Urban Exploring in Amritsar
The Best Of India
Although well outside of India’s famous Golden Triangle, Amritsar lays just a short overnight train ride from the capital, New Delhi. Known as one of the most culturally rich cities in all of India, many travelers will make their way to Punjab after checking the capital, Jaipur, and the Taj Mahal off of their itinerary. Unlike many of the other lawless streets in India, you will find that Amritsar has just enough chaos to keep it interesting while also having well-developed tourist districts made with wide pedestrian streets perfect for when you want a breather from swimming in the sea of people in the back alleys.
Throughout your journey in India you are bound to come across people known as the Sikhs. These deeply religious and kind-hearted people are easily distinguished with the men donning colorful turbans and growing out their beards to an extremely long length. Although they are well-known as warriors, Sikhs have a reputation for being honest and soft-spoken. While traveling through India, you will find Sikh people every so often, drinking tea in front of their store or navigating their way through a massive marketplace. But it is Amritsar that is the center of the Sikh religion, the place where devotees from throughout the world will make the pilgrimage to the sacred Golden Temple.
Want to read more about the Golden Triangle? You can read more about my experience here!
Religion and History
Along with the likes of Jerusalem, Mecca, and Varanasi, Amritsar is noted as being one of the holiest sites on the planet. Housing the Guru Granth Sahib, the most sacred book in Sikhism, Pilgrims and tourists alike travel from throughout the world to visit the Golden Temple. Surrounded by a large pool known as sarovar, the water encircling the glimmering gilded temple reflects all the beauty and colors of the complex. While arriving by plane is the most practical way to visit Amritsar, many pilgrims make the journey overland traveling on rickety buses from the Southern tip of India and as far as the United Kingdom.
Although being one of the most spiritual places on the planet, the soil of Amritsar has long soaked up the tears and blood of man. Countless invasions have laid waste to the city and even the temples. Even the now-iconic Golden Temple has been reduced to rubble several times throughout its existence. But the rather troubling history does no stop there. Monuments such as the Jallianwala Bagh Memorial remember the 379 people who were massacred by the British-Indian Army during a demonstration. Even when the British finally relented and gave the country independence, the state of Punjab was split in two. Half in India and the other half in Pakistan. The Partition Museum tells the story of many families having to leave their homelands and being torn from family and friends with these newly created borders.
You will not want to miss the Gold Temple in Amritsar, read more about visiting the temple here!
Other Temples in Amritsar
Nothing, of course, can compare to the energy generated from the Harmandir Sahib, otherwise known as the Golden Temple. But the prayers and colors of the pilgrims may begin to get too much or even overwhelming after a while and you will want to have a change of scenery. As you take to the streets and travel off of the beaten path in Amritsar, you will find that there are countless gurudwaras and temples sprinkled throughout the city. Many of which you will come across by accident. Places such as the Gurudwara Santokhsar Sahib can not compete with the energy of the neighboring Golden Temple, but after diving into the crowds of the markets you will suddenly find yourself in an urban oasis free of ruthless pedestrians and blaring horns.
If you are wanting to take a break from all of the Sikh gurudwaras for a while, you will find that there is still a traditional Hindu influence in the city. Out of the many Hindu temples in Amritsar, one of the most famous is the Durgiana Temple. Modeled after the nearby Golden Temple, this shrine dedicated to Goddess Durga also has a sacred pool. Although you may be tempted to search online for the best temples in Amritsar, the one way that will leave you with memories of Punjab that will last a lifetime is to lose yourself in the lawless winding streets and discover those hidden temples tucked deep away in the bowels of the city.
There are many temples to explore in Amritsar, check out Durgiana Temple here!
Off the Beaten Path Travel in Amritsar
The temptation to head straight to the Golden Temple will be too great from the very second you step off of the bus, train, or plane in Amritsar. After a full day of having out over the sacred pool and witnessing all the many colorful ceremonies of the Gurudwara, you will want to begin exploring what lays off the beaten path in Amritsar. Being the eye of the storm of the entire city of Amritsar, you only have to step one foot outside of the Harmandir Sahib to begin exploring the labyrinth of alleyways that snake through the town. You can easily become lost as you travel deeper down the rabbit hole, discovering crumbling temples and remnants of the colonial era.
As you probably well know, the most famous temples and gurudwaras in Amritsar barely scratch the surface of the holy sites hidden throughout the city. As long as you keep your eyes open, you will start to see how the towering pure white temples loom over the dark city streets and how the watchful stone eyes of gods and spiritual Sikh babas lurk from the shadows. Especially if you are a photographer, you will spend hours getting lost in the streets of Amritsar uncovering scenes not ofter noticed by your average traveler.
Looking for more to do in Punjab? Be sure to check out the border closing ceremony between India and Pakistan!
How to Get Lost in Amritsar
Everyone wants to wander the old city of Amritsar and get lost in its street, but for many they might not know where to start. With the Golden City as its center, the entire old city and bazaar of Amritsar are encircled by the wide ring road. Within these borders, you will find the roads, markets, and temples are practically built by random, adding to the chaotic beauty that is India. One of the best ways to truly take in the back streets of the city is to have a destination along the ring road and make your way there on foot. Even though you have an end destination, you can take your time exploring all the markets, temples, and hole-in-the-wall eateries (such as the famous Kesar da Dhaba) in the city.
Some of the best places to have at the end of the yellow brick road as you explore the deep recesses of Amritsar are the Durgiana Temple, Gobindgarh Fort, or the Gurudwara Bibeksar Sahib. To the unrefined eye, you may dismiss all the alleyways of India as being filthy, ill-lit, and dangerous. But for those who have spent some time traveling in South Asia, you will fall in love with all of the colorful handpainted signs, silk fabrics drying in the wind, and lively temples whose music and chimes will lure you from miles away.
Many people may not want to explore New Delhi. Why not look at traveling off the beaten path in Delhi here!
The People of Amritsar
No matter where you find yourself in the world, temples and monuments are just merely buildings. It is the people in a city that preserve the culture and traditions of a nation. To travel to Amritsar and focus only on the Golden Temple and the food would not be painting the entire story of the people of Punjab. It is not just the turbans, long bears, and colorful scarves that immerse you in all things Amritsari, but the conversations and experiences that happen only by chance as you wander off of the beaten track.
If you are a photographer, you probably well know that Indians typically like to have their picture taken. Typically people will not be offended when you find that perfect backdrop and are camping out for the perfect subject to walk by. Even as you make your way through the bazaar, men may ask you to step into their shop to drink tea and take pictures together. Only the women will sometime be skittish when they see your camera lens pointed in their direction. As a street photographer and a tourist it is important to remember you are a guest and to comply with anyone not wanting to be photographed while trying to capture the beauty of Amritsar.
Many people have seen the ceremony at Wagah, but why not experience the border ceremony in Kasur?
Capturing the Beauty of Amritsar
Like any place that you may travel to the people, scenery, and culture are woven tightly together. Take out one of these elements and you are only witnessing one portion of the entire story. Amritsar is no different. If you stick only to the Lonely Planet recommended destinations and tick off all of the sights as if you are just following a checklist, you will be left with a hollow impression of Amritsar. In order to properly explore any city, you will have to first stray off of the beaten path.
In India it is not too hand to begin urban exploring. Literally every inch of the old city is teeming with colors and life. Of course, some may find that the bazaars and endless crowds can be overwhelming, but if you are quick to adapt you will discover that no amount of time in Amritsar is enough. With small ceremonies happening every day throughout the city, you never know what you might discover behind the next corner.
