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  ?Amritsar
Punjab • India
Nightview of the Harmandir Sahib(Golden Temple In English)
Nightview of the Harmandir Sahib(Golden Temple In English)
Map indicating the location of Amritsar
Thumbnail map of India with Punjab highlighted
Location of Amritsar
Coordinates: 31°38′N 74°52′E / 31.64, 74.86
Time zone IST (UTC+5:30)
Area
• Elevation
• 218 m (715 ft)
District(s) Amritsar
Population 1,500,000 (2007)
Mayor Shavet Malik
Codes
• Pincode
• Telephone
• Vehicle
• 143-0xx
• +91 183
• PB02

Coordinates: 31°38′N 74°52′E / 31.64, 74.86

Amritsar (Punjabi: ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤਸਰ, Hindi: अमृतसर), meaning: The Lake of the Holy Nectar,[1] is the administrative headquarters of the Amritsar District in the state of Punjab, India. Punjab (ਪੰਜਾਬ पंजाब pəɲdʒaːb is a state in northwest India. India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country A geographic coordinate system enables every location on the Earth to be specified in three coordinates using mainly a spherical coordinate system. Indian Standard Time ( IST) is the time observed throughout India and Sri Lanka, with a Time offset of UTC+530. UTC+530 is the Timezone for Indian Standard Time Sri Lanka Time The geography of India is diverse with landscape ranging from snow-capped mountain ranges to deserts plains rainforests hills and plateaus The elevation of a Geographic location is its height above a fixed reference point often the mean sea level. A district is an administrative division of an Indian state or territory. Amritsar district is one of 19 districts in the state of Punjab in West India. In Biology a population is the collection of inter-breeding organisms of a particular Species; in Sociology Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. A Postal Index Number or PIN or Pincode is the post office numbering or Post code system used by India Post the Indian Postal For the past decade or so telecommunication activities have gained momentum in India KA-19-P-8488jpg|thumb|270px|Close up of a licence plate used in Mangalore, Karnataka. A geographic coordinate system enables every location on the Earth to be specified in three coordinates using mainly a spherical coordinate system. Punjabi (pa ਪੰਜਾਬੀ in Gurmukhi script pa-PK {{Nastaliq پنجابی}} in Shahmukhi script Pañjābī in Transliteration) is an Hindi ( Devanāgarī: hi [[wiktहिन्दी हिन्दी]] or hi [[wiktहिंदी हिंदी]] IAST:, IPA:) is Amritsar district is one of 19 districts in the state of Punjab in West India. India is a union of states comprising twenty-eight states and seven union territories. Punjab (ਪੰਜਾਬ पंजाब pəɲdʒaːb is a state in northwest India. India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country The 2001 Indian census reported the population of the city to be over 1,500,000, and that of the entire district to number just over 3,695,077.

Amritsar is located in the northwest part of India in the State of Punjab, 32 miles (51 km) east of Lahore, Pakistan. Punjab (ਪੰਜਾਬ पंजाब pəɲdʒaːb is a state in northwest India. ( lahor is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and is the second largest city in Pakistan after Karachi. Pakistan () officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country located in South Asia, Southwest Asia, Middle East and Some have taken the name Amritsar to derive from Amŗit-saagar, meaning "The Ocean of the Nectar of Immortality".

It is home to the Harimandir Sahib, also known as the Golden Temple, and is the spiritual and cultural center of the Sikh religion. Sri Harmandir Sahib ( Punjabi: ਦਰਬਾਰ ਸਾਹਿਬ) informally referred to as The Golden Temple or Temple of God, He himself was decapitated Sikh (English or; ਸਿੱਖ sikkh, IPA) is the title and name given to an adherent of Sikhism. This important Sikh shrine attracts more visitors than the Taj Mahal in Agra and is the number one destination for non-resident Indians (NRI) in the whole of India. The Taj Mahal (tɑdʒ This city is known for the unfortunate incidents of Jallianwala Bagh Massacre in 1919 under British Rule (1919) and Operation Bluestar in (1984) under the late Prime Minister of India, Indira Gandhi. The Jallianwala Bagh Massacre, also known as the Amritsar Massacre, was named after the Jallianwala Bagh (Garden in the northern Indian city of Amritsar Operation Blue Star ( ਬਿਲਯੂ ਸਟਾਰ, बिल्यू स्टार) ( June 3 to June 6, 1984) was an Indian military operation India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country Indira Priyadarshini Gandhi ( Indirā Priyadarśinī Gāndhī) ( Née: Nehru (19 November 1917 - 31 October 1984 was the Prime Minister of the

