©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd Punjab & Haryana Includes ¨ Why Go? Chandigarh ........ 203 The neighbouring states of Punjab and Haryana were carved Pinjore Gardens .....211 from the Indian half of Punjab province in the aftermath Morni Hills ..........211 of Partition in 1947. Since then, Punjab has grown from Anandpur Sahib .....211 strength to strength as the homeland of India’s fabulously welcoming Sikh community, while Haryana has emerged as Amritsar ............212 a dynamic hub for business and industry. Both share the Patiala .............219 same capital city, Chandigarh, which is geographically seat- Bathinda ...........221 ed between the two states. Faridkot ........... 222 Studded with gleaming gurdwaras (Sikh temples) – in- Kurukshetra cluding the overwhelming Golden Temple in Amritsar – (Thanesar) ......... 223 Punjab has become a popular stop on the traveller circuit. Haryana, on the other hand, is more of a touristic mystery. Surajkund ......... 224 The hinterland around the two states is dotted with fascinat- ing, rarely visited historical towns that tell tales of battling empires and playboy maharajas, while some of India’s most alluring abandoned forts hide among their dusty bazaars. Best Places to Eat ¨ Kesar Da Dhaba (p216) ¨ Bharawan Da Dhaba (p217) When to Go ¨ Makhan Fish (p217) Chandigarh °C/°F Te mp Rainfall inches/mm ¨ Virgin Courtyard (p208) 40/104 32/800 ¨ Gopal’s (p208) 24/600 20/68 16/400 0/32 Best Places 8/200 to Sleep -20/-4 0 ¨ Baradari Palace (p220) J FDM A M J J A S O N ¨ Ramada Amritsar (p216) Mar Three days of Apr Punjab’s Oct Diwali means ¨ Mrs Bhandari’s Sikh celebrations largest festival, lights, candles and Guesthouse (p216) for Holla Mohalla Baisakhi, marks fireworks every- ¨ Vivanta By Taj (p224) unravel at Anand- the Sikh New Year where; it’s particu- pur Sahib. and the founding larly magical at the ¨ Hotel Icon (p207) of the Khalsa. Golden Temple. 202 444 Pathankot Dharamsala (25km) D #\ #] Gujranwala 21 Kangra & #\ 444 PAKISTAN #\ Beas Ranital #\ Jogindernagar &1 Dam Border &1A Closing Amritsar #\ Batala 444 Ceremony Golden er #\ #– v Mandi 1 i #3 #Temple R Wagah #\ #\ #] s G ea HIMACHAL Attari rand B Hoshiarpur Lahore #] Tru #\ 44 n Khalsa PRADESH Taren k R #\ oad Heritage Taran #\ &1 Jaijon #\ Complex Kapurthala #] j Jalandhar #5 Sutle Manjha Plain &15 #\ #\ Anandpur Sahib Sultanpur Shimla Kasur #\ Lodhi #\ Nawansharh ^# #\ Sutlej River Rahon #\ Rupnagar #\ Firozpur #] Ludhiana Pinjore #\Kalka PUNJAB & HARYANA HARYANA & PUNJAB #\ #\ Nek Chand Raipur #4 #] Rock Garden #\ Morni #\ #– Faridkot #\ Sirhind Chandigarh Muktsar #\ PUNJAB Patiala #\ Ambala ##]2 T G r u Bathinda r Malaut n #\ a #\ Abuhar &15 k n d #\ R d er v Kurukshetra Pipli i #\ #\ R & H & Mansa #7 a n u #\ &1 5 5 A m a R 5Y yana Karnal #\5 5 Hanumangarh UTTAR HI #\ HARYANA Ghararunda#\ #\ PRADESH &10 gh Sirsa 5 al Panipat an #\5 5 LI i C h #\ Jind 5 ghts nd Ga Indira 5 5 Hisar #\ 5 #\ #\ RAJASTHAN Hansi 5 5 Rohtak #\ 5 Bhiwani #\ Sultanpur D5ELHI #\ #\ Bird #_5 5 #\ Sanctuary Chappar Jhajjar 5 5 # 0 100 km #z6 e0 50 miles Surajkund 5 Gurgaon #\ #\ 5 5 #\ 5 5 5 Punjab & Haryana Highlights 1 Golden Temple (p212) supremacy between histrionic lotus flower–shaped museum Feeling the spiritual energy of Indian and Pakistani border of Sikh history. absolute belief in Amritsar at guards during the border- 6 Sultanpur Bird Sikhism’s holiest site. closing ceremony. Sanctuary (p224) Spying 2 Qila Mubarak (p219) 4 Nek Chand Rock Garden on migratory bird species that Sizing up Patiala’s impossibly (p203) Tumbling into an come to roost at this sanctuary. charming 18th-century fort. alternative reality in Chandi- 7 Brahmasarovar (p223) 3 Attari-Wagah Border garh’s unique rock garden. Brushing up on India’s epic Checkpost (p221) Watching 5 Khalsa Heritage and mythological history in the theatrical battle for Complex (p212) Visiting this Kurukshetra..