“Do you know why Amritsar is regarded as the Golden city of India?”-I asked. “The holiest shrine of India-The Golden temple is situated here” they replied. “Well, the city is also the standing evidence of the golden history of the Indian soldiers” said our Punjabi friend.
#1. The Jallianwala Bagh: The historic garden is a 4 minute walk from golden temple. The garden is a memorial ground for all the lives lost due to massive shooting under the command of general O’Dyre without any warning beforehand.
The legend goes – A huge number of people went there to protest against the Rowlatt act. The park had one exit and high walls. When gunshots were fired, people failed to escape. A few hundred of them jump into a well to prevent getting shot at. Nearly 120 dead bodies were retracted from the well.
The deceased included people of all ages. Their names are still engraved on a memorial statue at the entrance of the Jallianwala Bagh and the golden temple. The bullet shots are still engraved on the walls.
Traveller’s advice: Every evening a 28 min light and sound show is held at 7 p.m. to honour the Indians “who never came out”.
#2. The Attari border (the Wagah border): “Ma tujhe salam”- is still at the top of my playlist ever since I visited the Attari aka the Wagah border. It never ceases to fill you with immense patriotism and pride for our India. It’s an army outpost between Amritsar of India and Lahore of Pakistan.
Common misconception: “Are Attari and Wagah same?” No it’s not. Attari is a village at the border of India, situated 30 km from Amritsar. Hence, the Indian name of the border is “Attari”. Wagah, on the contrary, is a village at Lahore in Pakistan. The Pakistani name of the border is “Wagah”. This border in situated on the Radcliffe line separating India and Pakistan.
Must Read: Haridwar: The Doorway to Gods by Sayani Nath
“Beating the retreat ceremony” takes place from 5:15 pm every evening here (5:15 pm at summers and 4:15 pm at winters).
As you enter the large stadium filled with exciting, thunderous echoes, you can see the large pictures of Mahatma Gandhi at the Indian border and
Muhammad Ali Jinnah on the other border. And here goes a bit of history in this regard.
Jinnah wanted a separate country for the Muslims. However, Mahatma Gandhi opposed the partition. He strongly rooted for the fact that the indo-pak partition would affect the diversity of India. As the British left, the Indian subcontinent was divided into two independent countries- India and Pakistan.
Must Read: Trimbakeshwar Temple: Nashik’s Most Powerful Shiva Temple
As the sun sets, the crowds assemble around the parade ground. Thereafter, starts the patriotic songs and you find yourself humming with the others- “ye Bharat desh hai mera”, “chahe jitna zor lagalo, sabse age hum hai Hindustani”…. Soldiers from both the side march in the perfect drill to the beats of the drum. After the march, the flags are lowered down. People of both the countries burst into zeal. And hence goes the cry-“Bande-mataram”,“Hindustan zindabad”, “bharat mata ki jai”. People cry at the top of their voice to support and honour their respective countries and the whole environment echoes with the sound of thunderous applause…it’s as if your blood boils with patriotism and national fervor.
Must Read: Who Says September Is Not the Best of Months to Travel?
Traveller’s advice: To get the VIP seats at the Attari border, get ahold of the BSF at post no 3 in the morning of your chosen visit day. This post is on the main road to the Attari JCP and border. It’s about 3 Km before the main check posts. In case you fail to do so, you can join the most exciting dance by the Indian women in the parade ground of the Indo-pak border. It can fetch you good VIP seats and an unforgettable memory.
Food junction: The Attari border serves good food to all the visitors. However, the best option is to go for “Shahi quila” – regarded as India’s first and last restaurant. It serves all sorts of food- lassi, pasta, whatever you want to relish.
There are loads of souvenir shops there. You can come back with a souvenir from the place as a mark of the gripping experience.
Must Read: Top 5 Attractions in Bhatinda – Travellers of India