Site seeing Placing in & around Punjab.

Amritsar is home to the Religious Building important to Sikhs - The Golden Temple. Amritsar is an institution by itself. And the Golden Temple is the cradle of Amritsar with the city growing around it nurtured by its divine sanctity. Amritsar is one of the most sacred Sikh religious sites in India. The Golden Temple is not only a religious building important to Sikhs, it is an eclectic monument that has grown as much of people's devotion as from the guild craftsmen's skills to become Sikmost sacred of the sikh religious sites. Generation after generation has lavished praise on the art and architecture of the golden temple and it is widely regarded as being amongst the most tastefully decorated shrines anywhere.

The most important tourist center in the state is Amritsar with its Golden Temple. This temple is considered to be the holiest of all the pilgrimages of Sikhism and houses Akal Takht, the supreme governing body of Sikhism. The Jalianwallah Bagh is a small park in the city where many pilgrims were massacred by the British police in the year 1919.

Wagah is the only open land point between India and Pakistan. The Changing of Guards and the ceremonial lowering of the flags ceremony at sundown are great tourist attractions and have their own symbolic importance.

Ludhiana is famous for its hosiery and woolen goods and products from Ludhiana are exported all over the world. For its production of hosiery, Ludhiana is also known as the Manchester of India. It also boasts of the world famous Punjab Agricultural University, which organizes the Kisan Mela every Year. Nearby is Killa Raipur, which is famous for its Rural Olympics.



Patiala is famous for its healthy food, loving people, wonderful parandaas, exciting Patiala peg and jootis. Easily accessible and well maintained, Patiala is a place that would give one the much-needed tranquility far from urban chaos. The Sports School and the Moti Bagh Palace are some of the places that one must visit to get a clear picture of the past of the state.

If Varanasi symbolizes the spirit of ancient India, then Chandigarh is its city of 'today'. It is the capital of both Punjab and Haryana. The city is considered to be a Mecca of modern architecture and planning all over the world. What makes Chandigarh extraordinary is the fact that within four decades, a barren landscape has been transformed into a modern and model human habitation. The making of a new city is like inventing a new tomorrow. And Chandigarh succeeds in ushering in a new dawn. The major attractions of this city are the Capitol Complex, Secretariat, Assembly, High Court, Open Hand, City Beautiful, Garden City, Piazza, Tower of Shadows, Geometric Hill, Martyr's Memorial, Sukhna Lake, Rock Garden, Leisure Valley, Rose Garden, Garden of Tranquility, Garden of Rare Plants, Garden of Annuals, Bougainvillea Garden, Botanical Garden, Garden of Aromatic Plants, Government Museum and Art Gallery, Museum of Evolution of Life, and International Dolls Museum.

Jalandhar is an ancient city but not much of its evidence is left now. Today, it is a major rail and road junction and an army cantonment.

The Yadavendra Gardens 24 kilometers on the Shimla road at Pinjore has charming Mughal style terraced lawns, flower beds, fountains, water channels and airy pavilions enclosed by high walls swathed in the mauve and magenta bougainvillea.

BY AIR - The Rajasansi airport at Amritsar is well linked by flights from all over India. Recently, it was elevated to an international airport.
BY RAIL - There are direct links from Delhi to Amritsar by train. It is an 8-10-hour journey.
BY ROAD - Buses also ply regularly between the two cities.

Punjab

Punjab is an Indo-Iranian word meaning "the land of five rivers". Punjab lies at the cross-roads of the great civilizations of the world. Historicaly, the area west of Punjab was under the sphere of influence of the Persians, the east was the heartland of the Indian civilization, the south under the influence of the Arabs and the north under the Turko-Mongolian influence. Many great religious movements which found world-wide appeal grew in the fertile plains of Punjab. They include Budhism, Sikhism and many schools of Sufi thought in Islam . This ethnic and religous diversity is reflected in the cultural mosaic of todays's Punjab.

