Visiting Amritsar

Amritsar the holiest place for the Sikhs and the home of the beautiful and divine golden temple. The golden plated gutrudwara glitters in the Indian sun while the mirror image is reflected in the delicate waves of the holy pool that surrounds the temple. This serene place offers tranquility of the place attracts lot of piligrims who spend praying in this temple to find themselves closer to God. The busy bustling bazaars of the city strike a chaotic contrast to the temple within. These streets are packed with boistrous, joyful sikhs who love to party. There are a wide variety of street food and street side shopping opportunities that the colourful delights they offer will dazzel you. Come to Amritsar for a true Indian experience.

The original site for this city is granted by Akbar. Then again another Mughal king sacked Amritsar and destroyed the temple, it was rebuilt and the roof was copper plated by Maharaja Ranjit Singh from then on it was named as the golden temple. The temple suffered another crisis when in 1980 during the term of Madame Indira Gandhi as the Prime Minister. The civil unrest that existed between the Hindus and Sikhs during that time made the Golden temple of Amritsar a hotbed for military action which soon esculated and soon blood was spilled on this holy site as militants hid themselves here.

Amritsar has also seen much bloodshed before the Independence of India. Jallianwala Bagh Massacre marks a bloody spot in Indian History and the cruelty of British rule in India. The Brigadier General Dyer arrived with 150 troops and without warning fired on the men, women and children that were present there to attend a peaceful public protest against the British rule. After this atrocity commited by the British General, Gandhiji responded with 'Non-Cooperation Movement'announcing 'cooperation in any shape or form with the satanic governament is sinful'. This was the spark that blazed the fire for freedom in the heart of millions of Indians.


For more information
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jallianwala_Bagh_massacre


Tourist Information
Tourist Office ph: 0183-2402452; Queen's Rd.

Places of Interest
Golden Temple - Hari Mandir Sahib; Amrit Sarovar; Sikh Museum; Akal Takhat; Baba Atal Tower; Guru-ka-Langar
Jallianwala Bagh
Maharaja Ranjit Singh Panorama (Ram Bagh)
Mata Temple
Sri Durgiana Temple
Ram Tirath Temple

India-Pakistan Border at Attari/Wagah
30 km from Amritsar is where the Border closing Ceremony takes place in the late afternoon. People come here to watch sharp looking guards briskly snap their feet and salute the flag. An patriotic feeling almost electric passes through all the viewers on either side as guards on both Indian and Pakistani side of the border perform a well rehersed routine of closing the border. Return taxis are available from Amritsar.


Where you can stay
The Golden Temple offers accomodation for free in Guru Arjun Dev Niwas. Foreigners are accomodated in Sri Guru Ram Das Niwas. Though rooms and dorms are basic with shared bathroom facilities.
Grand Hotel ph: 0183-2562424; www.hotelgrand.in
Hotel Le Golden ph: 0183-5028000; www.hotellegolden.com
Mrs Bhandari's Guest House ph: 0183-2228509
Hotel CJ International ph: 0183-2535900; www.cjhotel.net
Hotel Indus ph: 0183-2535900; www.hotelindus.com
Hotel Lawrence ph: 0183-2400105; www.lawrenceamritsar.com
Top End
Mohan International Hotel ph: 0183-2227801; www.mohaninternationalhotel.com
Hotel Grand Legacy ph: 0183-5069991; www.grandlegacy.net
MK Hotel ph: 0183-2504610; www.mkhotel.com
Hotel Ritz Plaza ph: 0183-2562836; www.ritzhotel.in


Where you can eat

Neelams (light eats) near Golden Temple
Punjabi Rasoi (Indian Continental Chinese veg) Golden Temple
Sagar Ratna (South Indian Veg) Queen's road 
Pizza Point (Pizzas and sandwiches) Phawara Chowk
Crystal Restaurent (Global favorites from lasagne to fish curry) Cooper Rd
Astoria Food Pavillion (veg & Non-veg)
Moti Mahal Delux (North Indian veg & Non-veg) Hotel Grand Legacy
Yellow Chilli (Veg Buffet) District Shopping Center
Barbeque Nation (veg & non-veg buffet)  MK Towers

Shopping

Katra Jaimal Singh Bazaars is for traditional wear like Salwar kameez and saris, while the city's more modern shops can be found along Lawrence and Mall roads.

