10 best Places to Visit in Punjab India
Though India is one of the most beautiful place in the world and is full of many types of tourist places like hill stations, religious places, unexplored places, historical places adventure and more.
Punjab is the state of Sikh people located at the border of Pakistan. The gem city of Punjab is Amritsar which was founded by Guru Ram Dassji in the year 1570.
Since this city was founded by guru Ramdassji, its old name is Ramdaspur and was referred to as Ambarsar which witnessed several changes in its heritage.
The main pride of this city is the site of Harmandir Sahib widely known in English as the Golden Temple, surrounded by the Pool of Nectar, which is one of the top places of worship of Sikhs. This is the main pilgrimage site of the Sikh community.
10 Places to Visit in Beautiful Punjab the Destination of Brave Sikhs
1. Amritsar the Golden City
Amritsar was established by the Guru Ramdassji in the year 1574 A.D. This is full of natural beauty, lakhs and a small forest. The architectural beauty of this mandir is unique and very beautiful.
In the old-time, the most important Sikh movements like Singh Sabha Movement and Punjabi Suba Movement were organised from this mandir.
There is no restriction on any people of any religion, caste or community to enter the mandir for worship and take Prashad or eat food that is free of cost for all.
This food is made in the kitchen run by the Sikhs and Gurudwara committee. The food cooked here is purely vegetarian and available for all visitors free of cost. The most prestigious and religious symbol of Sikhism is the Akal Takht.
Other tourist attractions are a clock tower and a museum. This place is very famous and about 10 to 11 thousand people visit this mandir for worship. This temple is so prestigious that it is on the pending list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites for nomination.
The eye-catching and one of the main points of attraction of the temple is its sanctum which has double storeys and some made from gold foil.
This complex consists of a holy pool and it is the strong belief that whoever takes a dip in the pool gets restorative powers and purification in his karma.
The main office of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee is located in the Teja Singh Samundri Hall.
At last, it may be said that this temple is the combination of the Sikh religion and the memory of old Sikh worriers and has international fame not only in the Sikh community but in all the people around the world.
Places to visit in Golden Temple:
1. Tourist Information Center 2.Ramgarhia Bunga 3. Central Sikh Museum 4. Dukh Bhanjani Beri 5. Historical Seat from Red Fort, Delhi 6. Community Kitchen(Guru Ka Langar) 7. Ath Sath Tirath 8. Shaheed Bunga Baba Deep Singh Ji
9. Diwan Hall Manji Sahib 10. Lachi Ber 11. Marsh Prasad 12. Har ki Pauri 13. Darshani Deori Akal Takht 14. 1984 Memorial 15. Her Baba Budha Ji 16. Guru Granth Sahib Research Centre 17. Daily Hukamnama.
Nearest International Airport:Raja Sansi International Airport (15 km) from the city centre.
Nearest Railway Station: Amritsar Junction (ASR), Verka Junction, Kathu Nangal.
Famous Markets and Malls: Lahori Gate Market, Old City Bazar, Kapda Bazar, Katra Jaimal Singh Bazar, Guru Bazar, Hall Bazar Shastri Market, Lawrence Road, Mall of Amritsar, Trilium Mall, Alpha One, Omaxe Novelty Mall, Celebration Mall.
Food of the City:
Amritsari Kulcha, Chole Puri and Pinni, Langar and Karah Prashad, Lassi, Makki Di Roti and Sarson Da Saag, Mah Ki Dal, Ghee Roast Chicken, Amrit Fish Tikka, Mutton Chaap, Jalebi, Kalfas.
The ideal time to visit the Golden Temple: is from October to March.
2. Chandigarh a Planned City
Chandigarh is the most planned city in India which was designed by the Swiss-French architect Le Corbusier.
Apart from Chandigarh city he also designed the other most prestigious buildings like the giant Open Hand Monument, Legislative Assembly, Secretarial and High Court.
