Amritsar-A mesimerising visit to the Golden Temple

This post is mainly  about my experience of visiting Delhi and Amritsar on a short trip specially the incredible Golden temple

Delhi which is the capital of India is historically a rich city having very strong connection with history. From tourism and sightseeing point of view, it has monuments, heritage sites, art museums. Gardens and few templesAmritsar is the spirutal centre of Sikhism and it houses the famous and most important shrine of the Sikhs-The golden temple

We had to attend a wedding of one of our close relative's son in Delhi.So we decided to make use of this opportunity an decided to pay a visit to Amritsar.I had always wanted to visit the golden Temple and this was the best opportunity

We left Mumbai on 23rd October 2014 by Rajdhani and reached New Delhi on 24th.The wedding functions were scheduled for 25th and 26th.Initially we were staying in a place called Tikri.Being born and brought up in Delhi I had seen most parts of Delhi.But my husband had visited Delhi only on official work and hence wanted to see at least some good spots.So we decided to shift to AjmalKhan Road in Karol bag area from where it would be easy for us to go sightseeing.We checked into a hotel called Swaran Palace at Ajmal Khan Road. As the function on 25th was scheduled only for the evening, we decided to take pvt taxi and spend some 4 to 5 hours seeing Delhi.The first spot we went to was India Gate. India Gate (originally called the All India War Memorial), the icon of Delhi. India gate which stands at the eastern end of Rajpat, is a memorial to more than 80,000 soldiers of the u Indian Army who died in the period 1914–21 during the First World War. It is also a monument for soldiers of the Third Anglo-Afghan War. Many of the names of Indian and British soldiers who died in the afghan war are also inscribed in India gate.

This stupendous monument has been designed by Edwin Lutyens, the chief architect of New Delhi.

Luteyns was a well known English architect who was known for imaginatively adapting and blending the traditional architectural styles to the requirements of his era.He played a major role in designing and building Delhi.

Another memorial, Amar Jawan Jyoti(flame of the immortal) was added much later, after India got its independence. Here the eternal flame burns day and night under the arch to remind the nation of soldiers who laid down their lives in the Indo-Pakistan War of December 1971. 

India Gate

  

The India Gate is surrounded by a vast expanse of lush green lawn complete with fountains and amusement area for children. It is a perfect picnic spot.Those days in the seventies when I use to be staying in Delhi we would come here sometimes just to spend and evening.There used to be much less crowd and we used to really enjoy the beautiful ambiance at the time of sunset

From here we proceeded to the humayun's tomb. Tomb of Humayun is a mausoleum constructed in 1569-1572 for the second Mughal Emperor Humayun. This grand tomb structure was commissioned by Humayun’s first wife Bega Begum.

UNESCO currently designates the tomb as a World Heritage Site.

The tomb is a complex, comprising of several buildings. There are several tombs, mosques, a large garden. The architecture of this tomb is a mixture of Persian and Rajasthani craftsmanship .adding to the beauty are the delicate lattice work windows from where you can catch a glimpse of the tomb

You cannot miss noticing the similarity between this and the Taj Mahal. In fact this server as a inspiration and design for Taj mahal

The Arab Sarai gate

west gate entrance

inside the tomb

we now made our way to the Rashtrapathi Bhavan and the parliament house to have a view of it from the outside .The view from outside itself was so majestic that you can actually know the sheer grandeur of the inside of the buildings

Visting Rashtrapathi Bhavan and the Vijay chowk area transported me to the period when my dad used to take  me regularly to see the Beating the Retreat Ceremony .The Beating the Retreat Ceremony which is held on 29th January every year in Vijay Chowk officially marks the finale of the Republic day celebrations. It is a moving ceremony and performed by the bands of the three wings of the military, the Indian Army, Indian Navy and Indian Air Force

The ceremony starts with selected units of the armed forces performing lively executions. Several military bands, pipes and drums bands from regimental centres and battalions enthrall the crowd
After all the performances the hymn ‘Abide with me' is played by the  Bands.
Finally the buglers sound the retreat and the National Flag is lowered to the National Anthem bringing the Republic Day celebrations to a formal end. The ceremony ends with the lighting up of thousands of bulbs at the Rashtrapati Bhavan and adjoining buildings. the whole sight used to be so amazing .
Also as my dad was a top official in government service we used to get very good seats .So that really added to the beauty and the excitement.

south block Rashtrapathi Bhavan

carrying those lovely memories we made our way from Rashtrapathi Bhavan.

As we had paucity of time and I was very keen to show my school,my alma mater to my husband,we proceeded to Mandir marg where my school is located.As this is located very close to the famous Birla temple we decided to make a pit stop at Birla mandir.

Spread over seven acres of land,Shri Lakshmi Narain Temple ,popularly knows as Birla Mandir is s world in itself .It houses photo studio,a dispensary, a dharamshala etc. This temple was inaugurated by Mahatma Gandhi in the year 1939 .

As prayer/darshan time was over we could not get the glimpse of the main deity and had to be happy just seeing around.i have lot of memories associated with this temple.

