Destination Punjab

[Sandeep Singh Bajwa]

Destination Punjab

Punjab is so much more than just the staging post to two of the India's
most popular destinations, Kashmir and Himachal. This rich,
abundant region with its fun loving people offers so many visual,
spiritual and culinary delights even to those without Punjabi roots.
The landscape pulsates with prosperity. And the best way to witness this

is by driving through on the Grand Trunk Road, credited variously to
imperialists like Ashok, Kanishka, Chandra Gupta,
Allauddin Khilji. Sher Shah Suri, Akbar and Dalhousie. But as this
historic
highway connecting Calcutta to the Khyber Pass is dominated
between Delhi and Pathankot by turbaned daredevils in heavy trucks and
buses, less macho drivers, in danger of being pushed off the tarmac,
have an excellent tension free alternative. A series of super fast
trains
with air conditioned chair cars, and comfortable berths for overnight
Journeys. The park-like atmosphere created by dense eucalyptus, acacia,
and
bougainvillae along the road, the superiority of fresh dhaba (roadside
stall)
food over defrosted restaurant meals, the bright green and yellow
mustard
and wheat fields. Sugarcane rippling for miles under winter's clear
sunlit
skies. All those power lines and canals spreading prosperity from Punjab

to Haryana, Delhi and Rajasthan. Fruit juice vendors vying with milk
bars.
Neat homesteads and villages full of healthy cattle, tractors and TV
antennas. Groups of girls cycling to school. Upright old men peddling
along cheerfully, with shining brass milk pots slung on their
handlebars.
Diesel spewing home made marutas doubling as farm trolleys and country
cabs.
Duppatta (long scart) draped women and gossiping in
gardens, or haggilng at market stalls Great walled compounds and
steep rooted buildings housing woollen mills or breweries. Modern
processing
plants tor sott drinks and popular snacks. Orchards in the foothills,
and
estates devoted to floriculture. Crumbling brick havelis (mansions) and

splendid domed Gurudwaras. Landscaped tourist lodges beside rivers and
lakes. And ever so otten . fantastic modern mansions flaunting the
owner's
status and wealth. Restoration of normalcy in Punjab after a decade of
strife has revived the ritual of trips to their ancestral pinds or homes

by the countless NRls of Punjabi
origin settled round the world. Plus a great intflux of business people
seeking tieups with its innovative entrepreneurs, manufacturers, and
agriculturists. But for most people on vacation or short getaway trips,
the most rewarding destinations are Chandigarh
, Patiala, Sirhind, the Roparó Bhakra ó Anandpur circuit Kapurthala,
Jalandhar, and undoubtedly Amritsar. Soon after independence, the late
Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru decreed that Punjab be compensated tor
partition and the loss of Lahore, by being given something unique. And
Corbusier created Chandigarh. They couldn't have tound a better location

than the ancient Chandimandir settlement beneath the beautiful Shivalik
Range, with the Himalayan snow peaks visible on clear days. The inter
play of great open spaces, good landscaping, and innovative architecture

makes India's only 'designer city' tascinating. Bold geometric torms in
concrete. Colourful ceramic and metal murals on public and private
buildings. Carefully tended gardens and traffic roundabout
s in every sector. Trendy co-eds zooming by on motorcycles and mopeds.
Yuppies, Puppies and prominent politicians showing off expensive cars.
Conspicuously jewelled women trom the chanering classes enjoying card
sessions and tiny parties. Boisterous children overrunning play tields,
toy shops, and video parlours. Genuine warmth, memorable hospitality,
and stimulating discussions whenever one visits local triends. The
shared capital of two adjoining states, Punjab and Haryana, Chandigarh
also has a unique Rock Garden created by a retired PWD road inspector,
Nek Chand, out of recycled porcelain, glass, metal and rubber waste.
There are life size statues of nursery rhyme characters, entire chess
sets, folk heroes and village belles popping out of hedges and
shrubberies.
Sukhna Lake nearthe golf course is the popular recreatio spot tor locals

and visitors, who come here for early morning walks, boating yachting,
water skiing, picnics, or a simple evening out. The lake-side cate and
ice-cream parlour an usually
crowded on holidays, but since the lake is really huge, those seeking
solitude can always tind it. The Centre Plaza in Sector 17 has all the
tashionable shops and eating places. The Yadavendra Gardens 24
kilometers on the Shimla road at Pinjore has charming Mughal style
terraced lawn flower beds, fountains, water channels and
airy pavilion enclosed by high walls swathed in the pretiest mauve an
magenta bougainvillae I've ever seen. Here Haryana Tourism has created a

motel, restaurant, bar, conterence hall, a
n open air theater without spoiling its old world charm. At dusk one
gets marvellous views ot the brightly lit city trom th Timber Trail
complex turther up in the hilis where the pin torest begins. The Chatbir

