Amritsar: A Journey Beyond Borders and Cuisine
Exploration of Amritsar’s historic landmarks, unique architecture, delectable food.
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Last weekend (1-3rd December) I went to Amritsar with a few friends. This will be my attempt to summarise the trip.
The Train
Before October 2023, I hadn’t taken a train for approximately 5 years. Now, I’ve embarked on 4 train journeys in just 3 months. Our train departed from New Delhi (NDLS). The bustling crowd at the New Delhi Railway Station reminded me of Howrah Railway Station (HWH), the largest railway station in the country, which is conveniently located approximately 3kms from my residence.
The City
We reached Amritsar around 10:45 PM. Unlike bustling cities that never sleep, Amritsar was mostly quiet at this hour. Except for a part of the city, most shops were closed and there were hardly any people on the roads as we made our way to our Airbnb.
The area around the Golden Temple might be the most lively part of the city. It’s crowded throughout the day, but the vibe changes in the evening when it lights up, creating a different atmosphere.
Another interesting aspect of Amritsar is its architecture. Every shop in the area has a uniform deep brown/maroon facade, making them look identical, except for their banners. For instance, even McDonald’s conformed to this template.
The Places
Amritsar, a city rich in history and culture, offers four main attractions for tourists.
The most prominent attraction is the Golden Temple. This pristine and well-maintained temple is a testament to the tireless efforts of numerous volunteers and committee members who work diligently to uphold its decorum and cleanliness. Over two days, we spent approximately 4-5 hours there. The serene reflection of the temple in the “holy river” was quite captivating.
On an average day, nearly 50,000-60,000 people partake in the langar (community kitchen) at the temple. We too had our brunch there.
Another notable attraction is the Attari-Wagah border, which India shares with Pakistan. A daily ceremony conducted by the armed forces from both sides is a major draw. While the sunset at the border was beautiful, my experience was somewhat marred by two inebriated men in their mid-40s who frequently obstructed my view and shouted slogans.
The places that left a profound impact on me were the Jalianwalabagh Memorial and the Partition Museum. As a grandchild of a migrant from East Pakistan (now Bangladesh), I grew up listening to stories of the partition. These stories shaped my identity and even influenced my football loyalty. Visiting these places was a unique experience, a chilling reminder of the horrors of the past. Interestingly, Bengali was one of the languages used in the Partition Museum of Punjab, perhaps an acknowledgment of the significant impact the partition had on Bengalis and Punjabis.
Writing about Jalianwalabagh is challenging as it’s difficult to capture the depth of my emotions. I found myself teary-eyed for a moment. My experiences in Amritsar gave me a firsthand experience of both patriotism, felt at Jalianwalabagh, and jingoism, encountered through the drunken men at the Wagah border.
The Food
Amritsar is renowned for its Kulcha (or Kulche) and Lassi. Despite being a hardcore non-vegetarian, I was pleasantly surprised by the exceptional vegetarian food during the trip. We savored Kulche from two popular places: Bharawan da Dhaba and Brother’s Dhaba. Interestingly, Brother’s Dhaba, an offshoot of Bharawan’s Dhaba, offered slightly superior food quality, especially their “Chole” (Chickpea curry).
The Lassi was decent, although I would still rate the Varanasi Lassi from my hometown higher.
The Host (& some reflection)
Our Airbnb hosts were a warm and genuine elderly couple who offered us tea on several occasions. However, their loneliness was palpable. With a son and a daughter living in different cities (and countries), they seemed all alone in their large bungalow. This made us reflect on our own parents, wondering if they might face a similar situation in the near future. All four of us, in our late 20s, live away from our parents.
They had left a very poignant review on Airbnb about us:
The Peers
I’ve been meaning to write about the quality of my peers for a while now. This trip reinforced my belief that the quality of people I interact with has significantly improved post-college. I didn’t know two of the four people on the trip, but we instantly clicked. This was a stark contrast to a recent interaction with an old college mate, which was somewhat strained. More about this later, in a separate blog post.
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