Amritsar
About the city
The Holy city of the Sikhs
Amrisar, the holy city of the Sikhs, is the second largest town of Punjab and a premier tourist destination. The city has been famous for puissant Sikhs and has legends attached to it.Amritsar, the centre of the Sikh religion, was founded in 1577 by Guru Ram Das, the fourth of the ten Sikh gurus. The site was donated by Akbar and centered on a holy tank; amrita is the nectar of the gods, and as or sarovar is a tank or lake.
Amritsar, the ‘spiritual Capital of Punjab is one of the most important Sikh pilgrim centres in the country. It was founded in 1577, by Guru Ram Das and was later named as Amritsar, after the sacred pond-Amrit sarovar or the ‘Pool of Nectar'.
Demography
The 2001 India census reported the population of the city of Amritsar to be over 1,000,000 and that of the entire to just over 3,096,077.History
The history of Amritsar is really fascinating. The city has been famous for puissant Sikha and has legends attached to it. According to the legend, when the fourth Guru of the Sikhs, Guru Ram Das heard about the healing powers of the pool beside which the golden temple is locted, he ordered his son, Guru Arjan Dev to ertect a temple at the site. In 1588, the foundations of a city were laid which later on became an emblem of Sikh culture and history. The city came to be known as Ramdasour or Guru Ram Das dinagri. The temple compound was completed in 1601. Historians say that Mughal Emperor Akbar also donated the land close to the temple after paying of the local Jat famers. After the completion of the temple, Guru Granth Sahib, also called as the Adi Granth, the holy book of the Sikhs was installed in the temple. The temple became popular as Harmandir or the ‘Temple of God'.Legend has it that this was the place where, Luv and Kush, the twin sons of Lord Ram, got their education and were taught the Ramayana by the learned sage Valmiki.
Today Amritsar has evolved as a historical place and a religious hub of the Sikhs. A major part of the city's history revolves around the Golden Temple. Guru Ram Das is supposed to have selected the villages of Tung, Gumtala and Sutanwind to lay the foundation of a new village, which would be a centre for the congregation of Sikhs. Initially, a tank was dug that was completed by Guru Arjan Dev. On the orders of Guru Amar Das, Guru Ram Das then built the Guru ka Chak, today known as the Guru ka Mahal (guru's palace). Guru Arjan Dev then invited traders, artistes and craftsmen to settle down in at this place. The place came to be known as Ramdaspur at that time. Later when the Amrit Sarovar was completed, Ramdaspur was renamed Amritsar.
Amritsar, the Sikh holy city, is Punjab state's second largest town and a premier tourist destination. It was founded in 1577 by Ram Das, the fourth guru of the Sikhs. The name Amritsar meaning 'Pool of Nectar', is named after the sacred pool around which the Sikh's Golden Temple is built. During the turmoil of the Partition of India in 1948, Amritsar was a flash point for the terrible events that shook the Punjab. The city is an important regional market center for agricultural goods and the center for India's border security.
This was the dera of Guru Ram Dass. Today, it is a fast-growing town, complete with its fair share of cool cafés and hip hotels. But what hasn't changed is its soul. and the faith. Amritsar continues to be one of the most revered and visited destinations, not just for Sikhs, but for people across all regions and religions. It bears the scars of the assaults done on it, of the Jallianwala Bagh tragedy, Operation Bluestar and the wars or partition. and yet, the city has risen with unstoppable grit. You definitely won't miss the golden gleam of the dome at Harmandir Sahib, the stunning views from Gurudwara Baba Atal Rai and the activities at Wagah Border - all rendering Amritsar that, which makes it important. Walk the parikrama around the Golden Temple, be a part of the crowd that partakes daily langar and carry home with you the greatest gift of brotherhood and humanity.
Moving Around
Since Amritsar is such a popular pilgrimage spot, you could get around by local buses, auto-rickshaws and cycle rickshaws. If the weather is good you can hire a bicycle to explore the city.The Golden Temple and a Flavour of Punjab
Amritsar literally means the Pool of Nectar. One of the most ancient and fascinating cities of India, it is the seat of Sikh history and culture. Being the gateway for travellers coming to India on the overland route from Central Asia it soon became the centre of various commercial activities.Amritsar stands tall above any other city, its status elevated and sanctified by the presence of the venerable Golden Temple, founded by the fourth Guru of Sikhs, Guru Ramdas and completed by his successor Guru Arjan Dev. Located in the centre of Amritsar, the temple complex is surrounded by a maze of narrow lanes, or katras, that house one of the busiest markets in India. But the Golden Temple is a serene presence, radiating a calm that makes people bow their heads in reverence.
The Gurudwara, as Sikh temples are called, is the holiest of Sikh shrines. It is not just Sikhs who travel to the Golden Temple to pay homage, the sacred shrine is equally revered by Hindus and people of other faiths who, too, make the pilgrimage to offers prayers at Harmandir Sahib. Apart from this, another revered shrine is the Durgiana Temple, which is dedicated to Goddess Durga.
Simple and beautiful people, the mouth-watering and famed Amritsari fish and the aura of a holy land there is lots to look forward to.