Punjab Tour at a glance: Punjabi Culture, Historical

Gifted with rich culture, history and traditions, Punjab is the Indian state sharing its boundary with four another states-Haryana, Jammu & Kashmir, Rajasthan and Himachal Pradesh. Land of rivers, fertile soil and farmers, Punjab reflects tradition in every aspect from attires, cuisine, customs, music and dance.

Tourists’ fond of old traditions and heritage must go for Punjab tour. They can come across grand forts, palaces and monuments showcasing architectural brilliance. To name a few, some popular forts in Punjab are Gobindgarh Fort, Maharaja Sher Singh Palace, Bahadurgarh Fort, Rambagh palace, Qila Mubarak and Phillaur Fort. Most people heard of Punjab only because of Golden temple which holds extreme importance in Sikh pilgrimage, The Golden Temple.

Here we are with a brief travel guide of Punjab that gives insight of Punjab tour at a glance.

Punjab is the city where most people follow Sikh religion and welcomes people with warm hearts. They are famous for their hospitality and cultural importance. They never fail to help people in need and impress people with their loving nature. Their main occupation is agriculture. Chandigarh- capital of Punjab, Ludhiana, Amritsar, Patiala, Jalandhar, Anandpur Sahib & Pathankot are some grand cities of the state. Although Punjab has experience enough progress but its heart lies in village life. If you want to know more about the people of Punjab, must plan for village tour.

The best time to visit Punjab is from October to March. Top attractions to visit in Punjab are gurudwaras, forts, palaces, museums, temples, mosques and Historical sites. Being in Punjab, must have Lassi, Makke ki roti & Sarson ka saag, Chole bhature, butter Chicken and lip smacking sweet pinni. Rejoice yourself with shopping fun at famous markets of Punjab. Shop shawls, Duppatas, Punjabi footwear, Shawls, woolen as a souvenirs for your loved ones.

Here are some of the historical places of Punjab where you can visit and explore more about cultural attractions.

Amritsar

Amritsar is home of the most sacred Golden temple that also makes it most visited city of Punjab. Amritsar is the iconic city where morning starts with chanting sound of prayers in Gurudwaras. The city is dominating with its active trade, agriculture and tourism industry. Below are the must visit popular attractions of Amritsar.

1. The Golden temple is the holiest shrine of Sikhs and lies in the heart of Amritsar. The stunning architecture of temple is made of gold and attracts millions of visitors and devotees per day. The main temple is inside the big complex also known as Harmandir Sahib. Amrit Sarovar is the centre of attraction with its spell binding views and religious importance. You can see the illuminating light and festival vibes at vaishakhi and Deepawali. The entire complex and temple gets shining with lights and diyas (earthern lamps).
2. Jalianwala Bagh is another most important attraction of Amritsar which houses a memorial dedicated to people lost at the massacre by the British forces. A symbol of saddest day of Indian history, the place has been turned into a beautiful garden in fond memories and tribute to them. Here visitor can see the mark of bullet shots and a well where people jumped in because of devastating fear. There is a memorial tablet at the entrance recorded for history.
3. Wagah Border is remarkable for celebrating the beating retreat ceremony every evening at India Pakistan border. This 30 minute programme shows the military camaraderie of both countries. Other prominent places for sightseeing in Amritsar are Maharaja Ranjit Singh museum, Durgiana temple, Guru Ke Mahal.

Chandigarh

Chandigarh is capital of Punjab and Haryana both where you will experience Punjabi culture with essence of modernity. It is gateway to Himachal and Jammu Kashmir and favorite destination for weekend road trips. You can enjoy boating at the Sukhna Lake, beautiful views at the Rock Garden, Morni hills, The Leisure valley and Rose garden. Modern planning of the city grabs visitors praise and fame.

Ludhiana

The largest city of Punjab-Ludhiana is one of the biggest manufacturing cities in India. It is hub of hosiery materials, garments and woolen products. Ludhiana is world famous for its old world charm, ancient ruins, forts and Gurudwaras. Top tourist attractions in Ludhiana are Gurdwara Dukh Niwaran Sahib, Nehru Rose Garden, Lodhi Fort, and Maharaja Ranjit Singh War Museum etc.

