Punjab
The major city
in the Punjab is Amritsar, the holy city of the Sikhs.
Chandigarh, a new planned city, was conceived and built
in the 1950s to serve as the capital of the new Punjab.
In 1966, Punjab underwent another split. It was divided
into the predominantly Sikh and Punjabi- speaking state
of Punjab and the state of Haryana. At the same time some
of the northern parts of the Punjab were hived off to
Himachal Pradesh. Chandigarh on the border of Punjab and
Haryana, remains the capital of the two states, yet is
administered as a union territory from Delhi.
Punjab, the chief wheat producing area of the country,
is the overland entry point into India. The state is also
known for its production of sports and hosiery goods.
Amritsar
Visit the Golden temple - The sacred Sikh sanctuary, marbled,
bronzed & covered with gold leaf wherein the Guru
Granth Sahib- The 'Sacred Book' of the Sikhs is placed
reverently. Visit the historic Jalianwalla Bagh where
Gen. Dyer's bullets killed scores of innocent Indians
and the beautiful Ram Bagh Gardens. The city gets its name
from the pool-Amritsar (Pool of Nectar), which was constructed
by the fourth religious preceptor of the Sikh faith.
Climate: (deg
C)-Summer- Max. 34, Min. 15; Winter- Max. 18, Min. 0,Rainfall: 59.2 cms,Clothing: Cotton in summer and Woollen
in winter.
Places Of Interest:
Golden Temple, Akal Takht, Durgiana Temple, Jalianwalla
Bagh, Saragarhi Gurudwara, Tower of Baba Atal, Academy
of Fine Arts, Central Museum & S.G.Thakur Singh Art
Gallery.
Excursions:
Gobindwal Sahib- 30 kms, Taaran- 22 kms, Baba Bakala Gurudwara-
45 kms, Ram Tirath-10 kms, Preet Nagar- 20 kms, Amanat
Khan Sarai and Hari-ke-Patten- 38 kms.
Reach -
By Air: Nearest airport Delhi and Srinagar.
By Rail: Well connected with major towns.
By
Road: Jammu- 216 kms, Ferozpur- 160 kms, Chandigarh-
235 kms, Delhi- 435 kms and Wagah- 29 kms.
Chandigarh
Chandigarh was designed by Le Corbusier, is the state
capital of Punjab and Haryana states. The famous French
architect. Covering an area of 56 square kilometers, Chandigarh
is the first `planned' city of India. The city is named
after the Goddess Chandi Devi, whose white - domed temple
stands on the slope of a hill in the north east of Chandigarh,
on the edge of the Shivalik hills.
Altitude: 304.8
to 365.78 meters, Climate: (deg C)-Summer- Max
37, Min 23; Winter- Max 24, Min 5, Rainfall: 111.4
cms, Best Season: October to March.
Places Of Interest:
The Secretariat, The Assembly & High Court, Zakir
Hussain Rose Garden, Rock Garden, Sukhna Lake, Govt. Museum
& Art Gallery & Punjab University Complex, International
Doll Museum, National Gallery of Portraits.
Excursions:
Pinjore Gardens- 25 kms, Bhima Devi Temple- 22 kms, Chattbir
Zoo- 22 kms, Mansa Mandir / Chandi Mandir- 10 kms, Bhakra
Nangal- 116 kms, Ponta Sahib-135 kms, Naina Devi- 110
kms.
Reach -
By Air: Chandigarh is well connected with Delhi,
Jammu, Srinagar and Leh.
By Rail: Well connected
with major towns.
By Road: Amritsar- 240 kms,
Dehradun- 230 kms, Delhi- 248 kms, Shimla- 117 kms, Kullu-
279 kms, Bhakra- 116 kms, Kasauli- 77 kms, and Jammu-
380 kms.