Zoo and lion satari park near Zirakpur has a
interesting collection of animals and birds from all over the world,
mainly kept in large, natural enclosures. And people devoted to art and
architecture can see the 11th century Bhima Devi and Mansa Devi temples
near the cantonment. The Punjab State museum
and art gallery in Sector 10 has a good collection of sculptures and
paintings. Quite often one can enjoy folk dances, plays, ghazal and
classical music sessions in the evenings, because the performing arts
are
very popular in Chandigarh. Patiala, a Sikh principality founded by
Baba Ala Singh in 1764. became famous underits eighth maharajah,
Bhupender Singh, who was renowned for his enormous height, numerous
wives
and concubines and children, exuberant lifestyle, splendid jewellery
collection, lavish hospitality, philanthropy, polo and cricket teams,
and knack for annoying the British. Quila Mubarak was the home of his
ancestors, who claimed descent from Jaisalmer's Bhaati kings. The
impressive main gate and courtyard, pavilions, domes and kiosks recall
Rajputs. But the wonderful wooden doors and windows have typical Punjabi

floral carvings. The warren of old apartments oozing atmosphere now
house
the Punjab State Archives. And the richly carved and painted Durbar Hall

full of massive Belgian crystal pedestal lamps and chandeliers has been
turned into a-museum. where historic weapons belonging to Shah Abbas of
Persia, Nadir Shah and Guru Gobind Singh are displayed along with some
remarkable engraved or painted shields. battle axes. and firearms
collected
by various Patiala princes The sprawling Moti Bagh Palace is now the
National Sport s Institute. The smaller Sheesh Mahal built in 1847 by
MaharaJah Narender Shah, patron of music and wine and art has wall
murals
depicting scenes trom Indian mythology and love legends The octagonal
Seesh Mahal chamber itself has lovely light reflecting mirror work on
walls and ceiling. The art gallery here houses a remarkable collection
of indian. Tibetan. Far Eastern, and European treasures including
Chinese jade, amethyst
and amber scent bottles jewelled caskets, porcelain vases, ivory
carvings, ormolu clocks, silver figurines; medieval Dhol Baha
sculptures, Kangra and Rajput miniatures illustrated Hindu, Jain and
Sikh manuscripts; and walis hung with oil portraits of tormer Patiala
rulers. The richly carved Dutch colonial ebony and rose wood furniture
seems ready and waiting for ranis enjoying a stroll in the garden below,

or boating in the artificial lake with its suspension bridge and quaint
leaning towers a la pisa. The cannons lined up round this park include
some of the artillery captured by the British during the Sikh wars and
presented to the Patiala prince who helped them in the 1857 first
struggle Tor independence. Two smaller galleries in the Moti Bagh gar
dens house Bhupender Singh's superb collection ot over 3000
international Orders and decorations and splendidly stuffed animals and
birds against realistic natural backgrounds. Sirhind although a shon
distance from Patiala, Chandigarh and Delhi is one of t
hose rare retreats only the lucky few discover. Or fortunate piigrims
visit. The impressive Fatehgarh Saheb Gurudwara commemorates the
martyrdom of Guru Gobind Singh 's two young sons, Zorawar and Fateh, who

were enlombed alive by one of Aurangzeb's genera
ls. Wilhin walking distance of this complex stands the shrine of Hazral
Mujadid Sirhind or Alaf Saani, a contemporary of Ihe Mughal Emperors
Akbar and Jahangir. Venerated the world over by orthodox Muslims, his
magnificent marble Rauza Sharif is crowded
with Munds during his Urs. which usually falls in August. For some odd
reason, Shah Zaman and several other members of the Afghan nuling family

