Amritsar

Unable to get train tickets, we booked a flight from Delhi to Amritsar. Riding the wave of national euphoria, I finally purchased a Team India cricket shirt from the airport. The plane was up and down in under an hour, door to door in three hours with the 45 minute journey by cab from Amritsar airport to the hotel – mercifully short trip. When we showed up at the hotel, the staff informed us that they only had a room for one night (rather than the two we’d actually booked over the phone). We argued it, but they didn’t budge. The hotel porter flagged down a day-glow pink turban wearing cyclo wallah (who looked about eighty). After the poor chap struggled to load our packs onto his steed, we set off and found a new hotel quickly. As we turned up without a booking, the hotel chap gave a good discount. Unusually for an Indian hotel they had Wi-Fi, so before heading out, we both Skyped home.

Amritsar is all about one thing – Sikhism’s holiest shrine, The Golden Temple! It’s up there as one of the must-see sights in India, and it’s the last ‘biggy’ on our itinerary. After our Mother’s Day Skype, we headed out to the temple, firstly visiting the shoe drop-off area, which is run like a military operation due to the numbers of worshipers that visit the temple. Visitors must cover their heads before entering the complex; caps and hats won’t do, but thankfully the temple provides a stock of bandana style head coverings. Realising that I was having trouble tying my bandana, a friendly chap came over and helped me out.

After going through the foot bath (obligatory when entering Sikh temples), we got our first view of the golden temple. We arrived just as the sun was going down; greeted by groups of worshipers bathing in the fading light, accompanied by a soundtrack of chanting priests over the speakers. Sitting and soaking it up, we both decided that this was one of the most amazing places we’d ever visited.

As we were coming back the next day, we decided to put off the visit to the inner sanctums of the temple until then – also, the queue looked pretty crazy at the time! Instead we did a couple of circuits of the lake and then headed for a bit of dosa and idly action at a nearby restaurant. Our first visit to the temple was amazing.

We kicked off day two in Amritsar back at the golden temple. My bandana tying skills hadn’t improved over night, again needing the help of a local volunteer.

This time we joined the queue to visit the Golden Temple building (Hari Mandir Sahib) in the middle of the sacred lake. The uncomfortable one hour wait in the midday sun was helped along by chatting to inquisitive worshippers. The temple has two floors; on the ground floor just by the entrance a group of priests keep a continual chant which is broadcast via loudspeaker around the complex. Worshipers crowd around the priests and offer prayers. The original copy of the Sikh holy book (Guru Granth Sahib) is housed up on the first floor. We were also allowed up to the roof which provided some nice views over the sacred lake. Unusually for a busy temple, we weren’t hustled through quickly by the crowd, instead being allowed to take our time to explore and soak up the atmosphere. From the little I picked up, Sikhism is known for its inclusive nature; worshipers and temple staff alike (even the security) were super friendly and very welcoming! Not surprising the place has such a great vibe. This might be my favourite spot on the trip. 

Amritsar is only 30km from the India-Pakistan border at Wagah. Every day before sunset, the Indian and Pakistani armies meet to close the border gate. It’s not just a matter of closing the door and saying ‘see you tomorrow’, instead taking the form of a thirty minute theatrical performance with flag waving, goose stepping, chanting, dancing, etc. The event is so popular that grandstands have been built on each side to house the patriotic crowds. We’ve seen the ceremony on TV documentaries; no chance we were missing out on the spectacle! We booked rs60 seats in a shared jeep for the short trip to the border.

On the road leading to the border crossing, men and woman are split up and given the shake down treatment by the army.

Once past the security checks, we came across all the usual things you’d expect to see at an international border – immigration, customs offices etc. This is however the border between two hostile nations, so in addition to the usual stuff is a high double layered electrified fence with machine gun sentries placed at regular intervals. We’re told that the fence runs the length of the Punjab/Rajasthan/Gujarat; hundreds of miles!

Foreign tourists are given access to the VIP stand, which is closer to the gate. Not sure why we get special treatment, but we didn’t complain; perhaps the Indian government likes to show off their successful tourism industry in front of the Pakistani’s, which I’m guessing doesn’t get many foreign tourists - the whole ceremony is about outdoing one another. After flashing our passports, we were led to the VIP stand where we get a nice view of the craziness. The action started with an Indian army ‘Mr Motivator’ chap in a gleaming white tracksuit inviting the ladies in the crowd down onto the road for dancing to patriotic songs. The same ladies then queue up for a bit of flag running along the length of the road, all the while Mr Motivator getting crowd fired up with some call-and-response over the PA – ‘Hindustan - Zinabad’, which means long live India. Each step is countered with similar antics on the Pakistani side, the Indian crowd laughing in response to the ‘long live Pakistan’s’. Bit rude, but there’s a fair about of hate between the two nations, so to be expected.    

The ceremony proper was slightly confusing. Each soldier involved in the ceremony shouts continually into Mr Motivator’s microphone until out of breath and then goose steps out towards the gate area. This went on until all Army wallahs were dispatched. Before the gates are closed, representatives of each army lower their respective flags with synchronised movements. About ten minutes of fancy moustached goose stepping action followed until the gates were finally shut. Soldiers for both sides then angrily march back to their holding areas, and the show is over.

Watching the show unfold in my new Indian cricket shirt and shouting ‘zindabad’ like a madman, I felt like an honorary Indian for half an hour! Shejal felt very patriotic. It was weird seeing the difference between the two sides, the Pakistanis not as numerous and much quieter than then Indians. I found it odd being within touching distance of Pakistan, a place the average western wallah probably wouldn’t currently consider visiting. The ceremony was excellent, definitely worth seeing. 

We finished off our trip to Amritsar with a hearty Punjabi meal at a nice restaurant - butter chicken, butter paneer, and lots of butter naans; heart attack food, but ok once in a while. The Golden Temple was amazing, and the border ceremony very entertaining; won’t forget the trip to Amritsar in a hurry, definitely a highlight.