Population 21.6 Million, Area 50,362 sq. km, Capital CHANDIGARH, Main Language PUNJABI

Briefly about the place: The historical area of Punjab was defined to the east from the basin of the river Bias (including Dehli) to the basin of River Indus in the west. To the north it was bounded by the Himalayas of Kashmir and to the south it stretched as far as the plains of Cholistan and Rajasthan. Over different periods of history Punjab has seen its boundries expand and shrink. The high time for Punjab was during the reign of Mughal emperor Babur (and also during the time of Ranjit Singh more recently) when Punjab along with Babur's empire streteched from Dehli in the east to Kabul and Ghazni to the West. But never in the history, did the boundries of Punjab shrink so much as they did after the division of India in 1947. The tragic incident resulted in the division of Punjab into two parts as the Indian state of Punjab and the Pakistani province of Punjab. Indian Punjab was further divided twice for administrative reasons. Today's Punjab (Indian) is about one-fourth of the Punjab that existed before partition.

Punjab suffered the most destruction and damage at the time of Partition of India. Prior to partition the Punjab extended across both sides of what is now the India-Pakistan border, and its capital Lahore is now the capital of the Pakistani state of Punjab. The major city in the Punjab is Amritsar, the holy city of the Sikhs. Chandigarh, a new planned city, was concieved and built in the 1950s to serve as the capital of the new Punjab. In 1966, Punjab underwent another split. It was divided into the predominantly Sikh and Punjabi- speaking state of Punjab and the state of Haryana. At the same time some of the northern parts of the Punjab were hived off to Himachal Pradesh. Chandigarh on the border of Punjab and Haryana, remains the capital of the two states, yet is administered as a Union Territory from Delhi.

The Punjab's per capita income is nearly double the all-India average (in second place is Haryana). Although Punjabi's comprise less than 2.5% of India's population, they provide 22% of India's Wheat and 10% of its rice. The Punjab provides a third of all the milk production in India. Punjab also has a number of thriving industries including Hero Bicycles at Ludhiana.

From the travellers point of view, the area has just one attraction -the beautiful Golden Temple in Amritsar. Apart from this the states are mainly places of transit for travellers on their way to the Himachal hill stations, Pakistan, and Kashmir.

Fashion of Himachal Pradesh.

Dhoti, kurta, coat, waistcoat, turban (or cap), a hand towel upon the shoulders and a copy of the Panchang (astrological ephemeris) under the arm are the traditional attire of the Brahmin priest. The Rajputs wore tight fitting churidar pyjamas, a long coat, a starched turban with a special crown, pointed shoes, a flourishing pair of moustaches and a frown upon their foreheads. The Rajputs followed the Purdah system. Their wives and daughters when they stepped out of the house, rode in curtained palanquins. They lived in close proximity to each other and had special guest houses, a little removed from their dwelling places. Women belonging to the Brahmin and the Rajput families wore kurtas, salwars, long skirts (ghaghri), embroidered tops (choli) and red head scarves (rahide) with gold edgings. The farmers and labour classes wore only kurta, a loincloth and a cap. They put on long pyjamas only on special occasions like a wedding or a festival. The new socio-economic trends have changed all this classes and castes now wear western style clothes.

Fashion Of Haryana

The main classes of people in Haryana are the Brahmins, the Rajputs, the Jats, the Ahirs and the allied agricultural communities. The women are devoted and diligent and assist their men-folk on the farms. The dress of the people is generally simple. It consists of a dhoti, shirt, turban and a pair of shoes. A blanket or chaddar serves as wrapper. A duppata or overcloth, kamiz or skirt, pajamas, salwar or ghagra with differences in make and colour is generally the female dress. Among the educated classes in the villages women are taking to saris of different colours. The dresses worn by women display more variety than male attires. People are very fond of ornaments here. The ornaments are usually made of gold and silver. The main items include haar (necklace), hansli (heavy bangles) made of silver, jhalra (long hanging string of gold mohars or silver rupees) Karanphul and bujni of gold and dandle of silver for the ears. Some new types of ornaments are tops (balian) for the ears, churis for the wrists and pandels for the neck. The people have simple food habits. They are known for their love for cattle and the abudance of milk and curd in their diet. Haryana has always remained a rendezvous for diverse races, cultures and faiths.

