Punjab & Haryana

PUNJAB & HARYANA largely state Hindu iscalledthe‘wheatbelt’or‘bread foritsagriculturalprowess. basket’ Golden Temple holiestshrineandoneofIndia’smostbeautifulbuildings. –Sikhism’s And amidthemodernisation,astrongsenseofpastremains atsites suchasAmritsar’s there aren’t socialproblems–it’sriddledwithheroinandopiumnearthePakistan border. foreign remittances thathave Punjab helpedmake themostdeveloped state. This isn’ttosay itsculturehas exported farandwide. Another benefitofthisfoot-loose populationisthe as quintessentially Indian.This isbecausePunjab, withmore ex-patriots thananyotherstate, ofMumbai(Bombay)–cowsholdupnewcarscruisingthestraightroads.urbanites north other, designedbythemodernistarchitect Le Corbusierandinhabited bythehippestyoung travelcies thatmake inIndiasuchhair-tearing fun.Even no inChandigarh–anIndiancitylike primeministershare withtherest a(Sikh) ofIndia,butfeels fromtheotherstates. distinct population generallyprovide abreak fromthestresses foundelsewhere inIndia. Punjab may Blender’s Pridereplaces RoyalStagasthechoicewhisky,andpersonable, turban-clad Enter Gurdwarasreplace thelandofSikhs. temples asthemostpopularplacesofworship, Haryana & Punjab 258 © LonelyPlanetPublications Haryana, homeofKurukshetra,splitfromPunjab neighbour,the in1966.AlongwithitsSikh ofPunjabiIndeed manyparts culture, visitors frombutter tobhangramusic,strike chicken toescapetheidiosyncrasiesandinefficien- course,thisdoesn’tmeanvisitorsshouldexpect Of

„ „ „ „ „ „ „ HIGHLIGHTS Stop at Walk fromghatto attheBhramasarovar, India’slargest tank,in Breathe intheintensity ofthepilgrimage Day-tripfrom Chandigarhtoanalternate Explore Le Corbusier’svisionary designsat Jointhecheeringcrowdsatbizarre atthepeaceandsplendourof Marvel Sikh persecution Sikh gurdwaras beartestament tocenturiesof site wonderful reality when youventure intotheweirdand cleanest city Chandigarh border-closing ceremony at holiest site Amritsar’s India’s finestMughal walledgardens,enroute toHaryana’shill station,the Anandpur Sahib Pinjore Gardens Golden Temple Fantasy RockGarden ( p261 ), India’sgreenest and ( p276 ), where fortified ( p267 ), oneof ( p271 ), Sikhism’s Sikhism’s (p271), Attari (p263) (p275) Attari Amritsar Anandpur Sahib Kurukshetra Chandigarh Kurukshetra Morni Hills Pinjore Gardens ( p277 ) Morni Hills (p267) PUNJAB & HARYANA 259 24

Faridabad Surajkund River 2 U T T A R DELHI (60km) To Agra P R A D E S H

Shimla Yamuna P R A D E S H 21 H I M A C H A L Rd Garhi Harsaru Pipli Morni and may not be correct. 1 Grand Trunk Gurgaon 8 Kalka The external boundaries of India The external boundaries Karnal Ambala Panipat Mandi on this map have not been authenticated on this map have not Pinjore Gharaunda Rohtak Kurukshetra Ropar (Rupnagar) Jhajjar Anandpur Sahib 00 80 km 50 miles Chandigarh Jogindarnagar Sanctuary Rewari Jind Sultanpur Bird Chamba H A R Y A N A Sirhind Dharamsala Kot Putli Ranital Patiala Bhiwani Rahon Nawansharh Jaijon Kangra Hansi Dalhousie Kila Raipur Dam Beas Ludhiana Chhapar Narnaul Jhunjhunu Pathankot Jalandhar Hoshiarpur 1A

10 River Hisar Mansa J A M M U & K A S H M I R Ramnagar Kapurthala 1 Sutlej Batala Sultanpur Lodhi

Rd

Udhampur 1 River

Grand Trunk Beas Mandawa P U N J A B Taren Taran Jammu 15 Sirsa Amritsar Akhnoor Churu Bathinda Firozpur Fatehpur Attari Malaut Faridkot R A J A S T H A N Kasur PUNJAB & HARYANA Wagah Hanumangarh Sialkot 15 Muktsar Ratangarh Gujranwala Lahore Abuhar P A K I S T A N Ganganagar PUNJAB & HARYANA PUNJAB 15 To Bikaner (70km) lonelyplanet.com PUNJAB & HARYANA controversial decisiontoforciblyremove Sikh 1984, PrimeMinister IndiraGandhi’shighly ofthousands people dead(see p50 in ).Later, horrendoussaw carnage thatlefthundreds of next sixcenturies. regional dominationwaswonorlostover the area. Panipat becamethebattlegroundwhere invadersMughal regularly surged the through Punjab before faltering, themore successful king DariusandAlexandertheGreat reached Amritsar. Tirath Ashram inSriRam Ramayana near Valmiki tohave isbelieved worked onthe tions Punjab’slandanditspeople,while a 92-sq-kmradius.TheMahabharata men- ( p277 360historicalsites) contains within ana ( p269 ), whiletheKurukshetra district Mauryan nearLudhi- dynastyinSanghol, excavated at sites associated with thelater by theHarappans. Buddhistrelics have been of theIndusValley established civilisation more than 4000years agothearea waspart architectural excavations have revealed that most famousaspectof theregion’s history, heritage ( Punjab’sSikh Although p67 ) isthe 260 History During the1947partitionof India,Punjab While theIndiancampaignsof thePersian and cultural events celebratetheanniversary oftheBhagavadGita. and cultural events stalls, fashion shows, and performances of everything from bhangra (Punjabi dance music) to Sri Lankan drumming. frombhangra(Punjabi Lankan ofeverything dancemusic)toSri stalls, fashionshows,andperformances andfood hundreds ofcraft explosionofvisitingartisans, fromacrossSoutheastAsia,thisisacolourful offerings music performances and a Mughal-style bazaarwithshops andfoodstalls. andaMughal-style music performances wilddancing. contests. Drummersprovidethebeatforlively bhangraandGiddhafolkmusicthatprovokes sporting inprocessions andwatch part temples),take adayoff,dress upintheirfinery,givethanksatgurdwaras(Sikh take arts demonstrations and armies of colourful warriors re-enacting pastbattles. re-enacting warriors demonstrationsandarmiesofcolourful arts Sahib and during this festival thousands of pilgrims gathertosing thisfestival thousandsofpilgrims andduring Sahib Gita Jayanti Sangeet Sammelan Harballah Pinjore Heritage Festival apolicemotorcycle acrobaticteam. –even ofculturalperformances includes allsorts culturalextravaganza are handedouttohonest governmentofficials,andthenine-day Sufi saintandpoet.Medals FaridShaikh Aagman Purb Festival FestivalBaisakhi Holla Mohalla Basant Surajkund Crafts Mela FestivalRural Sports HARYANA & PUNJAB IN FESTIVALS and much more. It runs from Friday tothefirstSundayinFebruary,and muchmore. ItrunsfromFriday butcheckasthedates maychange. (seetheboxed text, galloping horses,tentpeggingonhorseback,kabaddi p269 ), strongmancontests, animalraces instrumentalists andvocalists. UJB&HRAA • itr PUNJAB &HARYANA ••History (mid-Feb; Patiala, p268 flying. andkite ) Culturalfestival withsinging,dancing,sports

(Dec orJan;Kurukshetra, p277 Dramas ) Thousands offloatinglampsilluminateBhramasarovar tank. (Mar; Anandpur Sahib, AnandpurSahib, (Mar; p276 wasfoundedinAnandpur brotherhood) warrior (Sikh ) TheKhalsa (13 Apr; statewide) Celebrates the New Year and the first grain harvest. Hard-working Punjabis (13Apr;statewide)CelebratestheNewYear Hard-working andthefirstgrainharvest. (Feb; Kila Raipur, (Feb; Raipur, Kila p269 races,standingontwo festival bullock-cart featuring ) Three-day (1st2weeksFeb; Surajkund, p277 ) ShowcasingthebestofHaryananculture alongside (early Oct; Pinjore, (earlyOct; p267 walledgardens,featuring ) Acelebration oftheMughal

(26-29 Dec;Jalandhar, p269 India’stopclassical ) Amusicfestival starring (Sep; Faridkot,(Sep; p269 ) Festival celebratingthe life andworkofthis se p52). (see Delhi residence bytwoof bodyguards herSikh yearGandhiwasassassinated athersame clashes.Intheignited bloodyHindu–Sikh holyGoldenTemple, –fromAmritsar’s stan) state (tobecalledKhali- independent Sikh –whowereseparatists championing foran

„ „ „ „ „ Haryana „ „ „ „ „ Punjab FAST FACTS kirtan kirtan When to go: October toMarch Whentogo:October Mainlanguage:Hindi Capital: Chandigarh Area: 44,212sqkm Population:21.1million toMarch Whentogo:October Mainlanguage:Punjabi Capital: Chandigarh Area: 50,362sqkm Population:24.3million (hymns), eatfree foodandwatchmartial- lonelyplanet.com PUNJAB & HARYANA

261 9am- 10am- 10am- h Secretariat 9am-10pm) 9.30am-6pm , h h 24hr) 10am-2pm h h 10am-6pm h h 2703839; 1st fl, Sec- h 10am-6pm Mon-Sat) 9.30am-10.30pm) 9.30am-10.30pm) % ( High Court h h 2708569; 1st fl, Sector 17 bus (Sector 17; 2702955; Sector 17; 9.30am-5.30pm) % 270025; Sector 22; (Legislative Assembly), all in (Legislative Assembly), % ( 2745629; Sector 9; 2746018; Post Graduate Institute, 2746018; Post Graduate Institute, ( (Sector 15; 9; per hr Rs (Sector 17; h % % ( % ( (Sector 22) Opposite the bus station. ( (Sector Rs 5; 17; per day (Sector 17 bus station; 10am-5pm Mon-Sat, closed 2nd Sat of month) h (Sector 20; 22; per hr Rs 2707649; 2nd fl, Sector 17 bus station; Vidhan Sabha The High opened in 1955, is a Court, which % Mon-Fri) Also has ATMs all over town. Mon-Fri) Also has ATMs station; Mon-Sat) out – check must-see visited and can be freely inside and from the extraordinary architecture over- ramp, the wavy The internal outside. and the colourful supporting hanging roof courtroom Every the main features. slabs are TOURIST INFORMATION TOURIST INFORMATION Chandigarh Tourist Centre Haryana Tourism Himachal Tourism Uttar Pradesh Tourism & Uttarakhand Tourism Sights & Activities COMPLEX CAPITAL concrete The massive and by Punjab and Haryana, Sector 1 and shared designed by Le Corbusier. were MONEY MONEY accept foreign the centre all over ATMs cards. Punjab National Bank Thomas Cook PHOTOGRAPHY Photo shops POST Main post office Post office INTERNET ACCESS INTERNET ACCESS café sectors the central a internet has Eachof number in its name. with the appropriate iWay V-NetCyber Café LEFT LUGGAGE Bus station MEDICAL SERVICES Deep Madison PGI Hospital Mon-Sat) Changes money. ( Sector 12) Has the best reputation. tor 17 bus station; Among the pharmacies opposite the bus station. Among the pharmacies opposite 8.30pm Mon-Sat) 5pm Mon-Fri) 5pm Mon-Sat, closed 2nd Sat of month) (hello in Sat sri akal Sat (Sector 17) •• Chandigarh PUNJAB & HARYANA

0172 / pop 900,914 0172 / pop 900,914 The Grand Trunk Rd through both states Learn to pronounce With more and more local tourists, hotels local tourists, hotels more and With more

The capital of both Punjab and Haryana, it and Haryana, both Punjab The capital of At the beginning and end of the cooler, and end of At the beginning

