Punjab’s historical significance makes it a top-notch tourist attraction

Punjab may not be on top of the chart for many of  the domestic Indian travellers, but the sheer variety of attractions that it offers is difficult to match.

Let’s look at some of the destinations you may want to visit in Punjab. There are very few places in India that can match Punjab for its historical significance and religious landmarks. The Ministry of Tourism conducted a webinar on ‘Punjab – Beyond the brochure’ as part of its Dekho Apna Desh series to highlight its uniqueness.

·     The Majha region of Punjab covers the area between Beas and Ravi rivers, including the area on the north of Sutlej, after the confluence of Beas and Sutlej at Harike in Tarn Taran district, extending up to the Ravi River, which is all part of the Majha region in India.

·     Malwa is a region of Punjab south of river Sutlej. The Malwa area makes up majority of the Punjab region consisting of eleven districts. Cities such as Ludhiana, Rupnagar, Patiala, Sangrur, Bathinda, Mansa, Firozpur,Fazilka, Rajpura, Moga and Ajitgarh are located in this region.

·     Doaba  region of Punjab, lies between the Beas River and the Sutlej River.

·     Majha House -Amristar, is a new cultural centre in Amritsar that provides a unique platform to host talks, discussions, exhibitions and performances. Specially designed to bring together singers and scholars, performers and poets, writers and artists and to encourage listening and sharing of creative ideas, Majha House seeks to celebrate a culture of dialogue and exchange through its various events, workshops and residency opportunities.

·     Golden Temple, Amritsar is one of the most spiritual places in India, and is the holiest shrine in Sikhism and is alive with religious fervour and sacredness. Located right in the heart of Amritsar and is easily reachable from any part of the city.

·     Wagah Border is a road border between India and Pakistan. It is a famous tourist spot nowadays because of the famous beating retreat ceremony that is held every day before sunset.

·     Jallianwala Bagh is a place of great historical importance during the Indian struggle for independence. It is a public garden in Amritsar which houses a memorial of national importance that was established by the government of India .

·     Partition Museum is the first-ever museum in the entire world to focus on the stories and trauma of the millions who had to suffer from the bloody consequences of a ruthless partition. Opened up at Town Hall in Amritsar.

·     Durgiana Temple, also known as Lakshmi Narayan Temple, Durga Tirath, Silver Temple and Sitla Mandir, is a Hindu temple bearing a stark resemblance to the Golden Temple.

·     Mata Lal Devi Temple, popularly known as Sheesh Mahal of Amritsar, is famous among the Hindu pilgrims for its miraculous powers. The temple is dedicated to the female saint Lal Devi and is considered a miniature dimension of the popular Vaishno Devi temple in Jammu.

·     Punjab State War Heroes Memorial and Museum showcases the fabulous brave-hearts of Punjab. The Museum immortalizes the bravery of the soldiers of Punjab, displayed throughout the museum with a spirit of patriotism.

·     Bathinda Fort or Qila Mubarak is an age old fortress in Bathinda. Built by Raja Dab and King Kushana, the fort is believed to be the exact place where Razia Sultan was confined and Guru Nanak Dev, Guru Tegh Bahadur and Guru Gobind Singh have visited this place. Later, Maharaja Karam Singh built a gurudwara here for the pilgrims.

·     Shri Ram Tirth Temple is the birthplace of Luva-Kusha, twins of Rama and Sita in the Ashram of Saint Balmiki. Built in yellow stone the temple dates back to the Ramayana as Sita was given shelter here after being abandoned by Rama.

·     Maharaja Ranjit Singh Museum, is a summer palace turned into museum. Maharaja Ranjit Singh Museum is a lovely building which archives the Royal Heritage of Maharaja Ranjit Singh such as arms and armour, outstanding paintings and century old coins and manuscripts.