A Week in Amritsar

Amritsar is a juxtaposition of the old and new. My hotel the Grand near the station is the new with its AC rooms and Wi-Fi access, while the old is the bizarre area around the Golden temple within the walls of the old city.

Over the last week i have observed a fascinating aray of spiritual devotion and worship from the Sikh Golden temple and its truly welcoming people to the Hindu temples. The Golden Temple is amazing both and night and in the day and i would recommend visitors to stop for a moment by the waters edge to watch the majestic Coy Carp swimming lazily around the edge of the pool, while Sikh volunteers clean the surfaces. Then walk around the edge of the pool clockwise avoiding the regular dousing of water once agsain by volunteers (I didn't and ended up having wet trousers as buckets of water were emptied over the floor). Then Enter the Golden Temple itself (Best done in the later evening when it is cooler and their are less people - Should take about 1/2 hour to get in), on entry pay attention to the Guru who is reading from the Guru Granth Sahib and his colleagues who accompany him with live music. Then move up to the first flight and see the amazing decoration within the temple (I am unable to show this as no cameras are allowed), then finally climb the narrow stairs to the roof where you can contemplate the world under the open stary sky and be at one with yourself. so calming, peaceful and wonderful :)

The rest of the time in Amritsar can be spent doing many things but recommended are:
1. Going to the tower temple - where you will have amazing views of the Golden Temple from five floors up and the climb is not for the faint hearted or the cleanliness brigade - as there is lots of pigeon droppings near the top and you are in bear feet...
2. The Silver Temple (Sri Durga) which is the Hindu temple mirroring the Golden Temple. Once again it stands within a pool of water and has Golden/Silver temple at its centre - Here the similarities end as it is filled with Hindu Dieties and has only one floor. But it is very quiet as few tourists come here.
3. Ram Bagh - Which is a Diorama of the history of teh Punjab. It is very Noisy as cannons are blasting over the speaker system and shouts of fighting men - mainly battle scenes... It very much appealed to the school outing i met while i was there and they ran around excitedly pointing. Outside is a lovely park filled with dragon flies.
4. The Gandhi memorial
5. The Womens Temple (Cave Temple) which is not actually a cave! Although as you walk around it there are cave like structures within it... An experience, but was rather let down by the refuse truck outside collecting rotting rubbish from the street which kicked up rather too much of a stench :(
6. The memorial to those killed during civil unrest with the British - A thought provoking and saddening place where an eternal flame burns - It was too gruesome for words. (As were the images in the Sikh Martyrs hall) best avoided if you have children or are week of stomach...

The rest of the time in Amritsar has been spent dodging the traffic in a rick shaw, shopping for fresh veg and eating at Crystals (A great place for all types of meal especially if you like veg food - Fab). My man in Amritsar (Rick Shaw driver) has been absalutely fabulous and has shown me sights i would not have known about like the Summer palace and congested back streets with open sewers!! He lives in a village outside of town and works here sleeping sometimes on the rickshaw. His life is hard and this is shown by his cough, the rick shaw is in need of repair/upgrade - but the price of a new seat is 10,000r (£120), which is well beyond his means unless in instalments...

Final words on Amritsar before departing back to Delhi and on to Rajistan are: A spiritual centre with a typical Sikh welcome (Although the guards to carry dirty great big spears!), The Grand Hotel and staff have been great and the wi-fi invaluable would recommend to all, the rick shaw wallas are people who work hard for a living, so if you see one, try one out, it costs little and you will get local knowledge along with invaluable advise.

Loved my stay here and would come again :)