were buned here among the saint dervishes of the Naqsh bandhiya order.
The aam khaas bagh and sarai on the old Delhi-Sirhind highway was
originally laid out by Babur and extended by Shah jahan. Its Mughal
garden pavillion has beautiful wall murals, latticework windows, deep
colonnaded corridors overlooking cool fountains, canals and lawns edged
with fruits and trees, cypresses, roses and flowering jasmine. The
Maulasar tourist lodge here is more peaceful than the equally
comfortable Bougainvilla complex, Which has the novel attraction of a
floating restaurant on a lake. Sanghol, which is in the same district,
has proved a real archaeological treasure. A large numberof
relicsdating
from the 2300 B.C,. Harappan era, the epic Aryan age, and the Buddhist
hey day include red and grey ponery. Ierra-cona and metal Indus Valley
seals, precious jewellery. gold coins. ivory combs. metal vessels and
toys. The excavations Include sandstone pillars and bas relief friezes
depicting male and female dancers. maidens playing musical instruments.
perfectly carved animals and trees an impressive head of Vishnu. and
seated Buddhas in the Mathura style. In fact. this place was called
Sanghaiaya in the 1 st and 2nd century Kushan period because a Buddhist
stupa and monastery stood here Their remains can still be seen. But most

of the statues. artefacts, coins, and seals including many from Central
Asian and Middie Eastern countries have been removed for display at the
Sanghol museum. Another ancient Indus Valley settlement was found near
Ropar, which was also the meeting place of Punjab's legendary Maharajah
Ranjit Singh and Lord William Bentinck on 31st October, 1831. Within
easy reach of Chandigarh and Shimia, Ropar and the famous Bhakra
-Nangal
Dam area around the Sutlej river, Sirhind Canal, and huge lake provide
quiet retreats and excellent water sports facilities. Anandpur
is 39 kilometers from Ropar in the Naina Devi hills. Reputedly the spot

where Lord Rama's family Guru, Vashistha, had his hermitage in the
second millennium before Christ, this is actually the place where Guru
Gobind Singh founded the Khalsa. Every year
on Baisakhi, which always falls on the 13th of April, a great
celebration takes place at the Anandpur, Keshganj, and Chamkaur
shrines.
The annual Hollah Mohalla festival on thedayafterHoli brings colourful
crowds in festival clothes and ornaments. The Sikh Nihang warriors can
easily be distinguished by their high peak turbans, dark blue jhubas,
steel quoits, tall spears, swords and daggers. Historic battles are
commemorated with exciting martial arts displays, and superb feats of
horsemanship. You could go all the way through this rich, lively, but
repetitive landscape until you reach Kashmir or Pakistan ," as
Fateh singh Rao Gaekwar of Baroda says in his insider's book on Indian
palaces. But if you take a detour through Kapurthala. you suddenly run

into Roy
alist France." The classic Mansard roofed chateau built by Maharajah
Jagjit Singh in the 19th century resembles Louis XlV's Fontainebleau.
Its gilded Rococo ceilings, Lapis lazuli pillars, Gobelin tapestries.
mosaic topped tables, Sevres vases, Aubusson
carpets. and chandeliers impressed everyone invited here for winter duck

shoots. This lovely little palace is now a Sainik School, and one sees
boys running around the gardens full of marble statues, balustrades and
fountains. Two generations of highly Europeanized Sikh rulers also
created a house full of French villas, a Spanish Moorish mosque straight

out of El Cid, and an Italianate shooting lodge called Buona Vista on a
tributary of the Beas river. Here their hospitable descendant, Brigadier

Sukhjeet Singh, a decorated paratrooper, lives surrounded by mementos
and trophies. In and around Jallandhar, one should make time for seeing
the 15th century Lodhi era Shiva temDie inside the Imam Nasar mosque
compound. the reputedly miraculouS shrine of this Sufi saint; the
beautifully tiled 17th century tombs of two musicians employed by the
famous Mughal mystic poet, general and statesman, Rahim, and the Serai
Nurmahal built by Jahangir s renowned empress. The old Pillur fort which

once guarded Maharajah Ranjit Singh's boundary, now houses the states
police training institute.
Undoubtedly the spiritual. strategic and commercial hub of Punjab,
Amritsar has seen many kings and captains come and go. The Mughal and
British empires have vanished, but the small road
side retreat gifted by Akbar to the fourth Sikh Guru, Ram Das, has grown

