Travel-India

Punjab

The state of Punjab is located in northwest India. Spread over 50362 Sq Km of fertile land Punjab is proudly called the ‘Granary of India’.

The word ‘Punjab’ means ‘five waters’. The state has been so named as the land of Punjab is criss-crossed by the waters of five rivers – Beas, Ravi, Sutlej, Jhelum and Chenab.

Punjab is considered to have the best infra-structure in India that includes the various extensive transport links that connect the state to the other states and the intrastate towns with each other.

The state has been a proud winner of the best state performance award and has the lowest poverty rate in India.

Punjab has a long history! When Aryans had first come to the Indian subcontinent, it was here that they decided to settle. Known as the Panchal the entire region was till then inhabited by the Harappans.

As time progressed, the state saw many ups and downs and gave birth to many valiant warriors like Maharana Ranjit Singh and the brave Indian martyrs who sacrificed their lives during the struggle for freedom from British rule.

In the heart of the city of Amritsar is Jallianwala Bagh where a large no. of unarmed people mostly women and children were massacred by Gen Dyer in 1919 AD.

Around 29Km from Amritsar, echoing the biggest dent made by the British rule, in the form of the division of ‘Bharat’ into Hindustan and Pakistan, stands Wagah Border, the border gate between the two countries.

Many old historical monuments stand tall all around the state, as if narrating the history!

Punjab is the land of the great Sikh Gurus. Also, it happens to be a place where parts of Rig Veda and other ancient scriptures were composed.

Being land of such religious significance it comes as no surprise that the land is blessed with not just fertile land and lush green fields of crops, which have enough produce to feed major population of India, but also immense natural beauty reflecting an aura of fertility, happiness and bliss all around.

Natives of the state are known as ‘Punjabis’. The people of Punjab are outstandingly friendly & welcoming and exude warmth. They would happily go out of way to lend a helping hand to someone in need. Punjabis are filled with zeal and enthusiasm for life and they believe in living life king size!

 

Shrines and Places of Worship in Punjab

Being the land of the Gurus and having figured in ancient mythological stories, Punjab has a number of shrines and places of worship.

Of all the shrines, the most important tourist place in the state is the Golden Temple. Situated in Amritsar, the Golden Temple is home to Akal Takht, the supreme governing body of Sikhism and is considered to be the holiest of all the pilgrimages for the Sikhs.

Besides the Golden Temple, there are a number of Gurudwaras and famous Hindu temples like Ram Tirath and Durgiana Mandir in Amritsar, Kali Devi Temple in Patiala and Panch Mandir in Kapurthala.

 

Forts, Museums and Monuments in Punjab

Punjab has many places of interest to the tourists. The state is dotted with a number of forts and museums. The most important or popular ones are Gobindgarh Fort in Amritsar, Qila Mubarak and Bahadurgarh Fort in Patiala, Anandpur Sahib Fort, Bathinda Fort and Faridkot Fort.

Pieces from the history of the state have been put together and displayed in various museums around the state.

Few of the most famous museums are Maharana Ranjit singh Museum in Amritsar, Anglo-Sikh War Memorial in Ferozepur, Government Museum in Hoshiarpur and Sports Museum in Patiala.

Most important among other monuments of historical significance are Jallianwala Bagh, Samadhis of Shaheed Bhagat singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev at Ferozepur, Doonga caves near Pathankot and Mosque of Sufi Sheikh Farid in Faridkot.

 

Punjab Fast Facts

Language: Hindi, Punjabi and Urdu

Religions: Hinduism and Sikhism

Capital: Chandigarh 

Best time To Visit: October to March

 

 

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