Capital Book Depot Information Information BOOKSHOPS

in Sector 17 while most hotels and restaurants in Sector restaurants and 17 while most hotels Sector in neighbouring 22 and Sectorare 35. The train station is 8km from the city centre, by autorickshaw and taxi.connected Orientation Orientation are The bus station area and main shopping is a Union Territory controlled by the central is a Union Territory government. nontraditionalism, others find the geometric, nontraditionalism, others of from the chaos city a welcome break green into the manyother Indian cities, and plunge glitzy nightlife. course, sights and, of Westerners and embrace modernity while glee- Westerners fully disposing their disposable incomes. While by Chandigarh’s unimpressed are some visitors the boom town’s straight, clean roads, catering to the fast-living young Indians who emulate splits visitors. New hotels, department stores, department stores, New hotels, splits visitors. hang-outs line cafés and other air-conditioned Corbusier’s radical design for Chandigarh po- Chandigarh Corbusier’s radical design for larises critics, this anomaly among Indian cities % LeIn the same modernist architect way as the CHANDIGARH Arriving and leaving by air is increasingly by air is increasingly Arriving and leaving ) air- popular – Amritsarhas an international p266 Airport ( ) and Chandigarh p274 port ( status.is working towards that top highways, India’s but trains or is one of best for long journeys. planes are Punjabi) and you’ll have rickshaw drivers rickshaw drivers Punjabi) and you’ll have the air with glee. punching Getting There & Around drier October-to-March period there is heavy is heavy period there drier October-to-March burning in the air from local farmers smoke their fields. can fill up, particularly at weekends and dur- at weekends can fill up, particularly periods. ing holiday anatourism.com, www.citcochandigarh.com www.citcochandigarh.com anatourism.com, and chandigarh.nic.in. Information Information visit www.punjabtourism For information www.hary www.haryana-online.com, .org, lonelyplanet.com PUNJAB & HARYANA 262 42 4 6 1 3 2 5 CHANDIGARH Fragrance (100m) To Gardenof (2km) Bus Station To Sector43 Sector 24 3

UJB&HRAA • hniah PUNJAB &HARYANA ••Chandigarh Government Museum&Art A5 Deep Madison...... High Court...... Gallery...... City Museum...... Bougainvillea Garden...... V-Net CyberCafé...... Uttarakhand Tourism...... (see58) Uttar PradeshTourism...... (see58) Thomas Cook...... State BankofIndiaATM...... (see43) State BankofIndiaATM...... State BankofIndiaATM...... Punjab NationalBankATM...... Punjab NationalBank...... Post Office...... (see58) Photo Shops...... PGI Hospital...... Main PostOffice...... iway Internet...... ICICI ATM...... (see57) HSBC ATM...... (see57) Himachal Tourism...... (see58) Haryana Tourism...... Cyber-22...... Cyber-17...... (see 55) Cyber Café35...... Cyber Café18...... Computer PanelofIndia...... (see35) Chandigarh TouristCentre...... (see58) Capital BookDepot...... Bank ofBarodaATM...... (see30) SIGHTS &ACTIVITIES INFORMATION Sector 23 45

Marg 14 Dakshin 38 Sector 22 AC 40 Sector 15 29 Underpass Pedestrian

4 Vidya Path Sector 21 7 Pinjore Gardens (22km);Morni(45km) Deccan (5km);Hotel Vaseela(10km);

Udyan Path

5 33 Udyog Path Udyog 44 To Airport(5km);Air 30 Sector 12 46 35 Jan Marg Sector 16 32 9 10 20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 49 50 36 1 37 D4 B4 B4 C3 C5 B5 A6 B4 C5 B5 B5 B3 B5 A6 B5 A6 A6 B6 B5 58 60 55 Sector 17 39 Mermaid FastFoodRestaurant& D4 Nek ChandFantansyRockGarden.. EATING SLEEPING Himalaya Marg Shangri-La Plus...... Sai Sweets...... (see35) Nukka Dhaba...... (see40) Nagpal PureVegetarianDhaba...... Bar...... Khyber...... Ghazal...... Chawla's Chicken...... Bhoj VegetarianRestaurant...... (see32) Taj Chandigarh...... Kaptain's Retreat...... Hotel Sunbeam...... Hotel Shivalikview...... Hotel Satyadeep...... Hotel Mountview...... Hotel KwalityRegency...... Hotel Divyadeep...... Hotel CityHeart...... Hotel AkashDeep...... Chandigarh Hotel...... Vidhan Sabha...... UT Secretariat...... Secretariat...... Rose Garden...... Paddle Boats...... (see43) Open HandSculpture...... Natural HistoryMuseum...... (see18) National GalleryofPortraits...... Museum...... B 48 8 25 Sector 18 41 22 Sector 11 18 59 11 6 47 31 Garden (1.5km) 13 2 15 19 To Terraced 57 54 Sector 10 34 51 16 12 56

27

Sector 2 Madhya Marg Madhya Sector 19 45 44 43 42 41 40 39 38 37 36 35 34 33 32 31 30 29 28 27 26 25 24 23 22 21 Sector 9 Sector 3 A6 A6 D5 A6 B5 A6 B5 A6 B6 B5 B6 C4 A5 B6 B5 B6 A6 D3 C4 C3 B5 D3 B5 D4 ὈὈ ὈὈ 17 To TrainStation (3km) Train ReservationOffice...... (see58) Raja Travels...... (see49) Prepaid Autorickshaws...... Jet Airways...... (see15) Indian Airlines...... Bus Station...... Avtar Travels...... (see36) Music World...... (see50) Music World...... (see2) Ebony...... Tagore Theatre...... Indrajal...... (see55) OP Sharma&HisColourful Neelam Cinema...... Kiran Cinema...... Cross Over...... Antidote...... Aerizzona...... The Beans...... (see51) Taj Chandigarh...... (see39) B5 Rendevous...... (see 53) Piccadily's BlueIceBar&Restaurant.. Khyber...... (see 42) English Wine&BeerShop...... English GardenBar...... Down Under...... City Heart2...... Ambassador...... (see 37) TRANSPORT SHOPPING ENTERTAINMENT DRINKING Sector 8 Sector 27 Sector 1 Sector 7 26

Sector 4

0 0 Madhya Marg Madhya

Sarovar Path

28

53 52 Marg Uttar Sector 5 21 23 Sector 26 lonelyplanet.com

Sukhna Path 20 Lake Reserved 24 D Forest 0.5 miles 60 59 58 57 56 55 54 53 52 51 50 49 48 47 46 Sector 6 43 B5 B5 B5 B5 B5 C6 B5 B5 D6 D6 C5 B6 B5 B5 Sukhna 1 km Lake PUNJAB & HARYANA

pad- 263 Natural His- 10am-4.30pm uses pho-

(meals Rs 50-100) h (Sector 10; admission free;

City Museum (admission/camera Rs 2/5;

(2-seaters per 30min Rs 30, 4-seaters per 30min Rs (2-seaters per 30min Rs 30, 4-seaters

is less interesting for its fossilised ani- is less interesting 9.45am-5pm Tue-Sun, closed holidays) 9.45am-5pm Tue-Sun, Ornamental a playground and the gardens, Next door to City Museum, the MUSEUMS MUSEUMS The brilliant h and models, newspaper reports tos, letters, a fascinating drawings to give architectural insight and development into the planning Chandigarh. of tory Museum Tue-Sun) leys with crashing waterfalls or amphitheatres or amphitheatres waterfalls crashing leys with No shards. china made of figures by overrun from electrical sockets is wasted, material of and glass, in the legions wire to colourful faces and walls with archways men, animals, around every corner. SUKHNA LAKE Le master Corbusier’s of Another aspect with artificial lake plan is this attractive dle boats 60). Food RestaurantMermaid & Bar Fast the fun. complete mal skulls than its manuscript section, con- dating back 500 years. taining Sanskrit texts

(admis- is like is like (adult/child (adult/child

UT Secretariat museum garden containing curios sculpture, another creation creation another sculpture, . •• Chandigarh PUNJAB & HARYANA 10am-5pm Tue-Sat) 10am-5pm Tue-Sat) 9am-6pm Nov-Mar, to 7pm Apr-Oct) Open Hand h h It was always going to be radically modern, but it could have turned out very differently. differently. turned out very it could have It was always going to be radically modern, but to finish Corbusier was recruited When Nowicki and Le crash, Mayer resigned died in a plane low-rise housing divided into 1-sq-km neighbourhood Corbusier’s plan was for low-density, Le was of course room for the odd artistic (no flourish – notably the symbolic sculptures There city. ‘It is the biggest example in India of experimental Nehru was pleased with the controversial 2741620; Sector 9) INDIA’S MODERNIST METROPOLIS INDIA’S MODERNIST METROPOLIS ) and, in the words p50 ( following Partition Chandigarh was built as the new capital of Punjab of the nation’s of Jawaharlal as ‘an expression Nehru (independent India’s first prime minister), faith in the future’. assigned the task: Matthew Nowicki originally and were Two pioneering American architects seen in England’s Garden Cit- Albertby the ‘romantic picturesque’ influenced Mayer, the latter alien way of life on…a of some modern planners depends entirely dream ‘This ies movement. to that of India’, said Nowicki,to negotiate prophesising the experience of anyone who’s tried a roundabout in Chandigarh. and geo- ‘arithmetic, texturique envisaged a modernist utopia where Swiss architect the job. The by peasants, crossing the sun-scorched driven cows and goats the ‘oxen, metrics’ would replace than Delhi – democratic – more Chandigarh was meant to be a city of people fields’. However, houses facing traffic-quiet roads, public and this called for pedestrian piazzas, tree-lined avenues, gardens, and the artificial Sukha Lake. looking sectors, at a map of each with their own shops, schools and places of worship. Even a sharp contrast with sectors, arranged in a geometric grid, provides Chandigarh’s numbered the chaos typically found in urban India. Complex. Capital of democracy’ at the allowed), and the ‘temples human statues were and makes It hits you on the head, you think. You may squirm at the impact but it architecture. has made you think and imbibe new ideas.’ To visit the huge SecretariatTo visit the huge and the silo- You must enter the High Court via the the Highvia the Court You must enter % and staircasesval- into suddenly emerging using recycled junk and organic materials, materials, junk and organic using recycled twisting walkways the garden is a maze of falling down a rabbit-hole into the labyrin- into falling down a rabbit-hole Created one man’s mind. of thine interior ) p264 text, by Nek Chand (see the boxed Entering Entering this 20-hectare Rs 10/5; NEK CHAND FANTASY ROCK GARDEN ROCK GARDEN FANTASY NEK CHAND ( such as original Le Corbusier sketches and as original Lesuch Corbusier sketches the handcuffs worn by Ram Godse, who as- (see Gandhi Mahatma sassinated the boxed text, p51 ). Vidhan Sabha, obtain a permit from the like Department in the Architecture carpark. On the way is a small carpark. On sion free; famous the workaholic Le Corbusier. of 4pm to 5pm). You can also walk round to the You can also walk round 4pm to 5pm). contains tapestry woollen an abstract designed by Le court is not when viewable Corbusier, in session to 2pm and (9.30am to 10am, 1pm lonelyplanet.com

