Punjab
Punjab, the land of five rivers and integrated
cultural history,is a treasure trove for an
avid tourist.For this land of the great gurus
not only boasts of ancient monuments but throbs
with historical embodiments.It is no secret
that whoever comes to this land of yellow fields
with blue mountains providing the romantic and
picturesque backdrop has never gone back without
imbibing the essence of
Punjab.
There is no dearth of breathtaking palaces,for
Punjab was the seat of royality,as the imposing
Quila Mubarak will tell you. Museums galore
and so are the religious places with the Golden
Temple offering succour to the mind and soul
of any one visiting. If you are a wild life
freak, then Punjab can take you on a tour
of the sanctuaries,which are hot favourites
with migratory birds.Since this state borders
Pakistan,there are two main posts from which
you can peep into the land that was once an
integral part of Punjab and experience the
feelings of the people separated by a line.
The much truncated India's portion of present
Punjab is divided into three natural regions
:the Majha,the Doaba and the Malwa. Punjab,
the chief wheat producing area of the country,
is the overland entry point into India. The
state is also known for its production of
sports and hosiery goods. The holiest shrine
for the Sikhs is the Golden Temple in Amritsar,
so called because the dome is covered with
gold leaf.
Amritsar
Amritsar - the holy city of Sikhs, has grown
from a sacred village pond intoa spiritual
temporal centre of Sikh culture. The city
gets its name from thepool-Amritsar (Pool
of Nectar), which was constructed by the fourth
religiouspreceptor of the Sikh faith. It also
lies on the Asain Highway.
Temperature (°C):
Summer- Max. 34, Min. 15
Winter- Max. 18, Min. 0
Rainfall: 59.2 cms.
Clothing: Cotton in summer and Woollen in
Winter.
STD Code: 0183
How to get there
Air: Amritsar is connected by air with Delhi
and Shrinagar.
Rail: Amritsar is connected by rail with
Delhi, Calcutta, Bombay, Varanasi, Wagah (Attari
Border) and some other places in India.
Road: Amritsar is connected by bus with Ambala,
Chandigarh, Delhi, Ferozepur, Jammu etc. Some
of the road distances are as follows:- Jammu
216 kms, Ferozepur 160 kms, Chandigarh 235
kms, Delhi 435 kms and Wagah 29 kms.
Local Transport: Cycle Rickshaws, Taxis,
City buses.
What to see
Golden Temple, Akal Takht, Durgiana Temple,
Jallaianwala Bagh, Saragarhi Gurudwara, Tower
of Baba Atal, Academy of Fine Arts, Central
Museum & S.G.Thakur Singh Art Gallery.
Excursions
Gobindwal Sahib- 30 kms
Taran Taaran- 22 kms
Baba Bakala Gurudwara 45 kms
Ram Tirath- 10 kms
Preet Nagar- 20 kms
Amanat Khan Sarai and Hari-ke-Patten- 38
kms.
Information
Tourist Bureau, Government of Punjab, Palace
Hotel, Opposite Railway Station
Chandigarh
The city of Chandigarh lies in the valley
surrounded by Shiwalik Hills that hem the
great Himalayas. From here one can travel
northwards to the hill resorts of Shimla Kulu,
Manali, Dharmashala and Dalhousie. Chandigarh
is not only the most modern city in the country
but has been planned to perfection by the
world famous French architect le Corbusier.
Altitude: 304.8 to 365.78 metres.
Temperature (°C):
Summer- Max 37, Min 23
Winter- Max 24, Min 5.
Rainfall: 111.4 cms.
Best Season: October to March
How to get there
Air : Indian Airlines connect Chandigarh with
Delhi, Jammu, Shrinagar and Leh. Vayudoot
Services connect Chandigarh with Delhi, Kulu
and Gaggad.
Rail: Chandigarh, the terminus of Northern
Railway, is connected with Bombay, Delhi,
Kalka and other major cities in India.
Road: Chandigarh is connected by good motorable
roads with Amritsar 240 kms, Dehradhun 230
kms, Delhi 248 kms, Shimla 117 kms, Kulu 279
kms, Bhakra 116 kms, Kasauli 77 kms, Jammu
380 kms.
Bus Services: Regular bus services connect
Chandigarh with Amritsar, Delhi, Dharamshala,
Kulu, Manali, Nangal, Pathankot and Shimla.
Places of interest
The Secratariat, The Assembly & High Court,
Zakir Hussain Rose Garden (2 kms), Rock Garden,
Sukhna Lake, Govt. Museum & Art Gallery
& Punjab University Complex, International
Doll Museum, National Gallery of Portraits.
Excursions
Pinjore Gardens (25 kms)
Bhima Devi Temple (22 kms)
Chattbir Zoo (22 kms)
Mansa Mandir / Chandi Mandir (10 kms)
Bhakra Nangal (116 kms)
Ponta Sahib (135 kms)
Naina Devi (110 kms)
