Mostly visited for – Amritsar – Golden Temple and Jallianwala Bagh, Chandigarh – a modern city designed by the world famous planner Le Corbusier, Anandpur Sahib, Faridkot, Wagah Border.
Major Cities – Chandigarh, Amritsar, Patiala, Kapurthala, Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Pathankot
Weather - Summer: April to June, Monsoon: July to September, Winter: October to March.
Connectivity
By Air – Amritsar, the city of Golden Temple is known for International Airport and Ludhiana and Pathankot Airport also connect the incredible state to other destinations in India.
By Rail - Super-fast Shatabdi Express trains connect different cities of Punjab to various cities of north India.
By Road - State Highways connect major cities to the state capital. NH 1 or the Grand Trunk Road connects the state with most of the north as well as east India
History, Geography and Culture of Punjab
The land of five waters, Punjab is one of India’s most fertile states. It is often referred to as a Granary of India. The area under Punjab is known to have a direct link with the Harappan civilization. The 4,000 year old Indus Valley Civilization flourished on the same fertile riverbanks which are now in the modern day Punjab. The many architectural excavations and Buddhist relics have testified the ancient connection of the state.
The other historical imprint on Punjab goes through the journey of Sikhism from a philosophy to a 300 year old religion. Under the tutelage of ten Sikh gurus, Sikhism began its journey and spread over the territory. The resistance of the warrior gurus with Mughal rulers continued till the death of Aurangzeb. After this, Sikh kings gained their regional domination over the state as kingdoms.
Under British rule, the state saw the growth of resistance from Sikh province. Even brutal mass assassination of Jallianwala Bagh is a bitter memory of unjust British rule. All this fueled up the struggle for Indian independence. Even after independence, Punjab bore the brunt of partition. As a result of which, the region lost its capital of Lahore. In the year 1950, the state got its temporary capital in the form of Shimla until the planned city of Chandigarh was built in 1960. In the year 1966, the state received a separation from Hindi speaking Haryana and hilly belt of Himachal Pradesh as gained statehood as Punjab.
Geographically, the state is located in northwestern India and shares its borders with Pakistan on the west, Jammu and Kashmir on the north, Himachal Pradesh on the northeast and Haryana and Rajasthan on the south. The state is one of the most fertile states in India bearing the alluvial fertile plains with an extensive canal system. The five rivers channeling the state are Ravi, Beas, Sutlej, Chenab and Jhelum.
As a civilization, the state is one of the most ancient and enriched in the world with a distinguished culture. Here, one can easily find jolly and jovial people who believe in celebrating every day. The turban clad Sardars are affluent in every way. Be it their cuisine or celebrations, they believe in splurging. In popular culture; butter chicken, bhangra music and Amritsar’s Golden Temple have put Punjab on a global map. But in spirit, Punjab is always smiling while welcoming the tourists and extremely hospitable state as far as the tourism is concerned.
Religion – Sikh, Hindus, Islam
Festivals
Rural Sport Festival (Feb, Kila Raipur), Basant Panchami (Mid Feb, Patiala), Baisakhi Festival (13 Apr, Statewide)
Eat – Murg Makhani, Tandoori Chicken, Rumali Roti, Lachha Paranthas, Makki Ki Roti and Sarson Ka Saag, Lassi, Ma Ki Dal, Kadhi and Rice, Rajma and Rice, Rao Ki Kheer, Roghan Josh
Buy – Phulkari Punjabi Juttis, Basketry, Wood Work, Clay Toys and Pottery, Mudwall Painting, Metal Work, Hand printing
Hotels – Punjab is also renowned for its earthy and innocent hospitality. The number of hotels, farmhouses and villages ardently believe in the concept of Atithi Devo Bhavah and create an unforgettable experience for the travellers.
