Posted by Shivam Singh
on 12th March, 2020
Visited during last week of February, 2020
Gateway to Punjab and home to the glorious Golden Temple, the iconic city of Amritsar, portrays the heroic character of the Punjab.
Located at a distance of 460 Kms from Delhi and 215 Kms from Chandigarh, Amritsar is the spiritual and cultural centre of the Sikh Religion. This place is also famous for its Jallianwala Bagh massacre in 1919 during British rule and its proximity to Atari/Wagah Border.
Apart from the heritage sites, Amritsar is also famous for it’s lip-smacking local food which highlights the magic in the hands of ages-old vendors. From vegetarians to chicken lovers, this vibrant city has got choices over the best food items you will ever have.
So, let’s being the trip, the way I visited over a weekend.
How to Reach Amritsar
By Air: There are regular flights from all parts of the country to Amritsar. From Delhi it takes around 1 hour to reach Amritsar by flight. If you book in advance, one way ticket will cost you around INR 2500-3500.
In our case we had 2 kids between 2 to 5 years for whom train travel was free but not air travel, hence we opted train.
By Train: Amritsar railway station is again well connected with almost all major cities in India. From New Delhi, two Shatabdi trains run daily (one in morning and one in evening) and take almost 6 hours to reach.
A morning Shatabdi on Friday will help you save money in travelling compared to flight.
By Road: Road from New Delhi to Amritsar is very smooth and non-bumpy. It will take around 8-9 hours to reach Amritsar from New Delhi. You would have to leave early from New Delhi in case you want to utilize the same day as well.
3 Days Itinerary in Amritsar
I visited Amritsar on 28th, 29th Feb & 1st March 2020, along with mine and sister’s family. Before travel, it was pre-decided among us that apart from Golden Temple and Atari Border (remember Wagah border is the Pakistani side), we have to concentrate more on finding and enjoying local Amritsari food.
Day 1: We booked New Delhi-Amritsar Swarn Shatabdi train tickets in advance which departs from New Delhi railway station in morning at 07:20 AM. Train ticket cost in a CC class is around INR 1100 and EC class is around INR 1700. Breakfast was served in the train. Train was on time and we reached Amritsar station at around 01:50 PM from where it took us another 15 minutes to reach our pre-booked hotel at Court Road.
We were very hungry by this time and immediately left for our first restaurant from the list.
1. Kesar da Dhaba
We hired an e-rickshaw (please remember, this dhaba is located on a very narrow & congested road, big vehicles cannot go inside) and reached there in 15 minutes at around 3:00 PM. All the restaurants we visited during our trip were well within 3-5 Kms range from our hotel.
Since we were late for lunch, we were able to find a table easily and ordered 3 Thali for 6 of us as suggested by the waiter.
It is said that Lala Lajpat Rai ji used to eat here during it’s initial days and later Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru and Indira Gandhi used to have food parcels from here.
Their most hot-selling dish is the Kali Dal or Dal Makhani or Maa ki Dal, which is slow-cooked in copper vessels overnight, for almost 8 to 12 hours. This dal was part of the Thali we ate along with Punjabi Chole, cucumber raita, salid and crispy Laccha Paratha. After finishing the Thali, we tried their Lassi, gulab-jamun and light and nutty Kesar Phirni, served in earthenware, which has just the right amount of sweetness.
Waiters are polite and humble, ambiance is bit old looking but that is nothing in front of the tasty food. Prices are reasonable.
After having our lunch, we came back to hotel, took some rest. And around 6 PM, got ready for Golden temple.
2. Golden Temple
Also known as Harmandir Sahib, meaning “abode of God” or Darbar Sahib, is the holiest Gurdwara and the most important pilgrimage site of Sikhism. The temple is built around a man-made pool (sarovar) that was completed by Guru Ram Das in 1577. In 1604, Guru Arjan placed a copy of the Adi Granth in Harmandir Sahib, calling the site Ath Sath Tirath (shrine of 68 pilgrimages).
This temple has a history of several demolitions by Afghan and Mughal army. The army led by Ahmad Shah Abdali, demolished it in 1757 and again in 1762, then filled the pool with garbage and blood of cows. Maharaja Ranjit Singh after founding the Sikh Empire, rebuilt it with marble and copper in 1809, overlaid the sanctum with gold foil in 1830. This has led to the name, Golden Temple.
It was around 4 Kms from our hotel, we took an auto which dropped us there within 20 minutes.
Multiple people will approach you selling head scarfs in INR 10 since you cannot enter Golden Temple without covering your head. Purchase from them if you do not have it already. It was around 1 Km walk and the walking lane till the temple premises is very lively, beautiful and highly commercialized with all kinds of shops and eateries en-route. You may consider buying stuffs while going back after darshan.
Upon reaching the temple area, you have to deposit your shoes in the cloak room (free service). You can carry belts, wallets, mobiles and small backpacks with you. For big luggage, you have cloak rooms available.