PUNJAB & HARYANA and Buddhistsculptures fromacrossAsia. made byPunjabivillage women,modernart 22 and Sector 17.Despite theoverall22 andSector similar- the linesof Another aspectof Corbusier’sgrandplanis Le DOMESTIC DWELLINGS ous facetsof theIndependence movement. displays photosandpaintingsillustratingvari- last Satofmonth&holidays) h the broidered 3pm Sun) 4.30pm Tue-Sun, free guidedtours11am&3pm,films Gallery Art Tower,the a miniEiffel inagardendotted withsculpturesSet such as GALLERIES 264 Under renovation atthetimeof research, are agift fromgod.’ spiritual memberof Punjab’s communityisclearonthemainsource ofhisideas:‘They Hindu is saidtobeinfluenced bymodernistmasters suchasLe Corbusier andGaudi,butthedeeply hesays.one dayIjuststarted,’ ‘InmychildhoodIusedtobuildmud housesandothertoys.’ He that thegardenisIndia’smostvisited after touristattraction theTaj hereplies, ‘Itissaid.’ Mahal, plans todevelop thegardensovisitorswillnothave toretrace theirsteps. Asked whetherit’strue nature ofa manwhohasspentdecadesquietlybeavering awayathisrock-and-junk world. man offew words. There istheobviouslanguagebarrierofcourse,but also,perhaps,thehumble He helpfullyproffers exhibitioncatalogues,newspapercuttingsandcorrespondence, butheisa minireplica gardensbuilt. and document.There have beenexhibitionsaboutthegardeninAmericaandEurope andeven funds andrecruiting volunteers torestore mosaicpanels,remove broken graffiti,photograph significant recycling programs. There isa so hecoulddevote himselftotheproject. council recognised thegardenasaculturalasset.Chand wasgiven 50labourers andpaidasalary illegally occupyinggovernment landandshouldtechnically have beendemolished,butthelocal when agovernment crew survey stumbleduponthemin1973.The unauthorized garden was and othercharacters steadily multipliedinsecretly sculpted spaces. cheekystickmenwearing tea-cup monkeys, hats,dancingwomenwomen, pipers,chai-drinkers, as localstone,created byhisownhand andtheslowforcesofnature. battalionsofwater His matter backtohisjunglehomeandgave itasecondlife asasculpturalmaterial. waste generated asvillageswere cleared ofChandigarh,Chandhauledthis intheconstruction wasadiminutiveinspectors arrivalfromPakistan called Nek Chand.Struckbytheamountof newly liberated Indiamadetheboldstatement thatwasChandigarh,oneofthe newcity’sroad Following IndependenceandPartition, asrefugees floodedacrossthePakistan borderanda JUNK ARTGENIUS ofPortraits National Gallery 10am-1.30pm & 2-5.30pm Mon-Fri, to 1.30pm Sat, closed to1.30pmSat,closed 10am-1.30pm &2-5.30pmMon-Fri, UJB&HRAA • hniah PUNJAB &HARYANA ••Chandigarh Chand hadnoformaleducationbeyond highschool.‘Ihadnotraining,previous interest – Indeed, heislessvocalabouthavingmet pretty muchevery notableGandhithanheisabouthis officehiddeninthegarden. Now inhis80s,Chandisstillhardatworkpebble-lined Today, thegardenissaidtoreceive anaverage 5000visitorsaday.ItisoneofAsia’s most weren’tIncredibly, officiallydiscovered Chand’sefforts untilsome15yearsafter theybegan, Eventually hehadtens ofthousandsformsmadeurbanandindustrial waste aswell hasasizeablecollectionincludingem-

(Sector 10;admissionRs2,camera5; (Sector phulkari three-storey terrace housing terrace three-storey (embroiderywork)wraps , behind the State Library, , behind theStateLibrary, Government Museum & Museum Government (Sector 17; admission free; 17;admissionfree; (Sector

in Sector inSector h 10am- Nek ChandFoundation (Sector 3) (Sector takes anhourandyoucanhoponoff. Fantasy Lake. It RockGardenandSukhna Complex, &ArtGallery,Capital Museum Garden,PunjabUniversity,Rose Government 6.30pm) tour/half-day/full dayRs10/25/50/75; An open-top,double-decker Tours 33) central parksincludethe Rose Garden city, Chandigarh isdotted withparks.The Corbusier’svisionofIn linewithLe agarden PARKS &GARDENS painted invariouspastel shades. windows, balconies,brickworkandlayout, ity of design,each unithasdifferent doors, andthe runsfromHotel Shivalikview tothe are perfect foracycleorstroll.Less Garden ofFragrance Garden

(Sector 16) (Sector

(www.nekchand.com) and Terraced Garden Bougainvillea Garden lonelyplanet.com

tourist bus tourist (Sector 36) (Sector h hourly 9.30am- , raising . (1 trip/full (1 trip/full

(Sector (Sector

PUNJAB & HARYANA )

A a pan- 265 ) This five- a . (Sector 22; meals

(Sector 22; thali Rs 90) 287575; www.vaseela boondi % (

2740544; www.citcochandigarh and, on Tuesday, the and, on Tuesday, the (Sector 22; per plate Rs 10-30) 5513000; www.tajhotels.com; Sec-5513000; www.tajhotels.com; % (

the fluffy yoghurt-and-lentil % (

the poppy-seed-and-sweetened- togla, Hotel Vaseela Once Chandigarh’s top hotel, with with top hotel, Once Chandigarh’s Sai Sweets ) (spicy nibbles). Try the sweet-and- kheerkadam Canteenlike never but clean and short (unfermented cheese) the like. and (unfermented Bhoj Vegetarian Restaurant o Nagpal Pure Vegetarian Dhaba Hotel Mountview Chandigarh Taj o hotel has a shopping arcade, money chang- arcade, a shopping has hotel comfortable, a café and ing, two restaurants, spacious rooms. of customers, it serves customers, of hearty helpings of eer dishes, Specialising in Punjabi and Himachal particularly thalis, this dependable eatery and dinner menu lunch a different offers every day. kick back among the lava lamps and jazzy kick back among the lava beats in the bar. Eating boasts many modern places to Chandigarh everything from Punjabi to West- eat, offering ern food. namkin salty lentil halwa, dehi cheese lentil sweet-popcornlike Rs 50-80) the city centre. the city centre. .com; Sector Rs 3750/4450/6400; 10; s/d/ste with breakfast ais 24-hour café, bar, money two restaurants, Although centre. internet and wi-fi changing the rooms suggests, not as grand as the foyer The swim- and safes. minifridges baths, have and health club are ming pool, beauty parlour open to nonguests. tor 17; s/d/ste from Rs 6000/10,000/18,000; star, has all the facilities 149-room monolith down to chain, the Taj you would expect of capability, minibars desks, wi-fi the business TVsand plasma-screen the rooms. Before in dining in the Indian or Chinese restaurant, punjab.com; Nadiali; s Rs 2999-3499, d Rs 3499-3799; s Rs 2999-3499, d Rs 3499-3799; punjab.com; Nadiali; a taste offers countryside resort’ This ‘ethnic in luxurious culture traditional Punjabi of Rangedsurroundings. a swimming around displaying local and shop a gallery pool are bar and an a swish craftwork, a health club, Accommodation is in mod- exotic restaurant. built in traditional Punjabi style, ern cottages near the main complex. Located or the lavish pick-ups from free provides airport, the resort good choice for breakfast, this Sector for breakfast, 22 in- good choice sweets and stitution has an enticing array of ) This 33- With blan- •• Chandigarh PUNJAB & HARYANA a Each of the 14 the 14 Each of ) This government This government ) /fax 2720204; Sector 22; s a 2700001; shivalikview@citc 5074086; Sector 22; s Rs 895- 25005599; Sector 35; s/d from 2705191; Sector 22; s Rs 450- 2724203; cityheartchd@yahoo 2703690; Sector 22; r with/with- % 2708100; www.hotelsunbeam ( 2703103; Sector 22; s Rs 400-600, %

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This plush hotel is packed is packed hotel This plush ) Satyadeep’s roomier, smarter Satyadeep’s roomier, smarter The rooms with balconies are are The rooms with balconies a ai

Kaptain’s Retreat

Hotel Shivalikview Hotel City Heart Hotel Sunbeam Chandigarh Hotel Hotel Divyadeep Hotel Satyadeep Hotel Akash Deep ochandigarh.com; Sector & dinner 17; s/d/ste with breakfast from Rs 2600/3000/5500; belonging to the owner, cricketing legend legend belonging to the owner, cricketing For unenthusiastic pace-bowlers, Dev. Kapil as well as is an excellent bar-restaurant there as wooden such touches beautiful decorative ceiling fans. Rs 2190/2490; and photos bats, whites with signed cricket cable TV and fridges. rabbits in cabinets. The stylish rooms have rabbits in cabinets. The stylish rooms have room hotel setroom hotel around a marble spiral stair- desk, a travel restaurant, a rooftop case offers and toy tigers a doctor on call, and kitschy .com; Sector 17; s/d/ste Rs 1395/1595/2295; Ambassador cocktail lounge and restaurant is Ambassador and restaurant cocktail lounge popular among the mobile-phone set. kets on the beds and Life’s Good TV on the beds and Life’s kets sets, the an institutional air in this quiet rooms have The plush hotel. unexciting but good-value .com; Sector 22; s Rs 1395-1595, d Rs 1695-1895) ridors and an open-plan bar-restaurant in in and an open-plan bar-restaurant ridors the foyer. signer hotel, with rugs on the varnished wood with rugs on the varnished wood signer hotel, modern art in the cor- and marble floors, Rs 1295-1995, d Rs 1495-2195; de- in this understated rooms is different MIDRANGE & TOP END MIDRANGE & TOP END Hotel Kwality Regency out AC Rs 900/700) 700, d Rs 550-800) run by friendly followers of the South Indian the South Indian of followers run by friendly from the affiliated Upstairs Sai guru Sai Baba. has quiet rooms hotel Sweets, great-value the with balconies and all facilities. d Rs 470-750; Budget accommodation is in short supply so supply is in short accommodation Budget book ahead. Sleeping Sleeping BUDGET Book accommodation online at lonelyplanet.com online at accommodation Book lighter and preferable in this cavernous fall- in this cavernous and preferable lighter back option with TVs in the 15 rooms. sister hotel. sister 1095, d Rs 1095-1295; in this modern and clean hotel with a dash of with a dash of hotel in this modern and clean Continental style. PUNJAB & HARYANA The hippest of acluster of with nightclubs, ment showssatellite sportscoverage. Thecowboy-themedbarinthebase- week. of night that’sfullevery the ish curryhouse and Irishcoffee andsundaesonthemenu. leather sofas, hip-hopandR&B onthestereo, travellers andlocalscenesters, thissplit-level 7.30pm) offers andexpensive beer Indian, draught hot garlicsauce. lasers scanningabovelasers thewhite sofas and bar- Antidote Entertainment round theback. 22have drinkingdens The outletsinSector mon inChandigarh asmodernistfaçades. p265)areSunbeam (see alsogood hang-outs. and hotels such asTaj Chandigarh andHotel nied byWestern rock. décor, andHindipopvideosaccompa- curvy bar-restaurant haschrome chairs, light-boxes, meals Rs110,beersfrom65) musicandThunderboltontap. house ment of loud HotMillions2withapooltable, extensive. amicable anditscheaper menuisjustas less classythannearbyGhazal,butit’smore at weekends. Mehfil restaurant upstairs is beer garden tomind,butisOKforadraught exactlybringanEnglishscreen, itdoesn’t from Rs35) purpose. asoaking-up like goodvalueifit’sserving or tasty glitz, butthefoodwillonlyseem drinking denisanantidote toChandigarh’s Beans Drinking 6pm-midnight) la’s Chicken arrive. Trythe whenthey butgenerous servings slow service restaurant prices and A Chinese withhigh dishes. andChinese Continental 266 Piccadilly’s BlueIceBar&Restaurant Bar English Garden 2 City Heart Plus Shangri-La Ghazal Khyber English Wine & Beers Shops areEnglish Wine&Beers ascom- above)The bars atrestaurant (see Khyber Down Under Dhaba Nukka UJB&HRAA • hniah PUNJAB &HARYANA ••Chandigarh

(Sector 9;snacksRs20; (Sector This grandlyappointed restaurant

A basement bardominated byabig Abasement (Sector 26;admissionRs 1000;mealsRs135-225) (Sector

( (Sector 17;mealsRs120-170; (Sector (Sector 22;mealsRs65-160; (Sector

% are OKforabite atlunchtime.