Cuisines of Haryana.

The 'Land of Rotis' is an apt title for Haryana as people are fond of eating different kinds of rotis here. Wheat rotis are common and so are baajre ki roti. In earlier times rotis would be made from a flour of wheat, gram and barley, a truly nutritious and healthy combination. Then there is the gochini atta made from wheat and gram flour. However with the rising price of gram and barley, people prefer the comparatively cheaper wheat flour, a loss both in terms of teste and nutrients.

Haryana is well known for its cattle wealth and can claim to be the home of the famous Murrah buffalo and the Haryana cow. Little wonder then that there is an abundance of milk and milk products in Haryanvi cuisine. People make butter and ghee at home and use these liberally in their daily diet. Home made butter is called nooni or tindi ghee and is churned fresh daily in most homes. It is customary for a gril's family to give her gifts of ghee clarified butter), gondh (edible gum), laddus (a sweetmeat made of gram flour) and dry fruits when she becomes a mother. Buttermilk, chaaj is a favourite drink and is considered very cooling. Lassi made from yoghurt is another popular drink, almost a meal in itself. The Haryanvi's love for lassi can be gauged from the fact that thandai, a sweet, milk based drink is called kachi lassi in Haryana.

Fresh vegetables are the main stay of Haryanvi cuisine which is primarily vegetarian. Dals are not consumed daily and vegetables seasoned lightly are preferred. Tinda, ghia (kind of sweet gourd) and other seasonal vegetables constitute a major part of the daily diet in Haryana. On special occasions, pethe ki subji is made. Bajre ki khichri and raabri, made from a paste of millet flour cooked and then mixed with lassi is also relished greatly here. Haryanvis also like teet ka achar or pickle made from the fruit of the Kair tree. As the fruit is bitter, it is first crushed and then soaked in brine to remove the bitterness. Later, spices and oil are added. The pickle is ready to be consumed after some days.

Site seeing Places in & Around Haryana.

Tourist attractions of Haryana are mainly centred in the capital, Chandigarh. Rock Garden, Sukhna Lake, Rose Garden are worth seeing. The Sultanpur sanctuary which houses many birds including flamingoes is also a must-see.

Just around the corner from south Delhi, a mere eight-kilometer drive away lies Surajkund with its large sun pool and amphitheatre. Built during the 10th century AD by Raja Suraj Pal of the Tomar dynasty, Surajkund combines proximity to the national capital with many amenities and comforts in an ambience that is typically rural and far away from the trappings of the urban centres.

Also within an easy motoring distance from New Delhi is the Badkhal Lake. Here, the Aravali hills are on the fringe and the lake offers special opportunities for water sports such as canoeing, kayaking or just a simple boat ride. In addition, there is a luxury yacht for those interested. But the real attraction of Badkhal Lake are its serene waters around which small cottages have been built at an elevation, thus affording the occupants a splendid view of the lake alive with the activity of birds during the winter months.

Farther afield, yet well connected to Delhi and on the National Highway No 1, is another manmade lake, named after Karna, one of the heroes of the epic Mahabharat. Having been carved out of a marshy area, the Karna Lake offers all the advantages of a designer complex with charming cottages overlooking a landscaped garden and tall eucalyptus trees planted to act as a barricade against the noise of the highway. Other trees and the emerald waters of the lake become the home for the pied crested kingfishers, darters, ducks and geese during the winter months.