The main commercial activities include tourism, carpets and fabrics, farm produce, handicrafts, service trades and light engineering. A carpet is any loom-woven felted textile or grass floor covering Handicraft, also known as craftwork or simply Craft, is a type of work where useful and decorative devices are made completely by hand or using only simple tools The city is popular and known for its food and culture. Amritsar is also home to Pingalwara, the home for the destitute founded by Bhagat Puran Singh, and Central Khalsa Orphanage, which was once a home to Shaheed Udham Singh, a prominent figure in the Indian independence movement. Pingalwara is a house for destitutes in Amritsar in northern Indian state of Punjab. Bhai Puran Singh (June 4 1904-1992 was born in Rajewal ( Rahon) Ludhiana in a Hindu family and adopted Sikhism Udham Singh ( Gurmukhi:ਉਧਮ ਸਿੰਘ}} Devanagari:उधम सिंह् udham siṅgh; December 26, 1899 &ndash

Contents

History

Distant view of Babatul, Amritsar
Distant view of Babatul, Amritsar

Amritsar city is one of the major cities of the Punjab state in India. Under instructions from Guru Amar Das, this city was founded by Guru Ram Das in 1574, on land bought by him for 700 rupees from the owners of the village of Tung. Guru Amar Das ( Gurmukhi: ਗੁਰੂ ਅਮਰ ਦਾਸ ( 5 May 1479 - 1 September 1574) was the third of The Guru Ram Das (ਗੁਰੂ ਰਾਮ ਦਾਸ (Born in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan on 24 September, 1534 &ndash 1 September (Earlier Guru Ram Das had begun building Santokhsar Sarovar, near the village of Sultanwind in 1564 {according to one source in 1570}. It could not be completed before 1588. In 1574, Guru Ram Das built his residence and moved to this place. At that time, it was known as Guru Da Chakk. (Later, it came to be known as Chakk Ram Das).

Guru Ram Das began excavation of the Amritsar Sarovar tank in 1577. It was ready by 1581. This tank was renovated by Guru Arjan Dev in 1586. Guru Arjan Dev Ji or Guru Arjun Dev Ji (ਗੁਰੂ ਅਰਜੁਨ ਦੇਵ (born in Amritsar, Punjab, India on 15 April, Since then this city has been known as Amritsar (after the name of the sarovar). The first stone of the foundation of the Darbar Sahib is said to have been laid by Sain Mian Mir Sahib, a Muslim saint from Punjab, at Guru Arjan's request. Darbar Sahib refers to the main hall within a Sikh Gurdwara. This hall is where the current and perpetual Guru of the Sikhs the Guru Granth Sahib is placed Mir Mohammed, (c 1550 – 11 August 1635) popularly known as Mian Mir is a famous Sufi Saint who resided in Lahore A story in Sikh lore tells of a mason who then corrected the stone's alignment and was chided by Guru Arjan for doing so, with the Saint stating that the re-alignment was symbolic of the complex being continually attacked and rebuilt. Many masons worked on laying the foundation on January 3, 1588.

