Amritsar – a city of Amrit Sarovar, a Holy city of Golden Temple is mostly preferred by tourists from around the world because of the plethora of attractions that the city offers. Being well connected to all the major cities of India via rail, air, and road, Amritsar can be visited round the year with October – December being the best time of travel to this city. Developed and maintained as a Heritage city, the place offers various sites to its guests, some being world-famous but some considered as offbeat places, basically, those that do not conform to social norms. The listing below is of such places that can actually inform much about the land in their peculiar way.
1. Khalsa College
An excellent academic institutes that foster higher education, the college is also a glimpse of our rich Heritage preserved in the best of ways. Built as an educational institute during the British Raj, its motive was to provide higher education to Sikhs and Punjabis within Punjab. People of Amritsar, Lahore and other cities of Punjab including rich Sikh families and Maharajas donated land and raised funds to build Khalsa College first in Amritsar and then second building in Lahore. The architectural design was created by Ram Singh, a famous architect who also designed one of the Places in England. Its architectural features are a mix of British, Mughal and Sikh architect.
A multi-faculty Post-graduate Co-educational College, runs degree courses at Graduate, Post-graduate and Research Degree level. Academically affiliated by Guru Nanak Dev University, the building of the college is adjoining the University Campus. With a strive to become one of the profound institutes, it offers plenty of courses for its students. From Agriculture to Chemistry, Bio-technology to Computer science, Economics to Fine Arts it has all under one roof and with the best of faculties.
On a broader aspect, the Institute has generated many famous freedom fighters, political leaders, armed forces generals, scientists, famous players-Olympians, actors, writers, journalists and scholars who have earned a name for themselves and bought various laurels to this Institute by bringing it alive and recognized on World Forum.
Be a part of our tour and explore the place with our tour leaders the next time you will be in Amritsar.
2. Khair-ud-Din Mosque
Built-in the year 1876 by Muhammad Khairuddin, the mosque holds great historic significance in India’s freedom struggle. It was from this mosque that Tootie-e-Hind, Shah Attaullah Bukhari, called upon the people for the first time to wage war against the British rulers.
Situated near Gandhi Gate in the Hall Bazar of Amritsar, also a part of our Heritage Bicycle Tour, the mosque bears the characteristic of unparalleled architectural elegance. Being one of the most revered religious centers in Amritsar for Muslims, it is also believed and remarked as a center of courage and patriotism with the love of one’s own country. During the time of Namaaz, the large courtyard of this mosque is crowded with hundreds of men who want to pray to Allah. The strategic position of this imposing mosque makes it a recommended tourist spot.
3. Partition Museum
Organized in chronological order of events that took place during India’s partition, it is a museum that depicts the gestures, emotions, and the plight of people during that phase. People were forced to migrate from one place to another. Being the largest mass migration in history, apart from losing their wealth and homes, many lost their families and separated from them. So the World’s first memorial in remembrance of all those families was constructed at Town Hall in Amritsar and is open for public viewing. Since then, it continues to build its collections and archives and welcomes support in its continued quest to document and remember the history of the millions impacted at the time of the Partition. Take our guided tour to explore the place further.
4. Harike Wetland
Also known as Hari-Ke-Pattan, the place with the Harike Lake in the deeper part of it is the largest wetland in northern India in the border of Tarn Taran-Ferozepur district in Punjab. The place has a recognition because of the rich biodiversity that plays a vital role in maintaining the precious hydrological balance with its vast concentration of migratory fauna of waterfowls including a number of globally threatened species which are stated to be next only to the Keoladeo National Park near Bharatpur. Due to its vast species of bird, this wetland has been declared as the bird sanctuary in 1982 and named as Harike Pattan Bird Sanctuary.
Harike also noted for being the village in Tarn Taran District where Guru Angad Dev Ji the second Sikh Guru was born, has a beautiful Gurudwara Nanaksar with its colorful gardens located on the banks of wetland. It is believed that the gurdwara is made in the memory of Baba Ishar Singh of Nanaksar, whose body was immersed in the Harike Lake. So the place has a religious aura and is visited by many pilgrims.
5. Pul Kanjari – Pul Moran: Punjab’s Taj Mahal
Yes, You read it Right.! Punjab has its own Taj Mahal in the form of Pul Kanjari, now named as Pul Moran that narrates an eternal Love story of a Royal – Maharaja Ranjit Singh, and a commoner – Moran, a Muslim nautch dancer. The legend has it that Maharaja Ranjit Singh used to travel often between Amritsar and Lahore when his empire was at its zenith. The place was often used as a rest-and recreation spot by the King which is 40 km from Amritsar and is near to Indo-Pak Border, popularly called Wagah Border. A concubine was called especially for his entertainment. Moran was a young Muslim dancer living in a nearby village. She was Maharaja’s favorite. On one of her visits, she lost one of her shoes which was made of silver and was gifted by Maharaja, in the flowing canal. She refused to perform that night until her shoe was retrieved. This is when the ‘Pul’ was constructed to avoid such an incident to happen again.
Since the construction was done primarily to give a travel comfort to Moran, it was named Pul Kanjari, – Kanjari being synonymous with the dancers of ancient times. Later on, Historians argued that the name ‘Pul Kanjari’ is derogatory as Moran was not a concubine and was later married to the king, which technically made her the queen. So the name was changed to “Pul Moran”. One of the amazing sites to behold and traveled during the tour to the city and be amazed at us during our Wagah Border Tour.
These places are easy to reach and identified. Some of the sites that tell more about Punjab’s glorious past, stories that could be taken back as the memories of the state.
If on a short tour to the city, you may cover or cross some of the selective places from above.