Punjab
Punjab is very famous for its rich traditions and customs. Punjab tourism has witnessed a boom during last few years and has become one of the highlighted spots of tourism in north India. The culture of this state is one of the oldest and wealthiest in India. Punjab is a home of a proud past and prosperous future. The history, superiority, possibility and intricacy of Punjabi culture have always been a matter of interest for many tourists and educationists. It also forms a perfect destination for visitors who are captivated by the customs, tradition and theology of Punjab.
Location
Punjab is situated in the northwestern part of India encircled by the neighboring country Pakistan from the west, Haryana and Rajasthan from the south, Jammu and Kashmir from the north and Himachal Pradesh from the northeast. Punjab occupies a huge area of around 50,362 sq kms and encompasses 1.54% of the total land area of India.
Places to see
Amritsar: Golden Temple is situated in the Sikh holy city of Amritsar, which is considered to be the most sacred pilgrimage for the Sikhs. The two storied structure of Golden Temple was constructed on a 67 ft sq marble; hence devotees along with people from every nock and corner gather in a large number to practically experience this beautifully constructed architectural marvel. Other holy places located in the vicinity of Golden Temple are Har Ki Pouri, Thara Sahib, Bunga Baba Deep Singh, Jujube Tree, Ath Sath Tirath etc.
Jallian Wala Bagh: Jallian Wala Bagh is a historical site which reminds us of the brutal episode held during 1919 in the pre independent India, when people were killed indiscriminately under the order of Gen Michael Oâ€Dyer. Bullet marks can still be found here along with that well people where jumped to escape, but unfortunately died in it.
Wagah Border: Wagah Border is an international Indo-Pak border. The march past held here every evening along with the guard of honors and change of guards at a step away distance Pakistanis forces make this place special. Ram Bagh, Ram Tirth, Pul Kanjari, Samadhi of Shravan are some other places of interest in Amritsar.
Chandigarh: Chandigarh is an union territory as well as the capital of two states viz Punjab and Haryana and the first planned city on India. The capital city Chandigarh is internationally famous for its metropolitan look and architecture. Rose Garden, Rock Garden, Botanical Garden, Sukha Jhill, Punjab High Court and Chandigarh University are some of the popular tourist spots of Chandigargh.
Ferozepur: Ferozepur is the largest district of Punjab state. The most popular places of interest in Ferozpur are: Barki Memorial, Hari Je Bird sanctuary, Hanuman Mandir Fazila, Jain Mandir Zira, National Martyrs Memorial at Hussainiwala, Anglo Sikh War Memorial at Ferozshah, Gurudawara Zamini Sahib Bajidpur etc.
Gurdaspur: Gurdaspur is famous for its historical background and this is why visitors include this place in their list while search for their must visit places in Punjab. Takht-I-Akbari, Mahakaleshwar Temple, Barath Sahib, Dera Baba Nanak, Gurudwara Chola Sahib Dera Baba Nanak, Achal Sahib, Achaleshwas Temple, Sri Namdev Durbar, Sri Hargovindpur are some common places of interest for the visitors.
Jalandhar: Jalandhar is once again a famous tourist place of Punjab which is also recognized as "a city of sports". Tourism in Jalandhar is mainly dependent upon its pilgrim places which include Tulsi Mandir, Shiv Mandir, Dvi Talab Mandir and St. Mary’s Cathedral Church etc.
Ludhiana: Neheru Rose Garden, Hardy’s World, Guru Nanak Bhawan, Rural Museum are some worthy to visit places in Ludhiana.
Patiala: Tourist attractions of Patiala include Qila Mybaral Complex, Qia Androon, Ranf Mahal and Sheesh Mahal, Ran-Baas, Moti Bagh Pakace, Lachman Jhoola, Darbar Hall etc.
Events and Festivals
Punjab is a state where festivals are always on. Every month of a calendar year holds one or two occasions to celebrate. All the festivals in Punjab are celebrated with great vigor and enthusiasm. Some significant festivals of Punjab include Lohri, Baisakhi, Holi, Bhangra Festival etc. Other festivals like, Diwali, Hola Mohalla, Patiala Heritage Festival, Bhatinda Virasat Mela, Jor Mela, Ropar Heritage Festival are also celebrated in Punjab at different point in time.