Sant Mian Mir was very friendly with Guru Arjan Dev and tried to intercede with the Guru's subsequent torture and death at the hands of the Emperor Jahangir. He continued to be a friend of the next Guru, Guru Hargobind, and again worked on attaining his freedom when he was held for some time at Gwalior Fort. In 1590, Guru Arjan Dev moved to the village of Wadali where Guru Hargobind was born on June 19, 1590. Guru Har Gobind (ਗੁਰੂ ਹਰਿ ਗੋਬਿੰਦ ਸਾਹਿਬ also Sacha Padshah (ਸੱਚਾ ਪਾਦਸ਼ਾਹ True King By 1601, the Darbar Sahib was fully ready. In 1603-1604, the first volume of the Guru Granth Sahib, the Sikh scriptures, was prepared in this city and was installed at Darbar Sahib on August 16, 1604. The Sri Guru Granth Sahib ji (ਗੁਰੂ ਗ੍ਰੰਥ ਸਾਹਿਬ gurū granth sāhib) or Guru Granth Sahib, is the eleventh and eternal Guru of the

It is here that the Akal Takht (The throne of immortality, lit. The Takht Sri Darbar Sahib Akal Takht (ਅਕਾਲ ਤਖ਼ਤ əkɑl t̪əxt̪ literally means The Seat (Throne of the Timeless One or Seat (Throne of God the never ending throne) the seat of Sikh political power was built by Guru Hargobind in 1609. Two flags representing temporal and spiritual authority and Sikh sovereignty were set up in front of the Akal Takht. Here Guru Hargobind wore two swords of Miri and Piri (temporal and transcendental authority). Miri is a city in northern Sarawak, Malaysia, on the island of Borneo. The piri is a Korean Double reed instrument used in both the folk and classical (court Music of Korea.

On April 13, 1634, the Mughal army attacked Guru Hargobind here. From 1635 to 1698, Amritsar remained in the control of the Mina family (descendants of Pirthi Chand). Mina can refer to Places Mina Gabon Mina Greece Mina Iloilo, in the Philippines During this period, on November 23, 1664, Guru Tegh Bahadur visited the town. Guru Tegh Bahadur ( 1 April 1621 – 11 November 1675) became the 9th Guru of Sikhism on In April 1698, Bhai Mani Singh was appointed as the caretaker of the shrines of Amritsar. Bhai Mani Singh, a great Sikh personality of eighteenth century occupies a very esteemed position in Sikh history

The Mughal chief of Patti tried to occupy Amritsar several times. One such attempt was made in April 1709. The Sikhs, under the command of Bhai Mani Singh and Bhai Tara Singh of Dhillwan, repelled this attack. When Baba Banda Singh Bahadur occupied several areas in the Punjab, Bhai Mani Singh chose to leave Amritsar in order to avoid the Mughal attacks. Baba Banda Singh Bahadur (1670-1716 (Lachhman Dev was a Sikh warrior known for his struggle against the Mughal Empire in the On December 30, 1711, the Mughal emperor, Bahadur Shah, granted Ajit Singh Palit the charge of Amritsar in order to use him against Baba Banda Singh Bahadur. Two After the death of Bahadur Shah, Ajit Singh Palit returned to Delhi. Delhi (दिल्ली ਦਿੱਲੀ دلی d̪ɪlːiː sometimes referred to as Dilli) is the second largest metropolis of India, with a population In 1721, Bhai Mani Singh returned to Amritsar and re-started regular worship. His first act was to solve a dispute between the Tat Khalsa and the Bandai Khalsa factions for the right to the management of the shrines in Amritsar. Tat Khalsa (the 'True Khalsa' Singh Sabha was a Sikh organization founded in Lahore in 1879 to rival the earlier Sanatan Singh Sabha based in Amritsar

On March 29, 1733, a major gathering of Sikhs was held here in front of Akal Takht. During the same time a Sarbat Khalsa gathering was also held. The Sarbat Khalsa is a gathering of a representative portion of the Khalsa Panth held at Amritsar in India. It discussed the Mughal offer of Nawab-hood. A Nawab or Nawaab ( Urdu: نواب Hindi: नवाब was originally the Subedar (provincial governor or viceroy of a In April 1734, Bhai Mani Singh was arrested and was executed in Lahore on June 24, 1734.