Chandigarh is the capital of Punjab and Haryana states situated in the Northern part of India. This is one of the biggest Union Territories of India and consists of a total population of about 1,055,000 people with the official language English.
This is one of the richest in terms of per capita income among states and UTs in India with a very high literacy rate of about 87 per cent. This city was established by the then-Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru in the year 1947 post-independence.
The climate of the city generally remains pleasant except in summer as it is situated near the Sivalik Range foothill area of the Himalayas in the northwest part of India.
There is a dense forest all around the city and therefore consists of large plantations of eucalyptus, Ashok, Cassia, Mulberry and Banyan trees out of which some trees are listed as the natural heritage of the city.
It also consists of a variety of animals like sambars, deer, parrots, barking deer, parrots and peacocks.
Places to visit Chandigarh:1. Rose Garden 2. International Dolls Museum 3. Pinjor Garden Le Corbusier Centre 4. Terraced Garden 5. ChattBir Zoo 6. Museum and Art Gallery 7. Cactus Garden 8. Mohali Cricket Stadium 9. Sukhna Lake 10. Zakir Hussain Rose Garden.
International Airport Near Chandigarh: Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport (218 km), Indira Gandhi International Airport (243 km), Chandigarh Airport (7 km) local.
Railway Station Near Chandigarh: Chandigarh (CDG) 8 km, Chandimandir (CNDM) 12 km, Kalka (KLK) 20 km.
Markets and Malls in Chandigarh: Patel Market, Palike Bazaar, Shastri Market, Shopping Plaza, Furniture Market, Rehri Market, Sadar Bazaar, Krishna Market, Sector 11 Market and Elante Mall.
Best Food of Chandigarh:
Golgappa, Chaat, Kulfi, Chole Bhature, Aloo Tikki, Paneer Tikka, Pav Bhaji, Chicken Patty, Rajma rise, Mashed Saag and Crisp Roti Tandoori Chicken and Creamy Lassi.
The Ideal Time To Visit Chandigarh: October to March.
3. Ludhiana A Hub of Industries
Ludhiana is founded by the Lodhi dynasty of the Delhi Sultanate name Sikandar Lodhi in the year 1480.
Its original name was Lodiana which was later on converted to Ludhiana. This is the largest city and industrial hub of the state of Punjab situated in the northern part of India.
This city is very favourable for industries and has the rank of the easiest city for business by the world bank. The total population of the city is about 45 lakh and the 28th biggest urban agglomeration in India.
This city is also on the list of smart cities to be developed by the Government of India. Due to the large industries established in this city, it has become the worst polluted area ranked as the 13th most polluted city in the world.
The World Health Organization (WHO) had also taken up the matter about six times at different levels for taking effective measures to control pollution.
This city mainly is the home of small-scale industries and produces apparel, hosiery and garments apart from the other industrial goods. This city is also known for its bicycle production which is the largest in Asia.
The climate of Ludhiana generally remains dry and humid during the summer and rainy seasons but in winter it becomes very cold and pleasant. Though this city is not a very good tourist place still it had a large number of places that must be visited by tourists during their visit to Punjab.
Places to Visit Near Ludhiana:1. Pavillion Mall 2. Lodhi Fort 3. Maharaja Ranjit Singh War Museum Rakh Bagh Park 4. Gurudwara Charankanwal Sahib Machhiwara 5. Hardy’s World Amusement Park 6. Bhir
7. Rural Olympics at Quila Raipur 8. Phillaur Fort 9. Nehru Rose Garden 10. Gurudwara Nanaksar Jagran 11. Punjab Agriculture University Museum
Alamgir 12. Gurudwara Shri Manji Sahib.
International Airport near Ludhiana: Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport (135 km), Indira Gandhi International Airport (280 km), Chandigarh Airport (93 km) Domestic.
Railway Station Near Ludhiana: Ludhiana Junction (LDH), Dhandari Kalan (DDL), Phillaur Junction (PHR), Sanahwal (SNL).