(Sector 22;beersfromRs30) (Sector 2607728; Sector 35;mealsRs150) 2607728; Sector

(Sector 17) (Sector

(Sector 22;mealsRs20-60) (Sector yaki gyoza

( %

2608082; Sector 35;mealsRs150) 2608082; Sector (Sector 17;mealsRs150,beers (Sector Agaybarinthebase- Popularamongboth a ) –dumplingswith This coolcaféhas h Thisribald h 11.30am-4pm & and

(Sector 17; (Sector 11.30am- Styl- Chaw-

mission fromRs100; features dogs,rabbitsandmidgets. gician’, withanintermission after 1½hours, show by‘theworld’sgreatest andfastest ma- (US$105, 3.15pm) and Mumbai (US$290,3.15pm). (US$105, 3.15pm)andMumbai dailyflightstoDelhi 1.15pm &2-5pmMon-Sat)Offers stocked withbrand-namegoods. stocked AIR Getting There&Away CDs andyoucanlistenforfree. World Music Ebony shopping andentertainment area. 17isthemain ofThe centralsection Sector Shopping and sometimesmovies inEnglish. Cinema wood stars. shows byperformers such astouringBolly- and try African students. ers’ –whenitattractsChandigarh’s night’ –‘foreign-club that’sfunonSundaynight Rs 350; palm Rs1000notes. men proffering lighters assmoothlythey 5½ hours) andShimla (ordinary/semideluxe/ (Uttaranchal). 120, sixhours) in Uttarakhand luxe Rs215/290,11hours), and Haridwar (Rs hours),Rs 153/200,eight Manali (ordinary/de- hours), (ordinary/deluxe Dharamsala seven Sahib (Rs45,2½hours), (Rs110, Amritsar hours), Sirhind(Rs45,twohours), Anandpur 17terminal costRs50. Sector fromthe autorickshaws tothenewstation (ISBT) 43.PrepaidStation inSector station leave buses tance fromthenewInter State Bus can beconfusing,especiallyasmostlong-dis- Half adozen soit companiesoperate buses, BUS Airways Jet Indian Airlines Air Deccan flights toDelhi(4.35pm)andJammu(1.35pm). Sat) DailyflightstoDelhi(US$100,2.25pm). If youcan’tget pastthedooratAntidote, Tagore Theatre Aerizzona Buses to Delhi (ordinary/deluxeBuses Rs128/248, OP Sharma & His Colourful Indrajal Colourful OP Sharma&His Regular buses runtoPatialaRegular buses (Rs45,three Cross Over Rendevous (Sector 9) One of a number of department stores 9)Oneofanumberdepartment (Sector h

(Sector 17) (Sector ( Wed &Fri-Sun) ( % (Sector 17 & Sector 18) The best selection of 18)Thebestselection 17&Sector (Sector %

(Sector 9;admissionpercoupleincl2beers (Sector

Kiran Cinema Kiran (Sector 26;admissionRs600; (Sector ( 080-39008888; airport) Dailybudget 080-39008888; airport) %

screen Bollywoodblockbusters 2741465; Sector 9; 2741465; Sector (Sector 26) (Sector h (Sector 18) (Sector

2262517; Sector 17; 2262517; Sector 3pm &7pm) Acheap andcheerful . hosts music and dance hostsmusicanddance

(Sector 17) (Sector Thethree-hour h lonelyplanet.com 9am-6pm Mon- and h

(Sector 17;ad- (Sector h 10am- 9pm-2am) Neelam PUNJAB & HARYANA , a , a 267 01733- Hosh &

(see the % ( 01733-250166; % ( has spick-and- ) has a lakeside has a lakeside

Aam Khas Bagh a is a café and bar in is a café and amusement park is amusement park is heritage festival 01733-250166; Tikka Tal; adult/ Tal; 01733-250166; Tikka 01733-250166; r Rs 800-1100; 01733-250166; r Rs 800-1100; Budgerigar Motel % % ( (

9am-7pm) h (meals Rs 35-200)

is a basic place with dated rooms and is a basic place with dated ) 01763 / pop 53,800 Located 10km from Morni village, 10km from Morni village, Located Jal Mahal To get to Morni, take a bus (Rs 40, two a bus (Rs 40, to Morni, take To get Mountain Quail Lake View Camping Complex There is an annual is an There The Mughal-style the bus (Rs 15, one From Chandigarh, take are empty but make an impressive sight, sight, an impressive empty but make are palace and along with the ruined Jehangir’s in the floor. rooms with vents the winter is a small museum with an interest- There Punjab’s role in Indian ing exhibition about Independence. Josh Hills ‘n’ Thrills and rooms under construction at the time of ahead for rock-climbing and Book research. fun. water-based or a taxi (Rs 500). Mountainhours) is Quail is there from where the village, 2km before Taal. transport to Tikka PUNJAB SIRHIND % main attractions, This small town has three among them the chief Mughal walled garden laid out by Emperor with additions by Emperor Jehangir Akbar in the 17th century. Its fountains and wells in nearby Himachal Pradesh, providing a a providing Pradesh, in nearby Himachal the the mountainous landscape over of taste line. state child Rs 50/30; a local statueannounced by a towering of a nose. mushroom that resembles a about trekking new additions on the way. Ask opportunities and visits to farms and other local attractions. dm Rs 150, camping Rs 600) Tal; Tikka restaurant, terrace with basic amenities, a site 231877; dm Rs 150, r Rs 500-2500; 231877; dm Rs 150, four-bed with balconies and two span rooms entry to the gardens free dorms. There’s popular bar-restaurant. throughthe hotel’s or a taxi (Rs 200). hour, frequent) Morni Hills only hill station gazes across the Haryana’s hills and Kasauli hazy plains to the Shivalik boxed text, p260 ) here. p260 text, boxed the middle of one the gardens’ green ponds. gardens’ green one the the middle of

270 are are %

( (chair (chair 7am-10pm) h Raja Travels sell tickets for AC de- for AC sell tickets 8am-8pm Mon-Sat, to 2pm Sun) (Rs 107/495, four hours), (Rs 107/495, four hours), Shatabdi Express Shatabdi h

( 2700001; www.avtartravels.com; Sec- PUNJAB •• Sirhind 9am-9pm) (admission Rs 10;

%

( h gardens

at Hotel Shivalikview hires out AC cars cars out AC hires Shivalikview at Hotel Taxis charge around Rs 150 to the airport, charge Taxis Two fast trains connect Delhi and Chan- Two fast trains connect Travel agencies such as such agencies Travel

Founded and designed by Nawab Fidai Fidai Founded and designed by Nawab Avtar Travels Avtar Cycle-rickshaw rates vary from Rs 10 to vary from Cycle-rickshaw rates Half a dozen trains go to Kalka (Rs 38/350, a dozen trains go to Kalka Half reservation office Khan, Badshahi who also designed Mosque the gar- in Lahore Pakistan), (in present-day dens served for the Mughal kings as a retreat during They fled the area and their harems. to the and the gardens fell outbreak a goitre Pradesh. Sirmaur, Himachal of Maharaja built on seven levels with water features that built on seven features levels with water views of and panoramic sometimes operate hills. the Shivalik These reconstructed 17th-century Mughal 17th-century Mughal These reconstructed walled AROUND CHANDIGARH AROUND CHANDIGARH Pinjore (Yadavindra) Gardens tor 17) Rs 125 for an hour’s tour or Rs 550 for eight distance). (limited hours Sukha Lake or the government buildings, and Sukha Lake or the government Rs 85 to the airport. Rs 30. Fares from the prepaid autorickshaw from the prepaid Rs 30. Fares booth behind the bus station include Rs 30 to Chandigarh is spread out but, with its cycle is spread Chandigarh and parks, was built for cycling. Chan- paths out bicycles (per Tourist Centre hires digarh Rs 100). eight hours 317, five hours) rattle up the mountain rattle to hours) 317, five Shimla. Getting Around one hour), from where four daily trains (Rs 51/ one hour), from where Jan Shatabdi Express Shatabdi Jan runs daily except Sunday. which digarh: the daily and the hours) three Rs 655/955, car/1AC is on the 1st floor of the bus stand. Prepaid the bus stand. Prepaid is on the 1st floor of the train station to autorickshaws from there cost Rs 50. TRAIN TRAIN A Amritsar (Rs 250, four hours, three daily) and three Amritsar (Rs 250, four hours, daily). five 180, two hours, Ludhiana (Rs luxe private buses private including to destinations luxe daily), (Rs 850, sevenDelhi airport five hours, 0119; Sector 22; deluxe Rs 89/130/180, four hours) leave from leave four hours) Rs 89/130/180, deluxe the Sector 17 stand. lonelyplanet.com from Rs 850 per 80km. PUNJAB & HARYANA Khas Bagh, 3kmnorthof theGrandTrunk Bagh, Khas Sat) the State Bank of Bank the State Punjab. terCard ATM.terCard hr Rs25; the boxed text, below ). text, p260 ) and,of course, thePatiala peg(see the pointy-toed), jootis(Punjabislippers,braiding tags), often famous for a friendlytownwithhandfulof It’s sights. weakenedMughals (see p45 ), Patiala istoday asthe AlaSingh byBaba that wasestablished of state Once thecapital anindependentSikh % PATIALA two hours). (Rs 17,onehour)andChandigarh (Rs45, andagoodbar-restaurant.setting, Rd, hasdrabbutspaciousrooms,agarden Rd; rwith/withoutACRs700/500; festival flock here July/August duringthe every Meccaas asecond byIndia’sSunnis,who Shaikh Faruqisaint Sirhindi. Itisregarded the decorative marblemausoleumof Muslim Mela they are honoured atthethree-day forrefusingthe Mughals toconvert toIslam, Buriedalive guru,Gobind Singh. by 10th Sikh martyrdom of thetwoyoungest sonsof the Sahib Fatehgarh pilgrimage site, thegolden-domed 268 State BankofPunjab State Bindra’s CommunicationCentre connectSirhindwithPatialaRegular buses The A 10-minute walkfurtheronis A 20-minute Sikh walkawayisanimportant is known all over Indiaasa Patiala peg. pegs (ofwhisky)were alwayslarger thanelsewhere. Even todayanextra-large measure ofwhisky complaint referred tothetent pegs)replied thatinPatiala, wellknownforits hospitality,the aboutthesize ofthepegs. (notrealisingcomplained tothe maharaja The thatthe maharaja roy’s team andlarger ones forthePatialans. team Thewon buttheviceroy’steam maharaja’s measures (orpegs)ofwhisky,whilethe tent pegswere changed–smalleronesforthevice- opponents todrinksthenightbefore thematch.The Britishwere pliedwithlarger-than-usual into thegroundwithalancefrom backofagallopinghorse. ofPatiala. maharaja and thesports-mad Tent-pegging ofspearingtent pegs isthecurioussport In theearly1900sa tent-pegging contest tookplaceinPatiala betweentheteams oftheviceroy A PATIALA PEG changes andMas- moneyandhasaVisa 0175 /pop238,000 festival heldhere December. every UJB • ail PUNJAB ••Patiala Desperate to win and fearful of the wrath of their maharaja, thePatialanDesperate ofthewraththeirmaharaja, towinandfearful team invited their . h Maulsari Tourist Complex Tourist Maulsari 7.30am-10pm) pagri , which commemorates the1704 (turbans), Basant festival

is aninternet cafénear (the Mall; (the Mall; a ( h ) , neartheAam

% paranda (9-10 MC Market; per (9-10 MCMarket;