I used to be staying close to Birla Mandir and my shool was also very close to this temple.So I used to visit this temple very often. I have childhood memories of playing in the garden behind the temple,running through those small caves, jumping on those stepping stones in the small canals.
It used to be real fun and those days there was absolutely no fear

Birla mandir

From the temple we made way to my school Delhi Tamil Education Association (DTEA Mandir Marg) This was earlier called as madrasi Tamil Education Association (MEA Reading  Road).....nostalgic memories indeed
The roller coaster ride of emotions that I encountered when I visited my old school is something that cannot be put in words. It took me on a The walk down the memory bringing back innumerable emotions, Though lot of things had changed in the last 40 years, the memories that this building gave me were intact. I could vividly remember the corridors where we used to play,crack jokes, had those small fights etc .
I could visualize my friends on the school bench. I could visualize my teachers teaching us, shouting at us.

My school

After a half day productive tour we were back in the hotel 

27th October 2014

After all the wedding ceremonies were over we left for Amritsar early morning by shatabdi .It was a very comfortable and clean train and the journey was really pleasant. The train passed through Ludhiyaya,phagawra,Jalandhar among other stations. Reached Amritsar at 1.40 p.m. had already booked our hotel and a pvt vehicle for sightseeing. Our driver Mr jasbir singh was waiting for us and drove us straight to M K International where we had booked our stay

The hotel was good and located in a very central place.it had a good ambiance and was very clean.

After freshening up went to the hotel’s restaurant for lunch. The food was not at all satisfactory and was exorbitantly priced. This was really surprising because Amritsar is well known for its food

We called for the driver and went to see Golden Temple. The beauty of the temple is so mesmerizing that it will surely leave you amazed. Inspite of so many visitors thronging the temple, it has a calm serene touch to it.You can spend hours and hours just admiring the beauty. One thing that I loved an found it truly inspiring about the temple is that number of volunteers who help and keep the temple spick and span. 

The Lovely Golden Temple

You will find volunteers just about everywhere be it maintaining the shoes of the pilgrims, cleaning the pool, offering water at many spots, cooking the food or feeding the pilgrims

Volunteer Cleaning the lake

Golden temple or Sri Harmandir Sahib is the most important pilgrimage site for Sikhs in India. The temple has two levels. The dome of the temple is covered with gold foil this stunning temple stands on a marble platform and sits inside a pool called Amrit sarovar (the pool of nectar)and this makes it look like a floating temple. 

The pool is surrounded by a marble walkway. The pool is supposed to be very sacred and a dip in the pool is believed to be a cure for all ailments

The walk way around the temple

The original Golden Temple had many trees in its complex. It was later destroyed several times and only three trees stand in the courtyard now.

A huge Guru Ram Das Langar or the community kitchen is located inside the complex. Vegetarian Food is served every day to all visitors

The community Kitchen

Cooking area

On the top floor of the clock tower entrance, the Sikh history museum is located. This museum has ancient paintings of Gurus, swords, combs, and many more 

The temple is open to all religion This is why it has four entrances in the North, East, South and West, to demonstrate that people from all four corners of the earth are welcome here. It is said that more than one lakh devotees visit this shrine every day. Inside the temple you can see the constant stream of monetary donations flowing and an attendant continuously scoops them to the side.

The warmth and the hospitality that you feel is truly overwhelming

You can spend hours and hours just gazing over the water at the Golden Temple as it is a perfect spot for prayer, and meditation. This temple is sure to leave a lasting impression on your heart and unforgettable memories.

clock tower

Entrance to main shrine

After this we went to see Durgiyani temple which looked very similar to golden temple.

durgiyani temple

Amritsar, I felt is a place which has made use of its heritage in a commercially beneficial way. Local people have truly embraced tourism in a big way and at the same time they have kept their local ways of living very intact. They have enormous number of hotels lodges, dormitories, special dormitories for foreign nationals, free guided tours etc which makes it very easy for tourists.

What made the trip memorable was the warmth and friendliness that the people demonstrate.

28th October 2014

After breakfast we headed to jalian wala bagh.Jallianwala Bagh is a public garden that houses a memorial of national importance. It was established in 1951 to commemorate the murder of peaceful celebrators on the occasion of the Punjabi New Year on April 13, 1919 in the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre. 

It was Sunday, 13th April 1919, when 50 British Indian Army soldiers commanded by Brigadier-General Dyer, began shooting without any warning and at the crowd which had gathered to celebrate baishaki the largest religious occasion of the Sikhs and to hold a peaceful protest. In the crowd, there were men, women, and children.

To escape from the shooting many people jumped into the well which is  named as martyr’s well.

About a short distance from the entrance is the flame of peace. There is a museum to the west of the entrance that depicts the jallianwala bagh massacre and the horrific story. In the centre east of the garden you can see the walls ridden with bullet marks.

The gardens are somber and it also pays homage to national hero Udnam Singh, who avenged the murder of thee innocent people by assassinating Dyer in Caxton Hall London. 

The place actually brings tears to our eyes.