into a world famous shnne. Ranjit Singh turned the martyred Arjun Dev's
modest Harmandir into the Golden Temple by adding marble pietra dura
walls, and covering the entire upper half
with gold plated copper sheets. The Akal Takhtor immortal throne
sanctified by the sixth Guru, Har Gobind, is within the Golden Temple
complex. A museum here houses some personal effects and weapons used by
various Sikh Gurus. and some valuable lewellery
donated by Punjab s ruling chiefs. The nine storey octagonal Baba Atal
Tower close by commemorates the self immolattion of young Atal Rai when
his father Har Gobind reprimanded him tor performing miracles to
immpress
young people. Superb views of the
city, and some good wall trescoes depicting Guru Nanak's life, make this

airy marble confection worth seeing. Some of Maharajah Ranjit Singhs
arms, armour. furniture, paintings, and coins are preserved In the
walled Rambagh Garden s small haveli where he
liked camping on visits to Amritsar. The collection of ivory miniatures

depicting Sikh noblemen, the Kangra style paintings of court and camp
life, and the European oils and lithographs here give visitors a glimpse

of that bygone era between 1798 and 1839, which was the high point of
Sikh history. Scholars often come here to consult the Khalsa Durbar
records and other historical manuscripts. Jalianwala Bagh's spacious
park and memorial, honours all those peacefully picnicking natives
massacred by General
Dyer on Baisakhi day nearly a century ago. A busy . crowded city,
Amritsar always has so much going on. The narrow twisting lanes of the
old city are lined with speciality shops dealing in anything from
dry fruits to carpets, woolien shawls. silks, silver
and gold jewellery, fine hand embroidered phulkaris, zan work salwar
suits, brocades to adorn brides, and a variety of desi jootis (slippers)

in eve size. Con On, woollen and silk mills: electronic goods. sewlr
machines and auto part tactories, a flourish
ing tea tradi center, the Verka dairy plant, plus the transport business

make Amritsar wealthy. It is possible to make short excursions from this

city famous Gurudwaras like Taran Taran and Baba Bakal Harike Pattan is
a good picnic spot 38 kilometers away where the Beas and Sutlej rivers
meet. Dera Baba Jaim Singh on the Beas is the Radha Swami cult
center. to which lots of followers seeking personal blessings from their

spiritual head, called Mahar Ji, come from far and near. Ram Tirath is
said to be the hallowed spot whel Ram's exiled wife Sita gave birth to
the twins, Luv and Kush, in sage Valmiki ashram. Sita's sons gave Ram's
mighr Ayodhya army a thrashing right her after capturing the Ashwamegha
Yagyn horse, symbol of imperialism in epi Aryan
times. A great fair has been held here since then on Kartik Purnima or
th
November tull moon. Pilgrims come to bathe in Sita' sacred pool just ten

kilometers from Amritsar. A Musiir emperor, Jahangir, constructed the
main temples and ghat here after witnes
sing the miraculous cure of one of hi leprosy-afflicted ministers.
Punjab seems small on maps, but the distances are vasl And people here
are so enterprising, that one can see wh they've succeeded in all
undertakings just about everywhere in their own country, and all over
the world.

GETTING THERE By Air indian Airlines, Archana Airways and Jagson Airways

have short 35 minute daily flights by these airlines and Modi Luft go to

Amritsar. Ariana Afghan Airlines also land there from Kashmir, By Rail
Twice
daily the super-fast Shatabdi Express commutes between Delhi and
Chandigarh, with meals included in the ticket. The Kalka Mail goes to
Calcutta, and several other trains are also available. Amritsar is well
connected by Shatabdi Express to Delhi, Utkal Express to Puri, Frontier
Mail to Bombay. There are twice weekly runs by Lahore Mail from
Pakistan. All trains to Pathankot, Jammu and Amritsar halt at By road
There is a regular hourly deluxe and ordinary bus service to Chandigarh.

Punjab and Haryana Roadways connect all towns by bus. Tourist taxis and
mini buses ply between all routes. Rates are negotiable. There is an
excellent network of roads for owner-driven cars. WHERE TO STAY
Chandigarh's best hotel is the 5star Mountview. The Regency, Sunbeam and

Maya Palace, and all the Punjab Tourism Development Corporation run
highway inns have clean, comfortable AC and non-Ac rooms, good food and
prompt servlce. Hotel Skylark at Jalandhar, and Amritsar's International

Hotel are adequate. Every city has privately owned, well run budget
hotels. PTDC resorts at Patiala, Ropar, Bhakra -Nangal, and Sirhind are

highly recommended. All Gurudwaras provide rooms with fans and toilet
facilities at nominal rates. The food is free.