Lohri: Lohri is celebrated on 13th of January all across the state. Lohri is characteristically a dedicated occasion where men and women offer their prayers to the Fire and Sun for prosperity and wealth.
Baisakhi: This is another significant festival of Punjab which is being observed on 13th of April. Baisakhi is celebrated every year marking the establishment of Khalsa during 1699. Irrespective of the community and religion devotees at large gather in Gurduwaras to offer their prayer.
Holi: Hoil, the festival of colors is celebrated in different parts of India on Phalguni Purnima which is held either in February or in March. This colorful festival is performed to rejoice on the success of good over bad.
Bhangra: Bhangra is a very popular form of dance and music which finds it route in Punjab. Bhangra festival is celebrated during November every year. The motive behind celebrating this occasion is to bring all people together and create an environment where everybody can celebrate together.
How to Reach
The transportation system of Punjab is quite developed which allows this state to connect its network both in India and abroad.
By Air: Punjab has three significant airports; Chandigarh, Amritsar and Ludhiana. Domestic airline services connect Chandigarh and Ludhiana with all the major cities of India while Amritsar is the single international airport operating in Punjab. The state of Punjab is connected with different parts of India and abroad by numerous domestic and international carriers such as Kingfisher Red, Jet Lite, Indian airlines along with a number of international airline services provides like Kingfisher Airlines, Air India, and Uzbekistan Airlines etc.
By Rail: The railway network is very strong in Punjab. The significant railway stations of Punjab are Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Chandigarh, Pathankot, Ferozepur and Amritsar.
By Road: The road network of Punjab is something worthy to be mentioned. The state capital Chandigarh is accessible from all significant cities of Punjab through different state highways. The whole of north India as well as the East India is linked with national highway 1 and the famous Grand Trunk Road.
What to Do
Punjab is also an ideal gateway destination for people living in the neighboring states. A refreshing weekend trip can be made with family and friends to Fun City which is a pleasure park located near Chandigarh. Boating or water sports can be enjoyed at Sukha Lake as a part of weekend activities which would definitely help to wipe out all tensions and worries from life.
Bhakra Nangal Dam, Ranjit Sagar Dam, Anandpur Sahib, Khalsa Heritage Complex are some popular spots which are often visited by the inhabitants of Punjab, people from neighboring states and by visitors at large.
Best Time to Visit
The post monsoon period is very pleasant in Punjab; therefore the perfect time to make a trip for Punjab is between Octobers to March. However, this state witnesses the coming of visitors throughout the year. You can even make a trip during different festive seasons of Punjab.
History
The land of Punjab is geographically divided into two sections, the Plains and the Shivaliks. The plain is a division of the Indo Genetic Plains which generally lies between 180 to 300 meters above the sea level. On the contrary, the outer parts of the Shivalik Ranges are covered by the Shivalik region which is around 10 kms in width.
Punjab is also recognized as the "Land of Five Rives" which aptly indicates the abundant presence of water resource in this state. Beas, Chenab, Sutlej, Jhelum, Ravi are the five rivers flowing across the state. The extreme southeast part of Punjab is a semi-dry place which creates a barren region. A chain of rolling mountains extends towards the north-east part of this state lying across the foot of the Himalayan ranges.
Climate
Punjab which is also known as "The Land of Greenery" has an uncountable number of attractions for the tourists visiting this place. The abundant terrain of Punjab is slowly developing as one of the most aspiring tourist destinations of India. This state observes three primary seasons – summer, monsoon and winter. The state also experiences an episodic distribution of seasons which distinctively add flavor to the beauty of Punjab.
Summer arrives in the month of April and lasts till August. Summer is extremely hot and dry in Punjab and temperature increases up to 49° C. Rain begins in July and the state receives rainfalls from 250 mm to 1000 mm. Due to the geographical proximity of the Himalayan ranges, a significant part of Punjab receives heavy downpour during monsoon and the places located far from the foot hills of Himalaya remains comparatively dry and hot even in rainy seasons. Winter generally appears in the month of January and the average temperature recorded is 13° C.
Hotel industry of Punjab has developed a lot in recent years to facilitate you to find out your ideal place of stay in Punjab. Numerous accommodation facilities are available at different packages offering all comforts and luxuries to the visitors.