The temple has a square plan with four entrances, has a circumambulation (parikrama) path around the pool, where you can also take bath before entering the main temple area. You can click photographs anywhere except the main temple. Best time to visit temple is during night time when it is in full glow.
After the parikrama, we did darshan (it took us almost 30 minutes in the queue for darshan) and took prashad at the exit of main temple. You can purchase more/extra prashad which costs INR 20 per packet (good for distributing to relatives and friends).
After that we went straight to Langar hall (a free Sikh community run kitchen that serves a simple vegetarian meal to all visitors without discrimination) for food. You can offer help for some time at the kitchen.
Post that we came out of the temple area and purchased clothes/mojris from the market outside.
3. Jallianwala Bagh
It is also located in the same area (which we planned for next day) but unfortunately it was closed till mid of April 2020 for renovation. We came back to hotel at around mid-night for an overnight sleep.
Do not forget to book Taxi in advance for next day’s afternoon trip to Atari Border for witnessing the spectacular Retreat ceremony by BSF (Border Security Force) . Talk to your hotel or any auto driver outside.
Day 2: As we intentionally did not booked our hotel rooms with breakfast, we went outside to our next eatery from our list.
4. Kulcha Land
This place in Amritsar is known for serving the best Kulcha’s in Amritsar. Located just opposite to the Hotel Holiday-Inn, this small eatery offers 3 different types of kulchas loaded with butter served with Chhole and chutney. Try all 3 for the taste along with Lassi.
Amritsari Kulcha
Masala Kulcha
Paneer Kulcha
After having our stomachs filled with Kulchas, it was time for tea. Took an auto from Kulcha Land to Giani’s Tea Stall at INA colony which was next on our list.
5. Giani Tea Stall
Trip to Amritsar is incomplete without having “Badaam Pista Vali Chai” at this small old looking Tea Stall. The tea is loaded with milk foam on top & lots of almonds and elaichi. Also try their bread-maska (slices of bread loaded with butter). If your appetite allows, try omelette and kachori also at this place.
Fortunately or unfortunately, there were some nice shops selling bags, shoes and clothes and since I was accompanied by my wife and sister, an extra 30-40 minutes stop along with some financial burden was as expected.
After this we returned to our hotel and had to get ready for a day visit to Atari Border. We booked taxi in advance yesterday via auto driver who dropped us to hotel from Golden temple.
We booked AC Toyota Innova in INR 2000 from 12:30 PM till around 8:00 PM.
Driver was on time but we were bit late and started at 1:00 PM and decided to have our lunch at another famous spot.
6. Beera Chicken House
Located on Majitha Road, this food joint is famous for the most tasty roasted chicken. a different type of tandoori chicken with secret masalas with spicy jeera and pepper based chutney- soft, juicy, tasteful.
A very ordinary looking place with few tables and chairs, they serve both veg and non-veg dishes. Roasted chicken was so juicy that it will melt in your mouth and you will be craving for more.
Since we already had lots of kulchas in the morning, we tried only roasted chicken with a paneer dish for our vegetarian members.
After satisfying our taste buds, at 2:00 PM we again started towards Atari border. Our driver told us about a museum and suggested us to visit that place. Although it was not in our list but we agreed to his suggestion as we were having time.
7. Punjab State War Heroes’ Memorial and Museum
Located 18 Kms from Amritsar on the Amritsar-Atari road, this memorial-museum is aimed to showcase the splendid gallantry deeds of the brave hearts of Punjab.
Punjab being the invasion route to the heartland of India since the times of Alexander the Great in 326 BCE, this project covers the heroism and sacrifices on the sacred soil of Punjab from the days of Alexander up to the Kargil War and the ongoing proxy war.
The hallmark of the magnificent campus is a 45-metre high stainless steel sword on the central vista. It represents strength and courage of the people of Punjab while defending the nation in the hour of need.
There are total 8 galleries on display along with a 7D show. Entry ticket price for the museum is INR 100 per person including the show.
We were in a hurry for the Border parade ceremony, so could spend only 45 minutes at this place.
We regretted starting late from hotel as this place was very beautiful and need 90-120 minutes for a proper visit.
At around 3:15 PM, we again started our journey for Atari Border.
8. Atari (India-Pakistan) Border
This is a must visit place during your Amritsar visit. Almost 30 Kms from Amritsar, the lowering of the flags ceremony at the Attari-Wagah border is a daily military practice that the security forces of India (Border Security Force, BSF) and Pakistan (Pakistan Rangers) have jointly followed since 1959.
Remember Atari is Indian side and Wagah is Pakistani side.
This ceremony takes place every evening immediately before sunset at the border, which was the only road link between the two countries before opening of the Aman Setu in Kashmir in 1999. The ceremony starts with a parade by the soldiers from both sides, and ends up in the perfectly coordinated lowering of the flags, called as Beating Retreat border ceremony.