(see theboxed (see 10am-4pm Mon- 222250; offBassi Shaheedi Jor Jor Shaheedi Rauza Sharif Rauza Gurdwara Gurdwara (hair- Urs , memorabilia relating toPunjabisprinting Green’s Sleeping &Eating jackals, monkeys, emusandporcupines. crocodiles, park,houses known asthedeer small ‘theFlyingSikh’. Singh, hero Milkha 1pm &2-5.30pmMon-Fri) museum sports theNationalInstitute ofhouses Sportsanda andtrainstation. ride fromthebusstand Mahal, thepalaceisa20-minute autorickshaw niture, AlsocalledSheesh sitars andtablas. animals,fur- ivoryfigurines,stuffed statues, side, theArt&Medal Krishna Gallerycontains suspension bridge over ahuge, In- emptytank. 5pm Tue-Sun) are displayed beneath22chandeliers. warriors, bySikh Antique weapons,onceused Rs 10; worthwhile, andthere’s an round itscrumblingwallsandspikydoors is sound thatentryisnotallowed,butawander position inthebazaararea. Itsceilingissoun- transported fromtheGreat toits TharDesert QilaMubarak restaurant thebest atNarainContinental, noodles, vegetarian fare: pizzas, burgers, Self-service bathrooms asyoumove upthepricerange. stocked bar. andreasonable Roomshave TVs wood wallpanels,mottledmirrors andawell- colonialfeel, with shadowy placehasaghostly Ten minutes awaybyautorickshaw,the New MotiBaghPalace style,thefaded Built inaMughal/Rajasthani Regency Regency Nearby, the grand Old Moti Bagh PalaceNearby, thegrandOldMotiBagh Gopal’s h zoo

10am-5pm Tue-Sun) ( %

namkin,

(Leela Bhawan;mealsRs25-65; (admission Rs5; isawedding-cake buildingwitha ( % Book accommodationonlineatlonelyplanet.com fortlookslike itcouldhave been 2213071; Mall; rRs275-660; 2213071; Mall;

(admission free butIDrequired; 2212846; the Mall; mealsRs75-140) 2212846; theMall; milkshakes andicecream. . Theexhibitsinclude inthe1859DurbarHall. h

(admission Rs10; 9am-5pm Tue-Sun) arms gallery h a 10am-10pm) h (admission (admission

h ) This , also 10am- The 9am-

PUNJAB & HARYANA 269 8.30am-11pm) 11am-2pm & h h 7am-midnight Mon-Sat, 9.30am-midnight) h h 5050222; Ranjit Ave; consultation 5050222; Ranjit Ave; % ( 2224928; Lawrence Rd; 2224928; Lawrence (per hr Rs 40; (Nehru Centre; per hr Rs 20; (Nehru Centre; % ( (Mall Rd; per hr Rs 30; 0183 / pop 1.01 million 0183 / The original site for the city was granted was granted for the city The original site During unrest in Punjab in the early 1980s, During unrest 5.30-7pm Mon-Sat, 11am-10.30pm Sun) MEDICAL SERVICES MEDICAL SERVICES Dr Sham Fortis Hospital Orientation Orientation and The old city, including the Golden Temple the train station and is southeast of bazaars, surrounded by a circular road, once the site walls. Modern Amritsar, the city’s massive of the train station, the containsnorth of most of is a and Lawrence Rd, which hotels upmarket The bus street. popular eating and shopping the train station.station is 2km east of Information INTERNET ACCESS Cyber Swing Rasoi.Upstairs from Punjabi Cyber World iWay Mughal, Ahmad Shah Durani, sacked Amrit- Durani, sacked Mughal, Ahmad Shah It was sar in 1761 and destroyed the temple. with in 1802 was roofed in 1764, and rebuilt Ranjit Singh by Maharaja gilded copper plates Golden Temple. and become known as the was occupied by separa- the Golden Temple an independent Sikh on creating tists intent then–prime min- of homeland. On the orders finally evicted Indira Gandhi, they were ister military by the army in 1984 in a controversial and fuelled to the temple action that damaged violent Sikh-Hindu clashes in Punjab and beyond that left thousands (predominantly assassinated Sikhs) dead. Gandhi was later ). p52 by her Sikh bodyguards (see AMRITSAR AMRITSAR % Ram1577 by the fourth guru Founded in Das, Amritsar is home to Sikhism’s holiest shrine gurdwara The gold-plated the Golden Temple. a its holy pool like middle of in the glitters rate bar, a sight bullion visitors that some huge ex- particularly after – Mahal Taj alongside the frenetic surrounding old city’s periencing the old city, the internet lanes. In contrast to the in Amritsar’s modern and eateries cafés, hotels capital. as slick as the state are areas but another by the Mughal emperor Akbar, fee Rs 100-200) Nextfee to MK Hotel, this modern private 24- hour emergency hospital has a 24-hour pharmacy. to 11pm Sun) . , the site of a of , the site (see the boxed (see the boxed at the time of writ- at the time of (see the boxed text, (see the boxed Ludhiana festival Jagatjit Palace . This was the home of the . This was the home of in which a player chases in which a player chases (see the boxed text, p260 ). p260 text, (see the boxed PUNJAB •• Northern Punjab survived of sacking Mahmud by Rural Sports Festival , near the Pakistan border, was once , near the Pakistan kho-kho, Kapurthala A less common, nine-a-side variation on music festival his opponent around a line of eight sitting his opponent around a line players. this is KABADDI – KABADDI – KABADDI – KABADDI – KABADDI KABADDI ‘touch’ and a game of rugby A cross between India kabaddiwithout a ball, is played all over While but is particularly popular in Punjab. chants ‘kabaddi’one of the players – and he wins – of seven the other team can’t stop or the has to get him to touch the opposition descends game frequently The line. centre player assured into a scrum, but one young not supposed to rules: ‘You’re were us there – his mouth over punch him or put your hand that would be a foul.’ Jalandhar Regular buses connect Patiala and Sirhind and Sirhind Regular buses connect Patiala Faridkot Faridkot Ludhiana is a good base from which to Ludhiana is a good base to from which Sufi (Muslim mystic) Shaikh Farid lived here, lived Farid Shaikh Sufi (Muslim mystic) by a and is honoured person’s ). His belief in equality – ‘Every p260 heart is a jewel’ – influenced Guru Nanak (see his poems) and some of p273 text, the boxed in Sikh holy book, the Guru Granth Sahib.are capital of a Sikh state of the same the a Sikh name and hascapital state of of fort. The 13th-century poet and a 700-year-old sioner’s office you can visit the maharaja’s visit the maharaja’s you can sioner’s office pink, Versailleslike The Princess of Kapurthala, of The Princess ing. With a permit from the District Commis- maharaja, a story that inspired the Javier Moro the Javier a story that inspired maharaja, Cruz Penelope Hollywood actress which novel debut, was hoping to turn into her directorial be- ago and later Ghazni nearly 1000 years came an important Mughal city. Nowadays for a the venue and it’s a commercial centre top Spanish flamenco dancer who married a local attend the attend duces nearly three million bikes annually. annually. million bikes duces nearly three battle in the First Sikh War of 1845–46, is also Sikhbattle in the First War of pro- Bicycles, which Hero of the headquarters and ) in Kila Raipur in February, p260 text, to visit India’s textile centre, centre, India’s textile (Rs 17, one hour). NORTHERN PUNJAB hotel in town, is pricey but popular, offering in town, is pricey but popular, offering hotel curries. of the usual range lonelyplanet.com PUNJAB & HARYANA midnight, free homedelivery11am-8pm)Pharmacy. ICICI ATM Bank ofPunjab MONEY Niraz Medicare 270 currencies andcashinall majorandsomeminor currencies. to2pmSat)Exchangestravellers chequesin10 5pm Mon-Fri, 4 1 3 2 5

AMRITSAR

(30km); Lahore (65km) Lahore (30km);

To Attari/Wagah To Border; Pakistan Border;

Airport (15km) Airport

To Air Deccan Air To (15km); UJB • misr PUNJAB ••Amritsar SIGHTS &ACTIVITIES INFORMATION rSa...... B1 Dr Sham...... Sri DurgianaTemple...... Sikh Museum...... (see5) Ram BaghMuseum...... Mata Temple...... Martyrs’ Gallery...... Guru-Ka-Langar...... Golden Temple...... Tourist Office...... State BankofIndiaATM...... (see46) Post Office...... Police Box...... Niraz Medicare...... (see2) Main PostOffice...... iWay...... Information Office...... ICICI BankATM...... (see23) ICICI BankATM...... HDFC ATM...... Cyber World...... (see44) Cyber Swing...... (see39) Bank ofPunjab...... Baba Photo...... (see44) (Lawrence Rd)Alsohas anATM intheoldcity.

Gobindgarh 47

AC

Fort Gobind Fort Court Rd Court 14

( Garh ( % % Singapore Airlines(2.5km)

Fortis Hospital(2.5km); R 2554891; GoldenTemple; To MKHotel(2.5km); 2566787; Lawrence Rd;

Jet Airways(2.5km); d Albert Rd 7 46

Air India(2.5km); 27

the Mall Queen's 42

19

Station Train

Isla 8 Railway Link Rd

ma 10 Rd

bad 24 Ὀ Ὀ ὈὈ ὈὈ Bazaar Deli Kam Deli Bazaar 40 17 Rd 16 15 14 13 12 11 10

9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Taylor Rd 16 C3 B3 B1 A2 C3 C3 C3 B2 C3 A2 A2 B1 C3 C3 B1 Bagh Gole 6

34 Circular 32 Circular Rd 18 31 36 B 2 3 EATING SLEEPING ors ushue...... B2 Tourist Guesthouse...... Grand Hotel...... Neelam's...... (see 39) Makhan...... Kesar DaDhaba...... Crystal Restaurant...... Brothers' Dhaba...... Bhandari NamkinShop...... Arshi's Sub-Zero...... Sri GuruRamDasNiwsa...... Sharma Guesthouse...... Mohan InternationalHotel...... MK SoodGuesthouse...... Lucky GuestHouse...... Hotel RitzPlaza...... Hotel Lawrence...... Hotel Grace...... Hotel GoldenTower...... Hotel CJInternational...... Hotel Bharat...... Hotel Airlines...... h 41 h

C Gate Rd MMM

Hall o Lawrence Rd

Nimak Mandi Nimak o R

8am- p d 10am- e

r 44 23 Bazaar R d Ram Bagh

15

35 Shardha 30 Old City

Guru 43 North Nand Gate Mon-Sat) Post office Main POST Baba Photo PHOTOGRAPHY 10pm Mon-Sat) Sells memorycards(512MBRs 1800). 10pm Mon-Sat)Sells

Baz Hall

Baza aar Bazaar

38 Chati Wind Chati

post office

GT Rd 49

11 ar 12 Hukam Singh Rd 36 35 34 33 32 31 30 29 28 27 26 25 24 23 22 21 20 19 18 17

(PhawaraChowk; Mu 5

1

( 29

ker 33

ὈὈ ὈὈ B2 B1 B3 B2 C3 B1 B1 C3 C3 A1 C3 C3 B1 B1 C3 C3 C3 A2 B2 Ramgahia Bazaar % ian 20 48 4 39 ( 25 Sh

5052714; 12NehruCentre;

37 ar 22 TRANSPORT SHOPPING ENTERTAINMENT Taxis &Share-JeepstoAttari/Wagah Pizza Point...... Novelty...... (see 32) ri eevto fie...... C3 Uzbekistan Airways...... (see24) Train ReservationOffice...... Border...... Raja Travel...... (see24) Indian Airlines...... Free BustoGoldenTemple...... Bus Station...... Nehru Centre...... Katra JaimalSinghBazaar...... Central Plaza...... Adarsh...... Aaanaam...... Surjit...... (see 44) Punjabi Rasoi...... Punjab Dhaba...... iw % al

45 la Bha Mahna ian 26 Rd 0.5miles 800m 0 0 21 9 2566032; Court Rd; 2566032; Court 28

13 Singh Jallianwala

Bagh

Rd h

9am-7pm Mon-Sat) Rd Circular

To Pathankot (107km); Pathankot To lonelyplanet.com Srinagar (352km) Srinagar D h h 9am-5pm

49 48 47 46 45 44 43 42 41 40 39 38 37

(525km) To Delhi To 10am- C3 A1 A2 C2 B1 C3 A1 B1 B1 C3 C3 C3 PUNJAB & HARYANA 271 Sri Sri Dev Das Sri Ram Guru Guru Guru Arjan Niwas Niwas Niwas Guru Niwas Nanak (Pool of (Pool of Hargobind Guru Granth Guru Granth Baba Atal Tower Mata Niwas Ganga Hari Mandir Sahib tells the grisly his- tells Shoes Amrit Sarovar 0 50 m Garden 7am-7pm) Kitchen , where the Shiromani Gurd- the Shiromani , where Hall) (Dining Hall) Manji Sahib Guru-Ka-Langar h (Assembly

