Punjab is among the most prosperous state in India. Ranging from industry to agriculture, in all fields they are ahead then any state in India. This name originated because its land is blessed with five rivers namely: the Beas, Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi and Sutlej. In terms of food nobody can beat Punjab. Ranging from different mouth watering cuisines to milk made lassi, all are available here. Sikh culture is predominant and Sikh holy place called as ‘Golden temple’ is situated in Amritsar. There are several places like Amritsar Attari etc. that are travelled by many people every year. On the other side the rural part of Punjab is also a nice place to roam around as you will get to see and know, what actually Punjab is famous for? Let see some of the best places that are present in Punjab.
Top Tourist Places to Visit in Punjab (A brief data on top places)
Chandigarh
Chandigarh is the common capital of both Haryana and Punjab, and a Union territory also. It is among the most planned cities in India and Le Corbusier’s designed this beautiful city. With city divided into proper sections and proper roads, it makes journey in this city much more favorable. In terms of natural beauty this is not very far from any other leading city. A blend of two different cultures namely Haryana and Punjab can be easily seen. Capital Complex, Nek Chand Fantasy Rock Garden, Sukhna Lake are some of the star attractions of Chandigarh. This city can be visited in any month of the year and in winter climate conditions are very favorable.
It is among the holiest place to visit in Punjab. Guru Tegh Bahadur founded it in the year 1664 and his son, Guru Gobind Singh explored it after his father was killed by Aurangzeb. Kesgarh Sahib is the largest Gurdwara and you can see a collection weapons that was used by Khalsa to fight against enemies. You can have meals in the Gurdwara and little donations are always appreciated.
Sirhind
This small town has lots of things to offer like Aam Khas Bagh which is a Mughal-era walled garden. One Gurdwara named as Gurdwara Fatehgarh Sahib is very famous and it is said that the younger sons of Guru Gobind Singh were Entombed alive here by the Mughal.
Kite flying is very famous in this part of Punjab and during the season of festival Basant, a large number of people try their hands on kites. Another structure known as Moti Bagh Palace is a nice place to see ancient weapons, musical instruments etc. There are a couple of good hotels present in Patiala and their rates are also affordable.
Ludhiana
In India most of the companies of Textile are present in Ludhiana. It is an important industrial and commercial hub of Punjab. The Kila Raipur Sports festival is organized every year and crowd in large number turn towards this place to see this event. Jalandhar is not very far from here and it is also among the famous commercial hub of Punjab. Faridkot fort is located near to this and it was once the capital of Sikh Kingdom. Clothes are very cheap at this place and this is the reason why people do so much of shopping from markets.
Amritsar
Fourth Guru of Sikh Ram das founded Amritsar in 1577 and every year pilgrims lakhs in numbers come to this holy city of Sikh religion. There are a bunch of other places that you can visit in Amritsar like Golden temple, Jallianwala Bagh etc. Golden temple is situated in the old part of Amritsar. Anyone can visits golden temple and can pay his or her prayers to gurus. As the name suggests Golden temple is made of gold but not entirely. Only the dome of this temple is made of gold and the rest is made of marble. You can have food here which is made by the visitors coming to this temple. Anyone can help in making this food. Jallianwala Bagh is an historic place and a lot of people died when British forces opened open fire on people came for gathering in 1919. There are other places like Maharaja Ranjit Singh Panorama, Mata Temple and Sri Durgiana Temple which are there in Amritsar.
India–Pakistan Border at Attari–Wagah
Although there is nothing like monuments, a religious site etc. at this place, but the border between Indian and Pakistan is the only reason to come here and this is the prime reason for attraction among the people. You have to arrange transportation to this venue by yourself. The most interesting part is in the evening when soldiers of both sides lower their flags. This ceremony is for around 30 minutes and it can be seen every day. At night gates of both countries are closed and the next day same ceremony is done.
Pathankot
If you are planning to go beyond Punjab towards the Jammu and Kashmir or Himachal Pradesh, then this step is your final point in Punjab. Lots people come here to refresh so as to prepare themselves for the upcoming journey. Lots of hotels, guest houses, shops etc. are scattered all around. You can see mountains starting from this place itself.
Tips for Journey
The local language is totally different from national language and it can be an issue if you are travelling through local transportation. Hot and Humid climate is the only factor that daunts people to visit Punjab in the month of May and June. Beware of touts and avoid falling into traps of cheap deals. As there are so many temples, career change money as much as possible to donate. All types of transportation are available in this state and being prosperous, this state enjoys great transportation facilities. If you are planning to roam whole state, then go for deluxe mode of transportation as it will ease your stress. Winters are also harsh in this state, so keep yourself prepared for that. In summers try to wear clothes that are loose and comfortable to wear, as hot and humid conditions can be unbearable. Generally hotels are cheaper here and prices remain almost stable throughout the year.