Fabindia www.fabindia.com


Getting there and away

Amritsar services domestic and international flights.
Air India ph: 0183-2508122
Indian Airlines ph: 0183-2213392; 39A Court rd.
Jet Airways ph: 0183-2508003; Ranjit Ave;
Kingfisher Airlines ph: 080-39008888; airport
Singapore Airlines ph: 0183-2500330
Uzbekistan Airways ph: 0183-2507744

Apart from the train station, a less busy train reservation office is at the Golden Temple. Trains are available from Delhi, Amritsar, Lucknow, Varanasi and Howrah.
Buses leave for Delhi, Chandigarh, Jammu, Himachal Pradesh, Dharmashala, Shimla, Manali.

 

Visiting Pushkar?

Brahma dropped a lotus flower on the earth and Pushkar appeared. This is a Piligrimage town, with one of the world's few Brahma temple, the city curls around a sacred lake. The main attraction of this piligrim town are the temples and the Ghats.

Festivals & Events

In the month of Kartika during the full moon, is one of the holiest days observed by the Hindu piligrims who come to Pushkar to bath in the holy waters of the lake. Incence is burned, oil lamps were lit and set afloat on the holy waters, piligrims, tourists, mystics this place is filled with people from all over, making it one of the extraordinary and magical places to be in. As if that was not enough, this is the time of the year, Pushkar hosts the famous Camel Fair. Its a crowded, noisy, chaotic, tacky affair filled with musicians, tourists, traders, street performers, snake charmers, acrobats; and a mind boggling swirl of colors. Every year around 20,000 people converge here and bring their 50,000 or so animals from across different parts of Rajastan. Be here if you wish to experience the full extent of the chaos of Rajastan.

Sightseeing

Temples
Ghats

Where you can stay

Hotel White House ph: 0145-2772147
Bharatpur Palace ph: 0145-2772320
Hotel Navaratan Palace ph: 0145-2772981; www.pushkarnavaratanpalace.com
Pushkar Inn's Hotel ph: 0145-2772010
Green Park Resort ph: 0145-2773532; www.greenparkpushkar.in
Seventh Heaven ph: 0145-5105455; www.innseventhheaven.com
Hotel New Park ph: 0145-2772464; www.newparkpushkar.com
Hotel Goyal Inn ph: 0145-2773991; www.hotelgoyalinn.com
Pushkar Resorts ph: 0145-2772944; www.pushkarresorts.com
Jagat Palace Hotel ph: 0145-2772953 www.hotelpushkarpalace.com

During the Camel Fair, the RTDC and several private operators set up a sea of tents near the fair grounds. There are usuallyfilled up with tour groups. Its cold at night , so bring something warm; a torch (flashlight) is also useful. You need to book well ahead.
RTDC Tourist Village ph: 0145-2772074
other option for tents
Royal Desert Camp ph: 0145-2772957; www.hotelpushkarpalace.com
Royal Tents Ph: 0291-2571991; www.jodhpurheritage.com

Where you can eat

Sunset Cafe (breakfasts Indian and Italian) mains
Sun-n-Moon (italian) Bari Basti
Honey & Spice (breakfast and lunch) Laxmi Market
Raju Terrace Garden Restaurent (pizzas) Sardar Bazar
sixth sense () Hotel Seventh Heaven
Rainbow Restaurent (Continental) mains
Moon Dance (Indian and Italian) mains
Little Italy Panch Kund Marg

What you can do

Camel Treks : For a long relaxing camel rides and travelling to Jodhpur and Jaisalmer.
Reflexology by Dr NS Mathur ph: 0145-2622777
Music at Pushkar Music School ph: 0145-5121277
Yoga by Dr Kamel Pandey at Old Rangji Temple
Reiki by Master Roshi Hiralal Verma ph: 0145- 2773154
Shopping: Known for its silver trinklets, costume jewellery, glass lamps, embroidery and wall hangings. Textile handiwork comes from Barmer, this is a good place to buy some indo-westren wear.

Getting there and away

Regular buses are available from Ajmer.
Busses are also available from Agra, Bundi, Delhi, Jaipur, Jaisalmer, Jodpur, Udaipur.
Private cabs can also be rented.