for food lovers.

Apart from this, Amritsar is famous for its religious and historical buildings. Many freedom struggles were fought here, which have resulted in the attainment of the bliss of independence for India. Furthermore, it bears great historical importance in terms of the great epic Ramayana. It is believed that Ram and Sita spent a major part of their 14 year exile in Amritsar. This makes the city a not to be missed destination with regard to travel and tourism.

Tourist Attractions

The main attraction in Amritsar is Golden Temple. It is one of the holiest shrines of Sikhs and houses the eleventh guru of Sikhs, the Guru Granth Sahib. It is informally known as the Golden Temple, while its official name is 'Harmandir Sahib'. The holy tank around the temple was excavated by the fourth guru of Sikhism, Guru Ram Das, while the construction work was initiated by the fifth guru, Guru Arjan Dev. The two storied Mandir, stands on a 67 square feet of marble. The upper half of the building was built with approximately 400 kg of gold leaf by Maharaja Ranjit Singh.

During the night, the Guru Granth Sahib is placed on the Akal Takht or the 'Eternal Throne'. Established by Guru Hargobind, the Takht houses the ancient weapons used by the Sikh warriors. Just a walk away from the Golden Temple leads to the Durgiana Temple. Built on the lines of the Golden Temple, it is located amidst the center of a tank. Though the temple is primarily dedicated to Goddess Durga, it is popularly known as the Lakshmi Narayan Temple and has the shrines of Goddess Lakshmi and Narayan.

Apart from religious structures, Amritsar contains a number of historical buildings as well. The memorial at Jallian Wala Bagh is a must visit site for all the Indians. It is at this place where approximately 2000 people, participating in a peaceful public meeting were killed and wounded, due to the shooting order by the British Gen. Michael O' Dyer on April13, 1919. This was one of the crucial incidents of India's freedom struggle.

The Martyr's Gallery at the spot narrates the hair raising callous tale of the incident. The memorial still preserves a section of wall with visible bullet marks along with the memorial well, in which many people jumped to death. Wagah Border is another must visit place in the city. It is the international border between India and Pakistan. The most intriguing sight here is the parade of the 'Beating the Retreat' ceremony and the 'Change of the Guard' ceremony. As the sun goes down in the evening, soldiers from both the sides march in perfect drill and bring down their respective national flags.

The rising nationalist fervor amongst the visitors and the thunderous applaud gushes an electrifying emotion within. Ram Bagh is a beautiful garden in the city. Built by Maharaja Ranjit Singh, it was named after Guru Ram Das, as a tribute. The Summer Palace of the Maharaja located in the garden premises has now been converted into a museum. It showcases weapons, portraits of ruling houses of Punjab and a replica of diamond "Kohinoor". Huge fortified gates can be still seen in the original form on the periphery of the garden. Ram Tirth or Valmiki Ashram is also located near Amritsar, where Mata Sita gave birth to Luv and Kush.

How to Reach
By Air: Amritsar is well connected to all the parts of the nation, via air. The Rajasansi International Airport situated at a distance of 11 km from the city, operates daily flights to different parts of the world.

By Rail: The Amritsar Railway Station is the main rail head of the city. There are regular trains to Delhi, Jammu, Mumbai, Nagpur, Calcutta and Puri from here.

By Road: Amritsar is connected to the neighboring North Indian states with the help of good roads and efficient bus service. It even operates bus service to Lahore, which is the only overland link between India and Pakistan.