In 1740, Massa Ranghar, an official, desecrated the Darbar Sahib. He was killed for this action by Bhai Sukha Singh and Bhai Mahtab Singh, on August 11, 1740. In 1757 an Afghan army of Ahmed Shah Abdali demolished both the Darbar Sahib and the Akal Takht. Ahmad Shāh Durrānī (c1723-1773 ( also known as Ahmad Shāh Abdālī ( احمد شاه ابدالي) and born as Ahmad Khān Abdālī, Baba Deep Singh led several thousand Sikhs against the Afghans. Baba Deep Singh (1682-1757 is revered as one of the most hallowed martyrs in Sikh history A major battle was fought on November 11, 1757. Baba Deep Singh and several thousand Sikhs were killed. Again, in 1762, the Darbar Sahib complex was again demolished by an Afghan army. On December 1, 1764, the Afghan army made another attack. 30 Sikhs, led by Jathedar Gurbakhsh Singh, fought against the mammoth Afghan army and were killed. In 1765, the Sikhs began re-construction of the shrines. The central part was ready by 1776.

During the eighteenth century, Amritsar, like the Sikh community as a whole, witnessed many vicissitudes of history. It suffered repeatedly desecration and destruction until it was finally liberated upon the establishment of sovereign authority of the Sikh misls, principalities, over the Punjab in 1765. Misl refers to a fighting clan The period from 1716 to 1799 in Punjab was a highly turbulent time politically and militarily The town was thereafter under the control of several misl chiefs although its surrounding district was held by Sardār Harī Siṅgh of the Bhāṅgī misl. Different sardārs or chiefs constructed their own buṅgās or residential houses around the principal sarovar and also their respective kaṭṛās or wards encouraging traders and craftsmen to reside in them and over which each exercised exclusive control. The sacred shrines were however administered by a joint council comprising representatives of the chiefs who had made endowments in land for their maintenance. Even prior to the time of Sikh ascendancy, joint councils, known as Sarbat Khalsa (lit. The Sarbat Khalsa is a gathering of a representative portion of the Khalsa Panth held at Amritsar in India. the entire Sikh Panth), to take crucial decisions on political matters had been held at Amritsar. Panthan (meaning "path" in Sanskrit is the term used for several religious traditions in India Now again with all misl chiefs having their buṅgās there, it became the common capital of the Khālsā. Devotees from far and near, free to visit the holy city after six decades of the severest persecution, flocked to Gurū kī Nagarī (the Gurū's town). So did businessmen and tradesmen to take advantage of the increasing pilgrim and resident population. Trade, commerce and crafts flourished in different kaṭṛās each having its own markets and manufacturings. By the end of the eighteenth century, Amritsar had already become Punjab's major trading center. Yet the town with its multiple command setup remained a confederated rather than a composite habitation until Mahārājā Raṇjīt Siṅgh (1780-1839) rose to power and consolidated the whole of the Punjab into one sovereign State.

Ranjīt Singh, chief of the Sukarchakīā misl, who first occupied, in 1799, Lahore, the traditional capital of the Punjab, and declared himself Mahārājā in 1801, extended his hegemony to Amritsar in 1805 when he took over from his traditional rivals, the Bhāngī chiefs, their fort with its mint striking the Nānakshāhī rupee, and the famous Zamzamā gun. The fort of the Rāmgarhīā misl was occupied in 1815 and with the possessions of Rānī Sadā Kaur of Kanhaiyā misl and Fateh Singh Āhlūwālīā in Amritsar during the early 1820s, Ranjīt Singh's occupation of Amritsar was complete. He then constructed a double wall and a moat around the city with twelve gates and their corresponding bridges over the moat. Already in 1809 he had constructed the Gobindgarh Fort outside Lahaurī Gate complete with a formidable moat, three lines of defense and several bastions and emplacements for heavy guns. Amritsar thus had already become his second capital. The royal Toshākhānā or treasury was kept in Gobindgarh Fort which was also used as the royal residence during the Mahārājā's frequent visits to the city before his palace in the city, Rām Bāgh, was completed in 1831. Several members of the nobility also raised palatial houses and beautiful gardens in and around the city. Ranjīt Singh devoutly provided liberal funds to have the dome and exterior of the Darbar Sahib gold plated and to have the interior ornamented with fine filigree and enamel work and with decorative murals and panels in marble inlaid with colored stone. Sardār Desā Singh Majīthīā (d. 1832), who had been appointed manager of the holy shrines in the city since its occupation by Ranjīt Singh, donated gold for gilding the top of Bābā Attal. Around 1830, Ranjit Singh had Muslim goldsmiths to gold-plate some parts of the inner section of the Darbar Sahib. The Gold plating led to it being called the Golden Temple.