We reached around 4:00 PM and it was huge rush right from the parking till the main entry. There are lots of restrictions on the items you are allowed to carry. Do listen to your driver’s advice or see notice boards or you have to come back to your car for keeping your stuffs. No handbags, food items allowed and remember to keep your ID with you. You can buy eatables and water inside along with souvenirs.
It was a good 600-700 meters walk from the car parking. Looking at the crowd, we thought we are late and should have arrived early to get a seat with good view. Entry is on first come-first serve basis. The ceremony timings is from 5:00 PM for 30 minutes. But the songs and dance starts long before. The BSF’s host will keep you entertained till the last minute. You will love shouting slogans, waving flags along with thousands of other people.
By the end of the ceremony you will find yourself super-charged and full with patriotism. Thank you to the soldiers who guard our borders day and night.
It will be a huge rush during exit right from the stands to the road leading to the parking and then the parking exit itself. Hold the hands tightly of your loved ones. It took us almost half hour to exit from parking waiting in slow moving queue.
We came back to hotel at around 7:30 PM. You may ask your driver to drop you directly to some market if you wish to shop. After relaxing and comforting my daughter for an hour, we decide to have dinner at one of the highly rated non-veg restaurant.
9. Charming Chicken
Located in Basant Nagar, one word for this restaurant is WOW. Each and every dish we ordered was so authentic and mouth watering. They have small sitting area but fortunately for my wife (who is a vegetarian) there were room fresheners kept in the corners which were making the place very soothing and comfortable for her. My wife ordered Sarson ka Saag with Makke ki Roti, which as per her was super se bhi upar.
In non-veg, firstly we ordered their famous Crispy Boneless Fried Chicken which was way better than KFC chicken. Then we ordered Chicken Tandoori, Fish Fry, Butter Chicken with Butter naan. Each and every dish was having some hidden aroma and taste in it which is their specialty. The green chutney which they serve is also so tasty, they will not tell you the ingredients even if you ask. They have been rated 5 stars on tripadvisor.com for 4 years in a row.
After having our dinner, next in the list was famous Amritsari Faluda Kulfi. It was already 9:45 PM and we were accompanied with small kids but we decided to taste the kulfi anyhow. So took an auto to next place. This was part of our list as well.
10. A One Kulfa
Located in INA colony, this is the place which offers only one dish and nails it like a boss.
Right balance of kulfi, rabdi and faluda, priced at INR 60 per plate, this is a must try if you are in Amritsar. They have very few set of tables to eat and you may have to wait in queue for 10-15 minutes before getting your plate of kulfi.
But once you have it, you will be craving for more. Since we were already full with Charming Chicken’s delicacies, we were done in just 1 plate each.
Most of the locals come, order and eat in their car peacefully due to lack of space. You can find you own comfort zone.
This marked the end of Day 2 in Amritsar and we came back to our hotel by 11:30 PM for overnight sleep.
Day 3: At 6:00 AM my phone rang, it was an unknown number and I was in half sleep. But since we had a self-drive Tata Hexa booked via ZoomCar for our return to New Delhi, I picked the call. And here it was early morning surprise of the day.
Our booking was cancelled due to a problem in the car. Hurrey, another day in Amritsar, but wait, we cannot since me, my wife and my bother-in-law have to mandatory attend office on Monday. They were offering me an alternate 5 seater car which was of no use as we were almost 8 people including kids. At the end they gave me 10,000 zoom credits (I still have to see, how can I use them) and cancelled the booking after saying SORRY.
I thought what to do next for 5 minutes, but then again went to sleep thinking, “Dekha Jayega”.
At around 8 AM, informed my sister about this, who immediately searched google for Travel operators and booked a 7 seater Innova in INR 11,000 (including toll/permit). We were happy with that.
Today again we decided to try breakfast at a famous place.
11. Bharawan da Dhaba:
Located in townhall, here we were after getting ready and packing our bags. 4 Kms from hotel, booked an auto to reach here.
Ordered Amritsari Kulcha, Chur-Chur Naan, Lassi followed by tea and Kesar phirni in the end.
Amrtisari Kulcha here was much better than what we had at Kulcha Land. Chutney served with kulcha was almost of same taste at both places.
While having our breakfast, we got our second surprise. Innova also got cancelled and finally we were offered Maruti Ertiga in INR 10,000 which we accepted with no other option.
Our driver was a nice guy, we started at 11:45 AM from hotel, stopped at Gill Tourist dhaba for lunch and then at Mannat Haveli in Panipat for evening snacks. Fianlly reached our home in New Delhi at 10:00 PM.
Overall it was memorable and fun trip. Taste of Amritsari food will be in our mind for a long time.
We skipped many places due to shortage of time but covered whatever we decided are the best, you can include them if you are staying for a longer duration.
Wishing you Safe and Comfortable Travel.
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