( (marble inlay) style of the Taj the Taj style of (marble inlay) ὈὈ Akal Takhat CJ , is kept under a pink shroud in the Hari in the Hari a pink shroud under , is kept Ramgarhia Hotel Watch-towers Sikh Museum A causeway (Gurus’ Bridge) leads to the leads to the A causeway Bridge) (Gurus’ Four priests inside the temple keep up a up a keep temple Four priests inside the Upstairs, in the main entrance clock tower, in the main Upstairs, The Nectar), which gave the town its name. The The the town its name. Nectar), gave which two-storey marble temple, two-storey Sahib). This stands(or Darbar in the mid- pool the sacred dle of Sahib during the day and returns Sahib Mandir at night. Takhat to the Akal ceremoniously 5am and 9.15pm in win- Ceremony times are and 4.30am and 10.15pm in summer. ter, the by the Mughals, Sikhs, the martyred tory of Gandhi. the British and Mrs Committee (SGPC), or Sikh wara Parbandhak meets, traditionally was heavily Parliament, lower parts of the marble walls are decorated decorated walls are the marble of lower parts in the flower and animal motifs with inlaid dura pietra Mahal. in Gurmukhi from the Sikhcontinuous chant around the holy book and this is broadcast The origi- complex by loudspeakers. temple the Sikh holy book, the nal copy of Shops Ghat Shoes Bathing Baba Deep Singh's Shrine , the 7am- Store Baggage Punjab Bank of h Hari Sahib

( Mandir 9am-5pm 9am-5pm Amrit Sarovar h Parkarma Clock Tower Shops Parkarma Sikh Museum Clock Tower & (Main Entrance) Gurus' Bridge Office Shoes Information information office Ancient Jujube Tree 2402452; Queen’s Rd; 2402452; PUNJAB •• Amritsar Sales Prasad % ( Flagstaffs Train Reservations

near the main entrance. Ninth Akal Pilgrims and visitors to the complex must to Pilgrims and visitors

The architecture, like the religion, is a blend the religion, like The architecture, Takhat GOLDEN TEMPLE COMPLEX Guru's Shrine Mon-Sat) Hidden an alley. away down aim to live a pure life. Like the Taj Mahal, it’s Mahal, the Taj Like life. a pure aim to live day. worth seeing times of at different to both. The golden dome (saidto both. The golden dome to be gilded in- an gold) represents pure with 750kg of Sikh devotees’ lotus flower, a symbol of verted of Hindu and Islamic styles but very different different Hindu and Islamic styles but very of not at all po-faced or daunting, with crowds or daunting, with crowds not at all po-faced and bathing in the pool. chatting their shoes, and cover wash their feet remove Photogra- heads; head scarves provided. are from the phy is only permitted True to Sikhism’s The at- the Sikhs’welcome at holiest shrine. inclusive nature, all but spiritual is genuinely inside mosphere are Sights & Activities Sights & Activities GOLDEN TEMPLE TOURIST INFORMATION INFORMATION TOURIST Tourist office the pool. To- marble walkway surrounding not allowed inside the are bacco and alcohol is an There temple. lonelyplanet.com 8pm) PUNJAB & HARYANA much of present-day Kashmir andPakistan. the great one-eyedleader,Punjabcolonised (1780–1839).Under Maharaja Singh Ranjit summer palacebuiltbytheLionof Punjab, 5pm summer,10am-4pmwinter)

Rs 10; This parkhasamust-see BAGH RAM the park alsocontains which hundreds leapttoavoid thebullets.The bullet marksare stillvisible,asisthewellinto theboxed1919 –see text, below.Someof the wounded here by theBritishauthoritiesin winter) This small BAGH JALLIANWALA eatingonthefloor.join themasses to 40,000pilgrimsaday.Allare welcometo chine) prepare dhal,riceandchapatis forup ties. Thehuge kitchens (onehasachapati ma- people of allreligions, creeds andnationali- of temples asamarkof allSikh unityamong preciated) community diningroom,afeature one yearof short life. Atal’s The gurdwara’sninestorieseach represent this spotinreturn forthelife hehadsaved. repentant youngster committed suicideon him forinterfering withthewaysof god.The had diedof asnake bite, hisfatherscolded miracle, bringingbacktolife aplaymate who guru Har Gobind. Afterperformeda Atal Tower carefully restored. damaged bythearmyin1984,buthasbeen 272 Guru-Ka-Langar Completed in1784,theoctagonal excellent film ‘cooperation inany shapeorformwiththissatanicgovernment Attenborough’s issinful’. Richard nationalism – Gandhi responded withhisprogrammeofcivildisobedience, announcingthat inappropriate folly’bySirEdwinMontague, theSecretary ofState for India. ItgalvanisedIndian Six minutes later, more 1500were than400peoplewere wounded. dead,andafurther high walls. Dyerarrived with 150troopsandwithoutwarningordered hissoldierstoopenfire. Indians were holdingapeacefuldemonstrationinJallianwalaBagh,anopenspacesurrounded by were murdered ofIndianprotestors inreprisal bytheBritish. attacks followingthekilling were organised inprotest, andescalated intoriotingandlooting. Three Britishbankmanagers strikes) (one-day gency powerstoimprisonwithouttrialIndianssuspected ofsedition.Hartals Unrest (1919),whichgave bytheRowlattAct inAmritsarwas sparked British authoritiesemer- CARNAGE AT JALLIANWALABAGH h UJB • misr PUNJAB ••Amritsar Dyer’s action was supported bysomeofhisBritishcolleaguesbutdescribedas‘asavageand wassupported Dyer’s action day),20,000General Dyerwascalledupontoreturn ordertothecity.On13April1919(Baisakhi commemorates 2000Indianskilledor commemorates Atal Rai, thesonof sixth commemorates Rai, Atal 10am-4.45pm Tue-Sun, closedholidays) park Gandhi

isthefree (donationsap- ( h 6am-7pm summer,7am-6pm dramatically re-enacts themassacre and inquiry. dramatically re-enacts Martyrs’ Gallery Martyrs’ . museum

(admission (

Baba Atal Baba Atal h inthe 9am- [email protected]; 1355GTRd;dm/s/dRs150/150- [email protected]; Foreigners are generally putupinSriGuru Niwas. visitors, Dev check inatGuruArjan huge accommodationblocksforpilgrimsand Golden Temple BUDGET escape thehecticoldcity. north, where manypeopleprefer to tostay city, buttheupmarket hotels are foundtothe There are plentyof modernhotels intheold Sleeping the Silver Temple silver doors. foritscarved of theGoldenTemple, sometimesknownas century Dedicated tothegoddess Durga, this16th- SRI DURGIANATEMPLE to betheinsideof adivinemouth. walkways andcaves, thelastof which turnsout waterways, lowtunnels,staircases, ankle-deep through cuitous route tothemainshrinepasses to becomepregnant comehere topray.Thecir- Womenwishing Devi. century female Lal saint, dusk) This labyrinthine Hindu MATA TEMPLE a donation,buttheyare appreciated. an experiencethanahotel. No-onewillaskfor and athree-day-stay limit,butthisismore of are basic,with shared bathrooms,nohotwater DasNiwasnextdoor.Ram Roomsanddorms Punjabi historytolife. display bringthemanandthisgoldenage of The weapons,paintingsandmanuscriptson Tourist Guesthouse Tourist commemorates20th- thebespectacled temple Book accommodationonlineatlonelyplanet.com (dm free, rRs50-200) (

h dawn-dusk)

( % cave cave temple 2559355; tourist_guest isaHinduversion To stay inthe Tostay (

h dawn- PUNJAB & HARYANA 273 ) Calm, What ) a There are are There ) as 2227801; hotel@jla % 25443478; www.cjhotel hairs, a health club, hairs, (

ai % (

Poky bathrooms and a ) 2400105; www.lawrenceamritsar 2562836; [email protected]; (Urdu songs derived from from (Urdu songs derived % % ( (

(Sikh with his Muslim hymns) 2504610; www.mkhotel.com; s/ Ranjit Ave; ais % (

ghazal ghazal kirtan This has some of the best rooms in This has some of ) Mohan International Hotel Hotel Ritz Plaza MK Hotel Hotel CJ International Hotel Lawrence out room 101). Prices include breakfast and out room 101). Prices include breakfast a there’s (meals poetry) performance in the restaurant Rs 250) every night apart from Tuesday. 45 the Mall; s/d/ste Rs 3000/4000/4800; lacks in character this business-style hotel .com; Lawrence Rd; s/d/ste Rs 1800/2200/3200; .com; Lawrence from Lawrence Rd, with comfortable retreat and reception a lift leading from the 1st-floor rooms. to spotless, great-value restaurant d Rs 2200/3400; the only are location 4km from the city centre shortfalls at Amritsar’s Beyond top hotel. the restaurant a thick-carpeted elegant foyer are (meals Rs 250 to Rs 350), a 24-hour café, a cosy bar with leather armc rooms. and business-style Albert.vsnl.net.in; Rd; s/d Rs 2200/3200, ste Rs 3000-4200; as even ex- Amritsar furnishings – the classy (check sculpture as far the odd Greek tend smart place near the train station,smart place near the train cheerful border a jungly garden. rooms with fridges with draft beer,The bar is the best in town, Hollywood movie murals and Klimt-inspired posters. .net; r Rs 1100-1850, ste Rs 2500; and from the roof the Golden Temple views of the 25 neat rooms in this bright, of from five the old city’s best. The one of modern hotel, (meals Rs 65 restaurant colourful, diner-style to Rs 80) serves fast food as well as Chinese and curries.

) a In this In this ) PUNJAB •• Amritsar ai 2562424; [email protected] 5093376; s with/without AC 2551757; Mahna Singh Rd; r 2534446; www.hotelgolden 2542175; s/d 350/400, with AC % ( %

% % (

( (

% (

2564848; [email protected]; Cooper The name is the only generic ) 2559355; d Rs 550-850, with AC Rs 1250; % are still sung every day in every gurdwara (Sikh temple), and his picture hangs in in hangs gurdwara (Sikh and his picture day in every temple), still sung every are Discounts are readily offered at offered readily Discounts are )

( If you don’t mind roughing it, a This modern, clean hotel near This modern, clean hotel ) ) % ( i