In 1846, the British established themselves in the Lahore Darbar, with a resident in the Court; and, Amritsar became a place of frequent visits by the British. In order to keep the sanctity of the city, H. M. Lawrence, the British resident, issued an order, dated March 24, 1847, asking the English people to follow Sikh protocol while visiting Sikh places of worship. In 1858, a municipal committee was set up here. In 1862, train services between Lahore and Amritsar were started. Khalsa College, the first Sikh college was established here in 1892. [In 1969 Guru Nanak Dev University was established here]. In 1913, the city was electrified. In September 1915, the British declared Amritsar a holy City. (This order was later annulled after Indian independence in August 15, 1947 by the Indian government). On April 13, 1919, General Reginald Dyer opened fire on the gathering, at Jallianwala Bagh, near Darbar Sahib, killed 379 people and wounded another 1200. Brigadier-General Reginald Edward Harry Dyer CB ( October 9 1864 – July 23 1927) was a British Indian Army Jallianwala Bagh is a public garden in Amritsar city in Punjab province of India, and houses a memorial of national importance established in 1951 to The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (S. G. P. C. ) and the Shiromani Akali Dal were established here in 1920. Akali Dal, also called Shiromani Akali Dal ( Akali Religious Party) is a collection of Sikh Political parties mainly based in Punjab

In addition to the damage done by the Afghan armies the Akal Takht was damaged by the Indian government forces in June 1984 during Operation Blue Star launched to deal with a Sikh secessionist movement which had fortified the Holy site with automatic weapons and rocket launchers. Operation Blue Star ( ਬਿਲਯੂ ਸਟਾਰ, बिल्यू स्टार) ( June 3 to June 6, 1984) was an Indian military operation The Group was headed by Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale head of the Damdami Taksal, a mobile college begun by Guru Gobind Singh. Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale (ਜਰਨੈਲ ਸਿੰਘ ਭਿੰਡਰਾਂਵਾਲੇ ʤəɾnɛl sɪ́ŋg pɪ̀ɳɖɾɑnʋɑɺ̡e (February 12 1947 &ndash June 6 1984 was The Indian government repaired it in September 1984. The Sikhs promptly removed the work done by the Indian Government and re-did the repairs themselves. They began demolishing the repairs on January 26, 1986. The present structure was repaired by five service-groups headed by Baba Thakar Singh of Bhindranmehta Jatha.

The city is dominated by the history of the Sikhs and many of their sacred shrines are found in and around the city. It was established by Guru Ramdas. The city has highest temporal seat of Sikhs "The Harimandir Sahib" popularly known as Golden Temple. The city has central old city called walled city. It has narrow zig zag streets mostly developed in the 17th and 18th century. The city has a peculiar example of introvert planning system and has uniques areas called Katras. The Katras are self styled residential units that provided unique defence system during attacks on the city.