Lodhi Fort has a magnificent structure and it is a very old fort with a grand past. You must visit Gurudwara Dukh niwaran Sahib famous for its peaceful ambience and aesthetic architecture.

Jalandhar

Jalandhar is true mirror of rich heritage and mixed culture of new and old traditions. Also known as sports capital of India, it is an important commercial and industrial hub. The streamline business is production of sports and leather goods. You must be thinking, what to do in Jalandhar? To see the best dance forms and vibes of festivals, visit here. We bet you will start dancing on famous Bhangra beats with locals there. Apart from enjoying the cultural events, visit top attractions as Devi Talab manadir, Science city, Jang-e-Azadi memorial, Sodla temple, Gurdwara Chhevin Padshahi and Rangla Punjab haveli.

Pushpa Gujral Science City is best place to explore for science enthusiasts. Kids and young bloods keep keen interest to watch the science concepts, ecosystems, Jurassic park and many other interesting things here.

Pathankot

Pathankot is situated in foothills of kangra and Dalhousie with nearby passing river Chakki. Best known for its lush greenery and pristine beauty, Pathankot is well connected with many cities of Himachal and Kashmir with its railway routes. If you are visiting here, must visit Dalhousie, Dharamshala or Manali. The city is also an important place for Indian Defence Forces. Place to visit in Pathankot are Mukteshwar Temple, Nurpur fort, Ranjit Sagar Dam, Shahpurkando Fort, and Nagni temple. Explore yourself in majestic environment of city and enjoy various Himachal tours departing from Pathankot.

Know more about Himachal tour packages

Anandpur Sahib

Anandpur Sahib is famous for renowned Gurudwaras and located in the Rupnagar district, Punjab. Nestled between the Shivalik hills in the east and Sutluj River in west, Anandpur Sahib is tourist friendly city and observed as holiest places in the world for Sikh community. Among five Takhts, most famous pilgrimage site is Gurudwara Shri kesgarh. Multitude of Gurudwaras attracts pilgrims to visit and obtain blessings whereas five forts show the grandeur of military history of Punjab. Other Takhts in Anandpur Sahib are Gurudwara Sis Ganj Sahib, Gurudwara Guru ka Mahal, Gurudwara Bhora Sahib and Gurudwara Akal Bunga Sahib.

Explore combined tour of Punjab and Himachal Pradesh

Festivals of Punjab

Another way to experience best of Punjab is during festivals. Most of the festivals are dedicated to birthday celebrations of the ten Sikh gurus. Some festivals are dedicated to remembrance of the sacrifices of the Sikh leaders.

The most celebrated festival is Baisakhi also known as harvest festival of Punjab. It marks very significant religious event in the Khalsa panth. On this day, people take bath in holy rivers and visit Gurudwara to take blessings. Special celebrations occur where people dance wholeheartedly, decorate streets, markets, home. Lohri, another famous festival of Punjab is celebrated on beat of dhol, nagaras with traditional dance forms. People prepare sweets from jiggery, til and devote it in holy fire. They also take round of holy fire and dance in surroundings. This festival is very important for newlywed couples.

Hola Mohalla (Holi) is organized with full zest every year. Approx 1 lacs devotees visit Ananadpur Sahib to attend the festival of colours. A huge procession is organized where people are dressed up in traditional attires and weapons. The entire city gets lively and enchanting. One of the vibrant festivals of Punjab is Guru Purab which is celebration of birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev ji, first Guru of Sikhs and founder of Sikhism.

For an offbeat experience, visit remote villages of Punjab and stay in farms to experience serenity, peace, solitude and humble food. Know the basics of farming and life of farmers by residing very close to them. Enjoy the village style scrumptious food as Maa ki daal, Makke di roti and Sarson ka saag cooked in earthern pots.

For a completely different travel experience and cultural tour in India, Book your Punjab tour!