When I was standing at this place, all the history pages suddenly come alive in front of me. From my childhood, I have  heard and  read so many things about this place and when I visited this place here I could actually imagine and visualise people running for their lives, jumping into the well  to save themselves  from the tragedy which witnessed one of the bloodiest massacres during our Independence movement.Seeing the place I truly felt so very broken and sad for the innocent lives lost 

bullet marks

Martyr's well

picture depicting the masacre

From jalian wala bagh we proceeded to see the Lal Mandir.

Lal mandir is a hindu temple dedicated to a 20th century female saint Mata Lal Devi
It is built in the line of Vaishnodevi temple.The temple houses many statues of gods and goddesses with the sacred seat of Mata lal Devi Ji in the center. Infact you can find statues of almost all gods here and replicas of many famous temples.The temple resplendent with water ways, tunnels, and caves. Colorful mirrors adorn the interiors of the temple

We then came back to the hotel to rest a while and then leave for wagah Border to see the much talked about ceremony

We had booked a VIP pass through a friend for this wagah border ceremony

At about 2.30 we left for wagah Border (the border demarcating India and Pakistan in the Punjab state), where every evening Indian Border Security Force(BSF) from India and Pakistan Rangers from Pakistan hold a joint flag down ceremony.

It is a 1km walk from the drop off point to the ceremony. The rush was maddening; to say the least and we joined a hugely over-excited crowd of thousands. The crowd included elderly people, foreign nationals, and people with infants

Soldiers partaking in the ceremony – the Border Security Force (BSF) – had a red head gear, spreading out like a peacock’s feathers. It was a really unique ceremonial uniform.

Suddenly loud music started to play and we could see many ladies dancing .Then the ceremony began and soldiers marching, thrusting their legs upwards and moving aggressively. They marched by often kicking their legs high up as a way of displaying strength.

It was a wonderful patriotic experience and the BSF does a commendable job in organizing such an event on a day to day basis

After the ceremony is over and the flags are brought down people started to disburse. We had a long walk till the other end.

Bringing down the flag

While returning we could see people put up small stalls where they were selling bedsheets,rajais etc at a very reasonable price. We picked up a few as we found the quality very good

We were back at the hotel well in time and hence decided to pay one more visit to the golden temple. We had heard that the temple looks more amazing at night as it is illuminated. Rightfully so.The temple was looking truly fabulous. We spent some time just sitting on the marble walk path. The serenity and the beauty of the Golden Temple is mesmerizing to say the least

Temple by the night

 Having come to Amritsar how can one go away without eating their typical Amritsari kulcha

Amritsar which is the home to the iconic Golden Temple is also home to the best food

We went to a small dabba near the temple .Though it dint have any fancy sit down the service was impeccable. We ordered for amritsari kulcha .The kulchas came soaked in ghee and was served with chana masala .sliced onions and tamarind chutney

Spending a day in Amritsar, you just can’t imagine going without one glass of lassi which is a gastronomic pleasure.

29th October

Our ticket to Mumbai was booked for the 30th evening form Delhi, we had one free day.

So decided to visit Chandigarh.Booked train tickets and also booked our stay in G K international and also arranged for a vehicle for sight seeing

Early morning after finishing our breakfast we left for Amritsar station to take the train to Chandigarh. Reached Chandigarh in the afternoon. Our driver was waiting at the station.

While driving to the hotel I could really make out that there was no doubt that Chandigarh is the most planned city in India. It provides lot of open space in between the concrete buildings and you can see many parks and greenery

After checking into the hotel and freshening up, we left for sightseeing. Our first stop was Rose garden

Spread over 30 acres having amazing variety roses and many varieties of other medical plants and trees. It’s also known by Zakir Hussain Rose Garden. It was created in 1967 under the guidance of Dr M S Randhwa the first chief commissioner. This garden has the distinction of being the largest in Asia. Unfortunately for us this was not the right season and hence we did not see many roses. .An annual rose festival is held during February and that is the right time to visit this park. But even without the roses in full bloom the garden was very lively there were benches and trails for peoples where we spent some time. There is also a Bougainvillea Garden, which looks pretty

rose garden

Next we went to the government museum. This museum has for sections Art Gallery, Natural History Museum, Chandigarh Architecture Museum and National Gallery of Portraits

The architecture museum displays original letters and correspondence between administrators and the architects who created Chandigarh’s blueprint. Original drawings and plans for the city are displayed along with photographs 

The art gallery has a stunning collection of gandharam scriptures.

Our next and final stop was rock garden which is a sculpture garden, a garden created by a government official Mr Nek Chand from industrial and home waste and throw away materials

This garden is made entirely of reclaimed, reused and recycled materials. You really get to see how so many waste items like broken tiles, bangles, tinted glasses bottles; bricks etc have been used to create such amazingly beautiful work of art visitors.

rock garden

Rock garden

Though the walk around the garden is pretty tiring, the whole experience of visiting the Rock Garden is extraordinary. By the time we finished seeing this it was pretty dark and we returned back to the hotel quite tired an exhausted

30th October- packed our bags and headed to Chandigarh station to take a train to Delhi and from there train to Mumbai