Grand Hotel a a The lilac rooms with TVs and hot kirtan Nanak believed in equality centuries before it became fashionable and campaigned against against and campaigned it became fashionable equality centuries before in Nanak believed His Another modern hotel with bright and Another modern hotel ) the caste system. He was a practical guru – ‘a person who makes an honest living and shares was a practical He guru – ‘a person who makes system. an honest living and shares the caste disciple to be his most talented He appointed the way to God’. earnings with others recognises his sons. his successor, not one of on more For residence. farm cottages to the prime minister’s millions of homes, from humble . p67 Sikhism see musician, Mardana. He performed miracles and stressed meditation on God’s name as the best He performed best on God’s name as the meditation musician, Mardana. miracles and stressed way to enlightenment. THE FIRST GURU GURU THE FIRST Sikhism, was unimpressed the founder of Guru Nanak (1469–1539), Pakistan, Born in present-day in Unlike believed Indian holy men, he many practices. and Hinduwith both Muslim religious and worked he married, had two sons the value of hard work – and as a farmer when family life self-composed and singing preaching around, not travelling Sharma Guesthouse o Hotel Airlines MK Sood Guesthouse Lucky Guest House Hotel Golden Tower .net.in; Queen’s Rd; s/d Rs 1000/1200; Rd; r Rs 750-1200; with fridges, a lift and helpful staff.with fridges, list of charms, this slightly beige, no-frills mid- no-frills this slightly beige, charms, list of rooms option has sparsely decorated range MIDRANGE & TOP END MIDRANGE & TOP END Hotel Grace Rs 850/550; tel’s location near the Golden Temple, which which location near the Golden Temple, tel’s can be seen garden. from the rooftop Rs 600/750) a selling point than the ho- of less are showers to stay, with a cheap restaurant that’s a lively that’s a lively restaurant to stay, with a cheap local hang-out and produces a good chicken tikka marsala. this aged old-city institution is a superb place this aged for decades. More expensive rooms have TVs, rooms have expensive for decades. More bathrooms. and private hot showers 200/200-300; choice a popular backpacker this basic hotel, Book accommodation online at lonelyplanet.com online at accommodation Book clean rooms that is just a stone’s throw from the Golden Temple. a the Golden Temple has rooms with big beds, has rooms with big beds, the Golden Temple tiny balconies and all facilities. thing about this friendly hotel with a pleasantthing about this friendly hotel rooms have garden. Seven terrace deluxe the of hot water. a swing seat and all have Rs 200-600; tower.com; Phawara Chowk; s Rs 450-1100, d 550-1450; tower.com; Another hotel with location at the top of its with location at the top of Another hotel PUNJAB & HARYANA 65-75) 66) Rs 80) and theWest. dishes fromacrossthesubcontinent, China while theadjoiningKwalityrestaurant offers outside are counter are perennial favourites, at the andgateauxexquisite served sweets huge wokoutsidefrom5pmonwards. fish orchicken, sizzlingina which you’llsee 300g Rs60; choc chip. Bhoj isdriedfruitandBlindLove isvanilla can trybefore youbuytheicecream –Raj only darkened bythegloomyproprietor. You the boardsinthisrainbow-coloured parlour, sundaes, shakes andveggie burgers are on for ahead-spinningvarietyof Rs 100) Shop Namkin Bhandari QUICK EATS Punjabi curries. hearty chickentandoori emporiumserving restaurant. pressionist classiest paintingsatAmritsar’s amongmirrors im- andimitation served favourites are from coronarytostroganoff Rs 25-80,meals90-170; other fastfood. and pizzas,grilledsandwiches tasty serving relaxed old-cityretreat withsmoked windows, food NorthandSouthIndian and mirrors serves ian restaurant withblack-and-white décor Punjabi Rasoi RESTAURANTS garlic andginger. method of deep-frying fishwithlemon,chilli, A culinarycentre, isfamousforits Amritsar Eating thepoolforRs120. nonguests canuse There’s abarwithrelaxing armchairs and and marble-floored bathroomsintherooms. it makes upforincomfort,withminibars 274 bars) such as and Novelty o Surjit Crystal Restaurant Arshi’s Sub-Zero Amritsar isfamousforits Amritsar Pizza Point . , . UJB • misr PUNJAB ••Amritsar Situated nexttoNovelty, thisistheplace Kesar DaDhaba Kesar

Brothers’ Dhaba (4 NehruCentre; meals Rs 150-200) h

(Lawrence Rd;snacks&mealsRs30-70) Makhan 2-11pm)

(meals Rs40-70) (Fawla Chowk;pizzasRs65-80) Punjab Dhaba

(Lawrence Rd;scoopRs12)

Agreat placefordeep-fried (Lawrence Rd; chicken Rs150,fish (Lawrence Rd;chicken ( %

h (Lawrence Rd; namkin per 1kg per1kg (Lawrence Rd;namkin (Passian Chowk;mealsRs46- 2225555; Cooper Rd; takeaway 2225555; CooperRd;takeaway

(Town Hall Chowk;mealsRs (Town 11am-11.30pm) Thiscleanvegetar- (Goal HattiChowk;meals

dhabas namkin Thisisa Famous Global Sodas, (snack . The Ritz Plaza)Flies toEurope,NewYorkandMoscow. Ritz 1.50am, andonWednesdayat3.10am. destinations viaSingapore. Ave)Tower-II, Ranjit Fliestonumerousinternational h Jet Airways Jet Indian Airlines Air India Air Deccan book flights. Plaza; .com; HotelRitz flights. isbecomingahubforinternationalAmritsar AIR Getting There&Away north of thecity. Plazaandmallsinthe Central Nehru Centre, Moretiles andsaris. modernshopsare inthe to jootis(Rs150perpair). fromroasted potatoes everything sweet selling stalls and otherheritage buildingsyou’llsee (traditional, ornately decorated residences) of theoldcitylinedwithcrumbling As thenarrowalleys youwanderthrough Shopping both screen Hindifilmsafew timesaday. Cinemas Entertainment 140) and Katra (Rs160)from GandhiGate. to Chandigarh (Rs150to 200),Jammu (Rs go at10pm.Otherprivate buses train station Rs 280/450,8½hours) leave fromnear the Dun (Rs200,11hours) inUttarakhand. 14 hours) inHimachal Pradesh,andDehra Shimla (Rs200,10hours) andManali (Rs270, 125, sixhours), (Rs115,sixhours), Dharamsala border (Rs15,1¼hours). 110, sixhours) ontheIndia-Pakistan andAttari Pathankot (Rs50,three hours), Jammu (Rs hours), hours), Chandigarh (Rs110,seven Frequent leave buses forDelhi(Rs200,10 BUS Airways Uzbekistan Airlines Singapore Delhi dailyat9.15am. on Tuesday, andSundayat3.40am. Wednesday,Friday h to London. 7pm) FliestoDelhi(US$140)dailyat2.15pm,anddirectly Katra Jaimal isfullof Bazaar tex- Singh Private buses forDelhi (with/without ACPrivate buses godailytoDalhousie (Rs One ortwobuses 10am-5pm Mon-Fri, to1pmSat)FliesDelhi(US$135) 10am-5pm Mon-Fri, 9.30am-5pm) FliestoDelhi(US$100)mostdaysat Raja Travel Raja ( % (080-39008888; airport) Budgetflightsto (080-39008888;airport) Aaanaam ( % 2508122; MK Hotel, Ranjit Ave;2508122; MKHotel,Ranjit ( % 9814054417; MKHotel; ( 2213392; fax 2213394; 39A Court Rd; 2213392; fax2213394;39ACourt % ( h

(Taylor Rd) (Taylor ( % % 2500330; fax2501001;Nagpal 9.30am-5.30pm Mon-Sat) 2566819; fax2566820;Hotel 2565150; travel@rajaamritsar and lonelyplanet.com Adarsh h 10am-

(MMM Rd) haveli can s PUNJAB & HARYANA

275 2220088; Gurdaspur 2220088; Gurdaspur % (

. The station retiring . The station retiring ) Gulmohar Tourist Complex a bus station 20292; r Rs 300-600; Buses travel from Amritsar to AttariBuses vil- travel 0186 / pop 168,000 which exchanges currency, but it’s a tiny but it’s a tiny currency, which exchanges Two kilometres from Pathankot Junction from Pathankot Two kilometres Buses and taxis run to Amritsar, Jammu, for Delhi Several trains leave daily express is 500m from the Pathankot Junction train Junction train is 500m from the Pathankot % (sleeper/3AC/2AC Rs 388/940/1206, 11 Rs 388/940/1206, 11 (sleeper/3AC/2AC serve expresses while other daily hours), Am- and Jammu ritsar hours) (sleeper Rs 271, three Val- The Kangra hours). (sleeper Rs 271, three from Pathankot line leaves ley narrow-gauge Junction train station. afterwards. PATHANKOT % in northwest Punjab, is a trans- Pathankot, port hub. The Rd) station and 3km from Chakki Bank train station. is Punjab Tourism’s ( hotels are and there also reasonable, rooms are on Railway Rd. Chamba, Dalhousie, Dharamsala, Manali, and Delhi. Chandigarh lage (Rs 15, 1¼ hours), and then an autorick- (Rs 15, 1¼ hours), lage to the border you from there shaw will take from Amritsar border to the for Rs 15. Taxis an cost Rs 450 and take (one way or return) Rs 200. charge hour, while autorickshaws jeeps also run to the border-closing Shared from the dining-hall entrance to ceremony about two They leave the Golden Temple. starts and return the ceremony before hours train (5.10am is at the 10am-5pm Mon-Sat) h (

Amritsar-How- Shatabdi Express Shatabdi 8am-8pm, to 2pm Sun) h (

PUNJAB •• India–Pakistan Border at Attari/Wagah State Bank of India State run links Amritsar with Lucknow

branch so change money in Amritsar if possible. money in Amritsar branch so change Visas are theoretically available in Delhi however travellers are strongly urged apply for Pakistani apply for Pakistani strongly urged are travellers in Delhi however available theoretically are Visas the visas, given few Delhi is issuing very embassy in Pakistan The visas in their home country. ). p1168 (see also between the two countries tension From Wagah (Pakistan), buses (Rs 20, one hour, every 30 minutes) run to the train station in run to the train station in 30 minutes) From Wagah buses (Rs 20, one hour, every (Pakistan), Lahore, Rs 400. 30km away, while a taxi costs around Visas There is a There Onward Transport The border is open from 10am to 4pm daily, but get there at least half an hour before it it at least half an hour before daily, but get there from 10am to 4pm border is open The closes. Exchange Foreign CROSSING INTO PAKISTAN PAKISTAN INTO CROSSING Border Hours