Haryana is proud of its many lake retreats besides Badkhal and Karna. There is the Tilyar Lake at Rohtak, 70 kilometres away from Delhi, with facilities like boating and kayaking. In a different direction and located 64 kilometres from Delhi on the old highway to Alwar, is the Damdama Lake with cottages built on higher ground and mirrored in the calm waters of the lake. A camping complex for the adventurous is also there and facilities for sports such as rock climbing on the surrounding Aravali ranges, canoeing, kayaking, cycling and trekking are all available.

Not far from the Damdama Lake is Sohna, named thus after traces of gold were found in the nearby waters in the old times. Sohna has become quite popular due to the annual Vintage Car Rally that takes place in February. Motorists drive the 56 kilometres from Delhi and come to rest and picnic here, half way away from the venue of the rally.

If one wants to get away from Delhi towards the shadow of the mountains, there are the Yadavindra Gardens at Pinjore, just 22 kilometres from Chandigarh. Here, a historic building belonging to the 17th century is set in a Mughal garden, with a waterway surrounded by green lawns. A later addition to this beautiful spot is a Japanese garden.

Kurukshetra in Haryana is the name given to an area covering 48 kosas (an Indian unit of measuring land) where 860 places of pilgrimage related to the Mahabharata exist today. The important sites are the Brahma Sarovar, Sannihit Sarovar, Gurudwara Sadbhiti, Thaneswar Tirtha, and Rajghat.

Near Kurukshetra, Thaneswar is a sacred town for Hindus because Lord Shiva in the form of the lingam (phallic representation of Shiva) was first worshipped here. Also situated here is the tomb of Sheikh Chilli Jalal. It is a fascinating monument, octagonal in shape, crowned with a dome of white marble and surrounded by a white marble courtyard. Also worth a visit are the Chini Masjid and Pathar Masjid, two outstanding Islamic monuments.

BY AIR - The Chandigarh airport is connected to other places in the country like Delhi, Amritsar, and Leh. Proximity to the Indira Gandhi International Airport at Delhi gives the state greater access to places in India and abroad.
BY RAIL - All the major places in Haryana are connected to Delhi and other important centers all over the country in India by a good network of trains. Both the Central and Northern Railways have extensive networks in the state.
BY ROAD - There is a good road network in the state that connects all the places in Haryana to each other as well as from the places outside the state boundary like Delhi, Punjab, and Uttar Pradesh. The Haryana State Road Transport Corporation and private operators have good services to all the places in the state.

Haryana

The history of Haryana begins with Kurukshetra, where the great battle of Mahabharata was fought between the Kauravas and Pandavas, is situated in Haryana. The state was the home of the legendary Bharata Dynasty, which gave the name 'Bharat' to India. Haryana continued to play an important part in the history of India till the coming in of the Muslims and the rise of Delhi as the capital of British India. In 1857, the people of Haryana joined the Indian leaders in the revolt against the British Government.

Briefly about the Place: Haryana got separated from Punjab in 1966 and was formed as a new state. It is a land of fat, flat fields and villages where the patriarch is still the venerated figure and politics revolves around rural and village-community loyalties. Time to time new historical facts come in our knowledge about its past which lies buried in the ground beneath our feet with excavations. Its roads connect with the roads which lead to Delhi. it is difficult knowing where one begins and the other ends. Located in the Northern part of India, Haryana is bound by Uttar Pradesh in the east, Punjab in the west, Himachal Pradesh in the north and Rajasthan in the South. The national capital territory of Delhi is next to Haryana. Haryana is situated between the latitude 30.30° North and longitude 74.60° East.

Most of Haryana is in the plains with the Aravali mountain range starting its westward journey from here. The Yamuna is the only major river that passes through this small state, which is one of the greenest in the country. There is a very good network of canals throughout the state, giving it the much-needed impetus for agriculture, the mainstay of Haryana's economy.

Area44,212 sq km Religion Hinduism (89.20), Islam (4.63%), Others (6.17%) Capital Chandigarh Languages Haryanvi, Hindi, English Best time to visit October to March