Harimandir Sahib
Harimandir Sahib

The city lies on the main Grand Trunk Road (GT Road) from Delhi to Amritsar connecting to Lahore in Pakistan. The Grand Trunk Road (commonly abbreviated to GT Road is one of South Asia 's oldest and longest major roads Delhi (दिल्ली ਦਿੱਲੀ دلی d̪ɪlːiː sometimes referred to as Dilli) is the second largest metropolis of India, with a population ( lahor is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and is the second largest city in Pakistan after Karachi. Pakistan () officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country located in South Asia, Southwest Asia, Middle East and The G. T. Road, built by Sher Shah Suri, runs through the whole of the northern half of the Indian subcontinent, connecting Peshawar, Pakistan to Sonargaon, Bangladesh. Sher Shah Suri (1486 Sasaram &ndash May 22, 1545 Kalinjar) ( - Šīr Šāh Sūrī) also known as Farid Khan or This article deals with the geophysical region in Asia For geopolitical treatments see South Asia. ( پښور; Urdu: پشاور) is the capital of the North-West Frontier Province and the administrative centre for the Federally Administered Pakistan () officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country located in South Asia, Southwest Asia, Middle East and Sonargaon ( Bangla: সোনারগাঁও is the ancient capital of Isa Khan 's kingdom in Bengal. ( Bengali: বাংলাদেশ inc-Latn Bangladesh) officially The city is also connected to most other major cities such as New Delhi, Mumbai, Calcutta by an extensive network of rail system. The city also provides air connectivity to major Indian cities, as well as international cities such as Birmingham, Toronto, Dubai, Singapore, Tashkent, Ashgabat, London etc from the Raja Sansi International Airport. Birmingham ( ˈbɜːmɪŋəm Ber -ming-um Toronto (təˈrɒntoʊ colloquially pronounced or) is the largest city in Canada and is the provincial capital of Ontario Dubai (in دبيّ,) is one of the seven emirates and most populous city of the United Arab Emirates (UAE Singapore Ashgabat ( Aşgabat in Turkmen) (or formerly Ashkhabad or Poltoratsk is the Capital and largest city of Turkmenistan, a country in London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. Raja Sansi International Airport, also known as Guru Ram Das International Airport, after Guru Ram Das the founder of Amritsar as well as Amritsar International The airport is being developed for increasing demand in future; a new International inbound & outbound terminal is operational and cargo terminal is also under construction.

The city is the administrative center for the Amritsar District. Amritsar district is one of 19 districts in the state of Punjab in West India. Amritsar developed from a small village pool to a business center. However, it did not become the industrial center of Punjab due to its proximity to the volatile Indo-Pak border.

Modern Amritsar

Amritsar is not just bhangra(balle Balle) or giddha; Saron (sarson) da saag and makki di roti. It is an attitude and a way of life. It enshrines and exudes its essential cultural identity, on one hand and welcomes the winds of change, on the other. Modern Amritsar is currently seeing rapid urban growth. To facilitate the development process, the Government of India and Government of Punjab have released a Rs. 3,150 Crore (roughly 769 million USD) plan to guide Amritsar to world class status. The planned budget would fund construction of roads, sewage management, water, and a mass Rapid Transport transit system. Amritsar is witnessing a spurt in high-end premium residential property and multiplex development, courtesy the government’s decision to set up a SEZ here and the growing interest of real estate developers.

Leading developers from Delhi as well as local ones have lined up a series of townships comprising of villas, luxury apartments, service apartments and penthouses. Delhi-based Advance India Projects Ltd (AIPL) has planned a 115-acre (0. 47 km²) township with a focus on service apartments and penthouses along with a plethora of luxurious amenities. Noida based Nitishree Group is launching an elite Shourya NRI City on the GT road, targeting NRIs. Local developers like Sharma and Gangaher Builders and Colonisers Private Limited, The Heritage Group and Impact Projects Private Limited have also planned a series of residential projects for the city.

Government bodies too are actively involved in property development especially on the GT Road. The Punjab Urban Development Authority (PUDA) is developing a 650-acre (2. 6 km²) Urban estate on GT Road while Housefed is building multi storied super deluxe flats at New Amritsar Development Scheme on GT Road. The Amritsar Improvement Trust too has acquired 2,375 acres (9. 61 km²) of land for development purposes.

The multiplex mania has already hit Amritsar with about a dozen malls in various phases of completion by builders like Alpha G Corp, DLF, Omaxe, AIPL, Today Homes and Infrastructure, MBD group, Dynamic and Continental etc.

