Amritsar is a city in the northwestern Indian state of Punjab. Founded in 1577 by the fourth Sikh guru, Guru Ram Das, Amritsar is home to the spectacular Golden Temple, Sikhism's holiest shrine and one of India’s most serene and humbling sights. The hyperactive streets surrounding the temple have been calmed to some extent by recent urban landscaping, including graceful pedestrianised walkways, but duck into any side alley and you’ll soon discover Amritsar’s fantastically frenetic old-city bazaars, sheltering a sensory overload of sights, sounds and smells.
Amritsar is well connected by air from major destinations. Also, there are daily trains from most of the important cities in India. All major North Indian cities have buses plying to Amritsar. Alternately, you can also drive the lovely roadways.
September to December and February to March is the best time to visit Amritsar as the weather remains pleasant and suitable for sightseeing. The temperatures drop down in January and hover around 5°C while the peak summer months of May and June take the temperature to as high as 40°C. July and August are peak monsoon months when most of the cityscape is covered by lush greenery. The temperature remains moderate/ warm but is quite humid. One can choose to avoid the monsoons as it could get a little inconvenient for sightseeing.
Home of the glorious Golden Temple, the iconic city of Amritsar, portrays the heroic character of the Punjab. A day in this peaceful city starts with the spiritual prayers from Gurudwaras. The original name of first the ancient lake, then of the temple complex, and later the surrounding city, meaning "pool of ambrosial nectar."
Amritsar is the spiritual and cultural centre of the Sikh Religion. Baisakhi festival brings out Amritsar's resplendent face with its finest food, clothes and merry-making. This place is also famous for its Jallianwala Bagh massacre and its proximity to Wagah Border. The satiating food and generous dollops of legendary Punjabi hospitality further connive to cast a spell upon the visitor. From the Operation Blue Star in the Golden Temple to the tragedy of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, Amritsar has seen the worst of situations and yet emerged like a phoenix through testing times. Amritsar today is a thriving city with active trade and tourism industries. One of the most agriculturally productive cities of India, Amritsar is well connected with most of the important cities of India.