Amritsar - Land of the Martyrs & Har Mandir Sahib

Amritsar is a much sought after tourist destination inpopularly known is a manifestation of the spiritual and
the state of Punjab in India.It is a colorful milieu ofhistorical traditions of the Sikh community.The tank
different cultures and philosophies.The place has a richsurrounding the gurudwara has been the source of
glorious past and is on the way towards a brighter andinspiration to the Sikh community.The golden temple
better future.has one door in each direction which symbolizes the
The history of the place can be traced right up to theopenness and the harmony of the religion.The doors of
Indus Valley Civilization.Numerous archaeological sitesthis temple are open to all irrespective of their caste,
have been discovered near Amritsar and other partscreed or religion.It is the most important holy shrine as it
of Punjab.It is also said that the area was home toalso houses the Adi Granth or the holy book of the
many saints and sages in the Vedic Period and thatSikhs which is a collection of thoughts and philosophies
RIshi Valmiki had his ashram here and that the sons ofof various Gurus and saints.
Lord Rama, Luv and Kush, were born here.Jallianwala Bagh Memorial: This is one of the most
The word Amritsar is composed of two words, Amritrevered and historical places in India and it is visited my
and Sar."Amrit" means Nectar and "Sar" meansnumerous tourists the whole year.This memorial is
Reservoir.Thus Amritsar literally means the Reservoirdedicated to the thousands of men, women and
of Nectar and it is believed that who so ever visits thechildren who were killed on April 13, 1919 after the
reservoir at the Har Mandir Sahib is ridden of all evils.British Indian Army fired indiscriminately at them.
Amritsar is the most important pilgrimage of peopleThis massacre is named after the Jallianwala Bagh
belonging to the Sikh faith.It is at this place where the(Garden) which took place on the orders of General
first Sikh army was raised by the sixth Guru, GuruDyer.A large number of people had gathered at the
Govind Singh Ji.It has always been a battle ground forgarden which has only a single exit and this was
invading armies, right from Ahmad Shah Abdali to theblocked by the soldiers.Till date, there are bullet marks
Mughal and later on it went on to become known foron the walls of the garden and the neighboring houses
the heinous massacre at Jallianwala Bagh.which have been preserved as a historical site.
This holy city is like a glowing diamond with manyThe casualties had reached in the thousands but the
facets to it.Its quintessential spirit not only resides in theofficial report states just a few hundred.This is one of
gurudwaras and temples, mosques and churches butthe most heinous crimes which has been done by the
also in the theatres and galleries and the various parksthen ruling British administration.A visit to this place is a
and gardens.The town has a rich cultural andmust see for a visitor to the city as it reflects the true
architectural heritage which is reflected in its vibrantspirit of the people of Punjab.
folk dances and the soul-soothing shabad-kirtan at theJagdev Kalan: This place is related to the noted Muslim
Har Mandir Sahib.poet, Hasham Shah who penned the famous novel,
There are many places worth visiting in the town.TheSassi-Punnu.It is also common ground for meetings and
place has visitors all the year round and hence, there isphilosophical ventures from both sides of the borders.
an abundance of both budget as well as luxuryDue to the presence of all these monuments, Amritsar
hotels.Some of the visitors are people who havehas become one of the most sought after tourist
settled abroad and come to the city for a visit to thedestination in the country.But the most important
Golden Temple.aspect of the place is its people and the warmth and
Some of the places which have both a historical andhospitality that they generate.This also gets reflected in
cultural significance can be listed as below:the hotels and eateries spread across the city which
Har Mandir Sahib (The Golden Temple): The Harprovides a good, comfortable place to stay and
Mandir Sahib or the Golden Temple as it is moredelicious food to go along with it.