Amritsar

State of: Punjab

Main languages: Punjabi, Haryanvi and Hindi

 

History:

 

Amritsar means the lake of the holy nectar. The city had been founded by Guru Ram Das, under instructions from Guru Amar Das, in the year 1574. The task of the famous Amritsar Sarovar began in 1577 by Guru Ram Das and was completed in 1581. The Sikh Gurus have been eminent participants in the history of this city. In 1634 the Mughal army attacked Guru Harigobind. From 1653 to 16898 the Mina family ruled Amritsar. Despite the several attempts by Mughals to take control of Amritsar they were never very successful. The 18th century made Amritsar witness many vicissitudes like the Sikhs. There were continuous destructions and desecrations. There were disputes within the 'misl' chiefs and bloodshed and terror spread in the city. Maharja Ranjit Sigh rose to power and ruled from 1780 to 1839. In 1846 the British established themselves in Lahore. Amritsar was frequently visited by them. The Jallianwala Bagh massacre left a black mark in the history of this city. After independence Amritsar became a part of Punjab. 

 

Culture:

 

Amritsar is dominated by the Sikhs and their scared shrines are found in every corner of the city. The highest temporal seat of the Sikhs, "The Harimandir Sahib" is located here and is popularly known as Golden Temple. Amritsar was also called the walled city due to narrow lanes and crowded areas. There is a peculiar planning system in this city where areas are known as Katras, which are also the defense of the city. The Sikh culture dominates the city but there are also traces of some Rajput architectures. Basant Panchami at Chheharta Sahib and Ram Tirath Fair are the popular fairs of the region. Apart from this millions visit the Golden Temple on important Sikh holidays and occasions. 

 

Geography and climate:

 

Amritsar is situated at 31.63° N 74.87° E and has an average elevation of 234 meters or 768 ft. The weather here is the typical northwester Indian type. Extreme temperatures range with cold winters and scorching summers. Best time to visit Amritsar is between October and March. 

 

Demography:

 

The census of 2007 records the population of Amritsar to be 1,547,695. Males 

 

Tourism:

 

There are various places to see in Amritsar, the Golden Temple and the Jallianwal Bagh being the most important. The Wagah border which is about an hour away from Amritsar is a must visit and the closing ceremony at the border should not be missed. The Durgiana Temple or the Lakshmi Narain Temple, Ram Bagh, Samadh of Shravan and Khoo Kalyanwala should not be missed. The food in Amritsar is just sumptuous and the famous Amritsari Kulche and Chole should be savored with a big glass of their famous Lassi. 

 

Economy:

 

The main commercial activities here are tourism, garments, carpets and fabrics, farm produce, handicrafts, service trades and light engineering. Food hubs are popular in the city. Due to its proximity to the Pakistani border, Amritsar could not be developed as an industrial center. 

 

Education:

 

There are popular schools and colleges in the city like the GNDU and Khalsa College along with other institutions for cultural studies. 

 

Transportation:

 

Amritsar is well connected through the Grand Trunk Road and is also connected to Pakistan through the same. It has extensive railway services to different parts of the country. The airport also has regular flights to most of the major cities in India along with international flights like Dubai, Singapore and Toronto.