‘Alpha One’ located at Amritsar is a retail project developed by Alpha G Corp. which is located on the main G. T. Road , in close proximity to the central business district as well as the emerging ‘New Amritsar’. It is the single largest mall in Punjab, and includes retail and entertainment destinations as well as a 7 star business hotel. The project is designed by leading international architects.

'Omaxe Novelty Mall’ would be located in the very heart of Amritsar’s most fashionable address Lawrence Road, this mall would have a 3 - screen multiplex. However, because of building violations the mall is taking longer to be built.

RapMedia multiplex is being completed on The Mall Road in Amritsar with five screens.

The residential projects in Amritsar promise the best in luxury living and this coupled with series of malls and multiplexes offer a complete package of an urban, upmarket living for the upwardly mobile.

The city is witnessing an economic expansion similar to that seen in other cities in India. To protect Amritsar's historical and religious heritage, part of the new budget is dedicated to the preservation of religious shrines in the city. A new city Convention Centre has also been planned.

Four 5 star hotels are also planned, such as The Radisson Hotel Amritsar, which is to open by October 2008. It is situated on the International Airport Road. The Taj and Holiday Inn Group, Marriott Hotels and more are fast completing their projects.

In the last 5 years, the city has grown to be one of the most prominent business centres in the state of Punjab, with rapid economic growth and social development. Today, it boasts state-of-the-art infrastructure and ultra modern shopping and entertainment facilities. This trend towards modernity is, in fact, just the beginning. The future looks very bright for this city of yore.

Geography and Climate

Climate chart for Amritsar
J F M A M J J A S O N D
 
 
24
 
16
4
 
 
33
 
20
8
 
 
48
 
24
12
 
 
30
 
33
19
 
 
45
 
37
23
 
 
27
 
36
26
 
 
231
 
33
26
 
 
187
 
32
25
 
 
79
 
32
22
 
 
18
 
29
17
 
 
6
 
24
10
 
 
18
 
18
5
temperatures in °C • precipitation totals in mm
source: Weather Underground
Imperial conversion

Amritsar is located at 31.63° N 74.87° E. [2] It has an average elevation of 234 metres (768 ft).

Amritsar has a continental climate, typical of northwestern India. The winter season (November to March) when temperatures ranges from 18 °C to about 4 °C, the hot season (April to June) when temperatures can reach 49. The Celsius Temperature scale was previously known as the centigrade scale. The Celsius Temperature scale was previously known as the centigrade scale. 5 °C, monsoon season (July to September) and post-monsoon (September to November). The Celsius Temperature scale was previously known as the centigrade scale. Annual rainfall is about 790 mm. The best time to visit Amritsar is between October and March.

Demographics

As of 2007, Amritsar had a population of 1,547,695. Males constitute 55% of the population and females 45%. Amritsar has an average literacy rate of 75%, higher than the national average of 59. 5%. 15% of the population is under 6 years of age. The main spoken language in Amritsar and in the surrounding villages is the Punjabi dialect of Maajhi, considered to be Standard Punjabi. Punjabi (pa ਪੰਜਾਬੀ in Gurmukhi script pa-PK {{Nastaliq پنجابی}} in Shahmukhi script Pañjābī in Transliteration) is an Majhi or Majhaili is referred to as the standard Dialect of Punjabi language originating from the Majha region of Punjab Other languages spoken in the city are English and Hindi. English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States Hindi ( Devanāgarī: hi [[wiktहिन्दी हिन्दी]] or hi [[wiktहिंदी हिंदी]] IAST:, IPA:) is

District Administration

Transport

Amritsar Railway Station at night
Amritsar Railway Station at night

Amritsar has international airport which has 150+ flights weekly, and which are increasing day by day. Amritsar is connected by bus with Ambala, Chandigarh, Delhi, Ferozepur, Jammu etc. Chandigarh ( ਚੰਡੀਗੜ੍ਹ, चंडीगढ़) also called The City Beautiful Delhi (दिल्ली ਦਿੱਲੀ دلی d̪ɪlːiː sometimes referred to as Dilli) is the second largest metropolis of India, with a population Some of the road distances are as follows:- Jammu 216 km, Ferozepur 120 km, Chandigarh 235 km, Delhi 445 km and Wagah 29 km. Rickshaws, autorickshaws and buses are an easy way of getting around Amritsar.

