Places to Visit in Amritsar

[DevDutta]

I will be visiting the town where I am originally from Amritsar. I have not been to the place since I was a very small kid, and now it is time to show my kids around the place. The things to see there will not only be new for them to see but for me also.

We all know about the famous Golden Temple, but I would also like to know about the places to visit in Amritsar. If there is anything which is very close by to Amritsar like a 30 minutes distance away, please also mention that as well.

During what time of the year do you recommend visiting Amritsar?

 

[briannagodess]

Hello and welcome to the forum!

Below is a list of the famous travel destinations in Amritsar, aside from the Golden Temple:

• Jalianwala Bagh - This is the place where the public massacre of the British army happened. Nowadays, tourists visit this place to pay their homage to the victims of the tragic incident. It is situated less than one km away from the Golden Temple.

• Wagah Border - Wagah border is a border crossing between Pakistan and India. Everyday, the beating retreat and change of guards happen which is what tourists always loved to watch. It is just a few minutes away from the Golden Temple as well.

• Akal Takht Golden temple - It is a temple built to show the sovereign powers of the Sikhs.

• Durgiana Temple - About one and a half kilometre from the Golden Temple, this is a temple dedicated to the goddess Durga.

• Tarn Taran - A bit further away from the Golden Temple, about 22 kms, is a Sikh pilgrimage site called the Tarn Taran. Thousands of devotees visit this place every year.

• Pul Kajari - The site where Pul Moran was found and is about 34 kms away from Amritsar.

• Central Sikh Museum - It's just three kms away from Amritsar. It has displays of the history of the Sikhs. From the Sikh leaders, warriors, gurus and saints, they have it all. There's an entrance fee: local adult - Rs 20, local child - Rs 10 and foreigner - Rs 250.

There you go, these are all located within 30 minutes away from Amritsar or the Golden Temple. The best time of the year to visit Amritsar is during the months of October to March, as these months have the ideal weather and climate for exploring the area. Summers here can get very hot and monsoon season has high amounts of rainfall.

 

[Kuldeep]

Central Sikh Museum. It's just three kms away from Amritsar. It has displays of the history of the Sikhs. From the Sikh leaders, warriors, gurus and saints, they have it all. There's an entrance fee: local adult - Rs 20, local child - Rs 10 and foreigner - Rs 250.

Is this somewhat similar to the museum which is inside the Golden Temple, as I remember that there is some sort of a museum there, which I visited many years ago. I don't remember about entry fee, though!

I am very surprised at the entry fee for foreigners, and it is beyond me why there should be extra charges for foreigners?

 

[briannagodess]

Hi, @Kuldeep!

I am very surprised at the entry fee for foreigners, and it is beyond me why there should be extra charges for foreigners?

There's an answer for this from different viewpoints:

1. Economic Viewpoint - Foreigners from SAARC and BIMSTEC countries are charged the same fees as Indian citizens. Those from the remaining countries have to pay a higher fee primarily because they can afford to pay more. The SAARC and the BIMSTEC countries are of the same level in terms of development with India. Aside from that, the tourists from these countries go to India for religious pilgrimages due to their long-standing good relationship with India.

2. Priority Viewpoint - Since the Indian citizens do pay their taxes which helps support these monuments, lowering their entry fees for the sites is only right. In a way, they do own these monuments in what can be termed as "collective ownership" since they are permanent residents of the country. That's why they are given the priority when it comes to entry fees.

3. Market Segmentation Viewpoint - This happens in cinemas, supermarkets and everywhere else. With this viewpoint, the government is maximising profit depending on the ability of the tourist to pay. They then divide the consumers based on their ability to pay and set the fees according to that.

Anyway, as long as the money taken from these sites are used to maintain and improve the sites, I really don't have much problems. Besides, there are many attractions in the country that are free to visit anyway. And comparing the ticket fees in India to other countries, be it developing or third world, you'd find that the fees are still lower.

Also, you'd find that foreign tourists have special privileges as well in India. Like the travel quota in Indian Railways, separate ticket counters, IndRail Passes and certain special passes. In a way, these fees also help to maintain and build these special privileges for the foreigners.

I hope this clarifies things!