Direct express trains travel to Delhi (2nd/ to Delhi trains travel express Direct text, text, ). above between India and Pakistan (see the boxed (seebetween the boxed India and Pakistan People come to the border, 30km west of come to the border, 30km west of People to enjoy the late Amritsar, for two reasons: (see ceremony the border-closing afternoon ) or to use the only crossing p276 text, boxed INDIA–PAKISTAN BORDER INDIA–PAKISTAN BORDER AT ATTARI/WAGAH Rs 200. Rs 50 per hour. To the airport, 15km away, To the airport, 15km away, Rs 50 per hour. costs Rs 100 and a taxi an autorickshaw 20, an auto rickshaw Rs 35 and a taxi Rs 50. rickshaw Rs 35 and a taxi Rs 50. 20, an auto to tour the city costs Hiring an autorickshaw Otherwise, from the train station to the Otherwise,train station from the to the costs Rs cycle-rickshaw a Golden Temple tion and the bus stand to the Golden Temple tion and the bus stand to the Golden Temple from 4.30am to 9.30pm. every 45 minutes Getting Around Getting Around bus serviceA free runs from the train sta- hours), Varanasi (Rs 519/1309/1739, 22 hours) (Rs 519/1309/1739, 22 hours) Varanasi hours), and Howrah (Rs 636/1646/2227, 37 hours). rah Mail rah Rs 460/1142/1499, 16½ (sleeper/3AC/2AC service chair car/1AC Rs 445/585, 5pm service Rs 445/585, 5pm service car/1AC chair A daily Rs 500/670, 5¾ hours). chair car Rs 132/595, eight hours); but the fast- car Rs 132/595, eight hours); chair est is the twice-daily TRAIN TRAIN Apart from the train station, a less busy reservation office lonelyplanet.com Golden Temple. Golden Temple. PUNJAB & HARYANA garh Sahib garh from Delhi. Some500mfrom townis head wascremated back after itwasbrought marks thespotwhere Guru Tegh Bahadur’s the guards.Thesmaller gurdwaraSisGanj on display,someof theminthehandsof gurdwara andhasanumberof holyweapons side of Kesgarh Sahib. March. every sary the boxed text, p260 ) celebrates theanniver- (see p67 ) here in1699,and brotherhoodtheKhalsa foundedSikh Singh, ing toconvert toIslam.Hisson,GuruGobind emperor Aurangzebbeheadedhimforrefus- Tegh in1664,before Bahadur theMughal than 300years, itwasfoundedbyninthguru Hills.Apilgrimage siteNana Devi formore historicalgurdwaras,backedhas several bythe holiestsiteThe Sikhs’ after theGoldenTemple % ANANDPUR SAHIB 276 The fortresslike There of Bank isaState IndiaATM atthe closed forthenight. rating western Punjab ofthestate fromanarea (see that,until1947,wasalsopart p50 ) –is flags are quicklyfoldedandmarchedbacktotheirrespective guardrooms. The border–sepa- green, red andgolduniformsonlycentimetres apart. their flags;theIndianandPakistani soldiersstandshouldertoshoulder,theirblack-and-red and andsalute. totheborderandwheelfacebrief handshake goose-step Then theguard parties ofSillyWalkssketch. Python’s Ministry marchtotheborderisvaguelyreminiscentof concussinghimself,thehigh-octane ofMonty with ascowlingfaceandclenchedfists. sohighthesoldierlooksindanger Preceded byakick audience, stampyourfeet, throwinsomeyellsand,once puffed up,marchtofacetheotherside moustaches twirledandeyesbulging. The drillistoparadeupanddowninfrontofyourhome noticeably quieter, andare segregated bysex. dustan). The Pakistanis are equallyvociferous, when thestandsare exceptduringRamadan, Zindabad’(longlivecompere astheycry‘Hindustan Hin- thecrowd’spatrioticfervour, stokes and thereal isinthepeoplewhorunatbordergates action carryingahugeIndianflag. A action. high-kicking VIP area anyway–or,better, grabaseatattheroadsideneargates, rightinviewofthe runleadingtothegrandstands.the chicken Foreigners are allowedtositatthefrontin in winter and5.30pminsummer. around4.30pmthe twocountries’uneasyrelationship, astunningdisplayofharmony.Itstarts elicits machismoandposturingfromtheproudyoungsoldiersonbothsides,butalso,despite 20-minuteengage inanextraordinary ceremony ofpure theatre. The border-closing ceremony Every late afternoon, justbefore sunset,theIndianandPakistani militarymeetattheborderto BRAVADO BORDER 01881 /pop14,700 UJB • nnprShb PUNJAB ••AnandpurSahib Bugles blowandtheflagsare lowered slowly, diplomaticallyremaining atthesamelevel. The The gates a are flungopen.The commandingofficersmarchuptoeachotherandperform With abellowfromtheguardroom,squadstompsoutontoroad,shoulderssquare, At thispointtheyoungsoldiersare millingaboutwiththeairofself-consciousdebutantes, gettingthere early–thoughavoidthestampedewhencrowdchargesIt’s worth along , where of aflight steps leads toa Kesgarh Sahib Kesgarh Holla Mohalla isthelargest Anand- (see (see 3AC/2AC hours). Rs271/546/641, eight connects Anandpur Sahibwith Delhi(sleeper/ five hours). (Rs92, hours) hourtoAmritsar andevery leave frequently forChandigarh(Rs 45,two apart onthemainroadoutsidetown. Buses tion) andfree theycanbefull. meals,though (doubles withfanare available, costby dona- ment istherestaurant (mealsRs50). the religious intensity. Theonlydisappoint- rooms withbalconiesproviding abreak from tumbledown palacewithsurprisinglyplush 300-1000; Sikhism. tion centre Heritage Complex,where asmall warrior-saints of theKhalsa intheKhalsa) thefive-petal form(inspiredsee bythefive maroon fortontheroof. Fromhere youcan The overnight areThe busandtrainstations 300m Gurdwaras alsoprovide accommodation Haveli Kishan a

(admission free; ) , located 1.5km fromtown,isa

( % Delhi–Una Himachal Express 01887-232650; AcademyRd;rRs h 8am-8pm) lonelyplanet.com explains interpreta-

PUNJAB & HARYANA 277

(admis-

(Indian/ (see the 7.30pm Tue- is located is located , anniversary , anniversary h 396192; Pehowa 396192; Pehowa % (

and the ruins of a a and the ruins of Gita Jayanti Shaikh Chehli’s tomb dawn-dusk Sat-Thu) (admission Rs 15;

archaeological museum Surajkund Crafts Mela Hotel Harsh is a friendly hotel near Birla is a friendly hotel h ) , which was created by Brahma was created , which a is said to be an offshoot of the the is said to be an offshoot of 10am-5pm Sat-Thu) h , with its booming Hindi narration of the narration of , with its booming Hindi Some 6km west of the Grand Trunk Rd, the Grand Trunk Some 6km west of run in Punjab, buses regularly For Patiala Just 500m away is India’s largest tank, the is India’s largest Just 500m away the Another 6km away is Jyotisar, where An entertaining way to see and the the tree interesting, More Don’t be put off by the name or the unap- Don’t be put off boxed text, p260 ). p260 text, boxed SOUTH & WEST OF DELHI SOUTH & WEST OF DELHI Surajkund Delhi, this town at the Some 30km south of Range the Aravalli is the site northern end of the awesome of sion free; sion free; pealing façade, Rd; r 450-650; com- five The and eat in central Kurukshetra. TVsfortable rooms have and sit-down flush servestoilets, and the popular restaurant a curry. respectable buses (Rs by regular Kurukshetra is reached and trains from Delhi ISBT hours) 90, three hours). car Rs 70/400, 2½ (2nd class/chair and from there (Rs 16, 45 minutes) to Pehowa (Rs 27, 1½ hours). to Patiala vad Gita. vad Gita. and tank is at the one-hour nearby temple sound-&-light show Sun) Rs 5/100; foreigner Museum. 2.3km from the Sri Krishna This the Mughal of Sufi saint teacher and spiritual with his family is buried prince Dara Shikoh in sandstone-and-marble mausoleums atop surrounded by 12 cu- fortress, a red-brick polas. It has views across Kurukshetra and madrasa the neighbouring (Islamic semi- of respectively nary) and Mughal garden, which contain a small battle between the good Pandavas and the evil betweenbattle the good Pandavas has fun, interac- ground floor The Kauravas. exhibits. science tive Bhramasarovar ). p65 Purana (see the Vamana according to by bathing ghatsSurrounded and walkways, dur- crowds spot attracts huge the popular ing solar eclipses and text, Gita (see the Bhagavad the boxed of p260 ). banyan tree the Bhaga- Krishna delivered one under which momentous local events. Mandir Chowk and is the best place to stay Mandir caravanserai.

Delhi

Chan- 10am- 291615; h % , Krishna , Krishna Hindi for (

can supply 091288; admission hara, % (

9am-5pm Mon-Fri); Haryana Tourism h tourist office Kurukshetra Panorama & & Kurukshetra Panorama in Neelkanthi Krishana 9am-5pm Mon-Fri) 291100; admission Rs 15; h •• Kurukshetra HARYANA % (

. An air-brushed sky flares be- sky flares . An air-brushed 10am-6pm) Sri Krishna Museum h 2702955; Sector 17; 10am-5pm Tue-Sun, closed holidays) 10am-5pm Tue-Sun,

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011-23324910; [email protected]; Chand- 01744 / pop 154,000 The Haryana state government has built a state government The Haryana There’s a lacklustre a lacklustre There’s

Next door is the The town takes its name from founder its name from founder The town takes At the % green. Either description will ring true to es- description will ring true Either green. capees cross who Delhi or Chandigarh from landscape and visit flat, patchwork Haryana’s Kurukshetra. the revered along the modern motel-restaurants of chain 5.30pm Tue-Sun) heads in the picking at severed hind vultures the Mahabharata the story of diorama telling Science Centre with ancient and modern representations of of with ancient and modern representations ), p64 (see Vishnu this heroic incarnation of the subconti- by artists from across created wood, stone, including nent using materials and silk. bronze, ivory, palm leaves Kaliya, plays the flute and wanders among and wanders plays the flute Kaliya, cows. The fascinating museum is packed Kuru, the Aryan king who offered his limbs Kuru, the Aryan king who offered eth- in order to establish a land of to Vishnu ics and values. 18-day Mahabharata battle in which good good battle in which 18-day Mahabharata came out on top. his epic Bhagavad Gita sermon, offered as as Gita sermon, offered his epic Bhagavad he fought the ) before p66 advice to Arjuna ( to Hindu teachings. Brahma created man man Brahma created to Hindu teachings. Krishna delivered and here, and the universe birthplace of the universe and the spot where the spot where and the universe birthplace of evil – at least according good triumphed over % an unprepos- like Kurukshetra may look but it is in fact the centre, regional sessing erlok Bldg, 36 Janpath; a pamphlet. KURUKSHETRA ( main roads that are named after the many after named main roads that are birds found in the state.

Haryana’s name means either ‘Abode of God’ of either ‘Abode name means Haryana’s you depending on whether home’ or ‘green one of to Hari, refers syllable believe its first ), or p64 Vishnu’s aliases (see HARYANA HARYANA lonelyplanet.com Dham Yatri Niwas, a hotel run by Haryana run by Haryana Niwas, a hotel Dham Yatri Harsh. Hotel Tourism opposite Rs 15; Pehowa Rd; Pehowa kills the Crane demon, subdues the serpent digarh PUNJAB & HARYANA Sunbird Rs 2000-3000; the above - ‘Do the right thingwithourcontent.’ the above -‘Dotheright thetermsandconditions onoursiteforalongerwayofsaying youknow,orresell it.See everyone site,mass emailitto only. Inotherwords, pleasedon’tuploadthischapterto apeer-to-peer Inreturn, wethinkit’sfair toaskyouuseitforpersonal,non-commercial purposes restricted. © LonelyPlanetPublications. iteasierforyoutouse,access tothischapterisnotdigitally Tomake population of woodland,shallow-water and barbets andblackdrongos.Itsfluctuating Saras cranes,goldenorioles,red munias,green Oct-Mar) camera/video Rs25/500; This 145-hectare Sultanpur BirdSanctuary Delhi ISBT. by autorickshaw. 35/317, 30minutes), 7kmsouth,andcontinue train toFaridabad (2ndclass/chair carRs ISBT (Rs20,twohours) orcatch theAgra 25112314; rRs900-1300,hut1600; greens andviewsof thesunpool. with itshealthclub,swimmingpools,putting ( king of which istheluxurious leader of thesun-worshipping Tomars. 10th-century 278 © LonelyPlanetPublications % To get toSurajkund, take abusfromDelhi The midrange optionsare Haryana Tourismhasthree hotels here, Surajkund isnamedafter theimpressive During theMela, runfrom special buses 0129-2512843; rRs1500-2300,ste2800-9900; AYN • Suh&Ws fDli HARYANA ••South&WestofDelhi

playshostto255birdspecies,including ( % a 0129-2511357; hutRs900-1100,r1250,ste ) sun pool , which haslake views. sanctuary h 6.30am-6pm Apr-Sep, to4.30pm 6.30am-6pm Apr-Sep, built by Raja Surajpal, builtbyRaja

(Indian/foreigner Rs5/40; Hermitage a and,better, ) Hotel Rajhans Hotel ( %

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than foritsrelaxing bar-restaurant. little decrepit atthebottomof thespectrum, for itsroomsandso-calledhuts,which are a cheaper inaprepaid taxi. the airport,which isonly25kmawaybutno or, ifyou’re from arrivingbyplane,straight to charter fromthecitycentre ataxi (Rs1000) take arickshaw(Rs50).Theeasiestoptionis Garhi Harsaru andwalktheremaining 5kmor the drivers demandRs400. in aTempo (Rs20)orautorickshaw–though 10, onehour),thencover theremaining 14km Change inthelay-by there forGurgaon (Rs the citycentre (Rs10,onehour). toDulaKhan runthrough pochard. Crowded localbuses there isharderthanspottingared-crested 46km southwestof getting Delhi, because ( the 3.5kmtrackcirclinglake. from andheronscanbeseen at noon,stalks time tovisitisOctober toMarch, when,even andpolar regions.the MiddleEast Thebest and 98visitingspeciesfromWestern Europe, deep-water birdsincludes157resident species % It’s worth staying the night at Sultanpur, atSultanpur, thenight It’s worthstaying Alternatively, catch trainto apassenger Haryana Tourism’s 0124-2375242; rRs800-1300; Rosy Pelican Complex a lonelyplanet.com is less notable islessnotable )