The city is on the G. T. Road (Grand Trunk Road, NH1), and so is well connected to the road network. A sum of Rs 450 crore, is being spent to make the Amritsar-Jalandhar stretch of G. T. Road four-laned. In 2006, Punjab Govt had finalised the construction of the elevated road to provide smooth access to devotees coming from the Jalandhar-Amritsar road and Amritsar airport. The four-laned elevated road is being constructed from Maqboolpura Chowk to Bhandari Bridge with two entry points and one exit. [3].

Amritsar is connected by rail with Delhi, Calcutta, Bombay, Varanasi, Wagah (Attari Border) and other major Indian cities. The main railway station in Amritsar is the, Amritsar Railway Station.

The city's international airport, Raja Sansi International Airport, is growing in size rapidly handling around 150 flights a week. Raja Sansi International Airport, also known as Guru Ram Das International Airport, after Guru Ram Das the founder of Amritsar as well as Amritsar International By July 2008, it will be doubled in size, 4 jetways, with a new parking area and much more. The word “jetway” is sometimes used for a high-altitude airway.

About Rs. 2,100 Crore is being left aside for the Mass Rapid Transport system for the city. It is hoped that this will help relieve city traffic, save money and help the environment.

Indian Railways has also proposed a high speed rail line to serve Delhi-Amritsar via Chandigarh and Ambala. Delhi (दिल्ली ਦਿੱਲੀ دلی d̪ɪlːiː sometimes referred to as Dilli) is the second largest metropolis of India, with a population Chandigarh ( ਚੰਡੀਗੜ੍ਹ, चंडीगढ़) also called The City Beautiful WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Ambala ( Hindi: अम्बाला Punjabi ਅੰਬਾਲਾ) is a city and a The train is to run at a amazing 350 km/h, a first of its kind in India. It will get travelers between the cities in 2. 5 hours. Countries such as Japan, China, UK, Canada and others have expressed a lot of interest in the project. The company to build the line will be awarded the contract at the end of May, 2008. Other lines of this kind will run in Mumbai, Ahmadabad, Pune, and Kolkata. [4] [5] [6]

Education

Amritsar is a major educational center. World renowned educational institutions like Guru Nanak Dev University (established 1969), Govt Polytechnic, Amritsar (established 1964), BBK DAV College for Women, Amritsar(established 1967), Khalsa College, Amritsar (established 1892), DAV College Amritsar (established 1955), S. Guru Nanak Dev University, or GNDU, was established at Amritsar, India on November 24, 1969 to commemorate Guru Nanak Khalsa College is a historic educational institution in the northern Indian city of Amritsar in the state of Punjab India. General The Dayanand Anglo-Vedic Schools System, also familiarly known as the D R. Government College for Women (established 1932), Government Medical College, Amritsar (established 1926) Government Dental College & Hospital, Amritsar (established 1952) are in Amritsar, and are among India's best universities and colleges. Government Medical College, formerly known as Glancy Medical College was established in 1864 in Lahore, British India and located to Amritsar, A proposed civil aviation college is also in planning stages. If built, it would the first in India.

Religious Shrines

Sikh

The following is a list of the prominent Sikh Gurudwaras and sacred places in the city and its vicinity:

Dhan Dhan Khalsa

Hindu

Others

References

  1. ^ Amritsar City Information,City Information of Amritsar,City Information Guide of Amritsar India
  2. ^ Falling Rain Genomics, Inc - Amritsar
  3. ^ Tribune India
  4. ^ [1]
  5. ^ [2]
  6. ^ [3]

External links


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