Famous Markets and Malls in Ludhiana: Toor Market, Pan Market, Akal Market, Ahuja Market, Grewal Market, Jacket Market, Krishna Market, Way to Ghai Market, New AC Market, Thapar Market, Grand Walk Mall, Wave Mall and Pavilion Mall.
Best Food of Ludhiana: Aloo Mater, Tandoori Chicken, Choley Bhature, Dal Makhani, Sarson da Saag-Makki di Roti, Lassi, Dodha, Rajma Masala and Kadhi.
The Ideal Time To Visit Ludhiana: October to March.
4. Mohali A Fast-Growing City
Mohali is one of the most important cities in Punjab state in the northern part of India. This city is known by different names like Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar or Ajitgarh but is nowadays famous as Mohali.
It is a big city that consists of a total population of about 1.76 lacks of people. Earlier Mohali was part of Rupnagar but in the year 2006, it is separated from Rupnagar and became an independent district.
This city was growing very fast with the efforts of its people, NGOs and the government and as a result, it has converted into an IT hub and improved the living standard of its people.
This city is very rich in the matter of the presence of lakes and therefore the big variety of animals, aquatic plants and amphibian life is flourishing here.
Mohali is one of the manufacturing hubs in Punjab state and has big like ICI Paints, Punjab Communications Limited, Punjab Tractor Limited, Tata Communications Godrej Group and Vodafone.
Mohali is well-equipped in all the sectors for the need of its people like health, education, transport and sports.
There are a large number of schools, colleagues, sports complexes, and hospitals made in this city for the welfare and recreation of its people.
Though the weather in Mohali is very hot in summer it is very favourable in winter for outings and enjoyment in the winter season.
This city is emerging as one of the favourite cities for tourists with the continuous effort of the government to develop it as a Future City of Punjab.
This place has many points of tourist attraction for all seasons and now a large number of tourists visiting Mohali from all parts of the world.
Places of Attraction in Mohali:
- Fateh Burj
- VR Punjab Mall
- Amb Sahib Gurudwara
- Sri Vishnu Mata Mandir
- Gurudwara Nabha Sahib
- Punjab Cricket Association
- Rock Garden
- Radha Krishna Temple
- Silvi Park
- Mansa Devi Temple
- Mataur Lakh
- Shri Guru Ravi Das Mandir
- Shri Laxmi Narayan Mandir
- Pracheen Kala Kendre
- Chattbir Zoo
- Sanatan Dharam Temple
- Bhagwan Parshunath Mandir
- Radha Krishan Mandir
- Shri Hari Mandir
International Airport Near Mohali: Shaheed Bhagat Singh International Airport, Chandigarh International Airport.
Railway Stations in Mohali: SAS Nagar Mohali Railway Station, Chandigarh Railway Station.
Famous Markets and Malls in Mohali: Rehdi Market, Janta Market, Phase 5 Market, V R Mall, Phase I Market, Vegetable Market, Organic Market, Bestech Mall, Sahibzada Ajit Singh Rehri Market, Tibetan Market and Grand Plaza Market.
Best Food of Mohali: Goli Vada Pav, Khalsa Dabha ka Pasta, Sweets ka Samosa, Chaat, Aloo Tikki, Chicken Patty, Rajma and Plain Jeera Rise, Zirakpur, Mashed Saag and Crisp Roti, Amritsari Kulcha, Creamy Lassi, Dal Makhani and Chicken Items.
The Ideal Time To Visit Mohali: November to March.
6. Sirhind A Holy City
Sirhind is in the small town of Fatehgarh Sahib district in the state of Punjab in the northern part of India. It is a municipal council and the total population of this town is about 61 thousand its official language is Punjabi.
This is the land of people who had an unforgettable history as the two sons of the Sikh tenth Guru, Guru Gobind Singh refused to convert to the Muslim religion.
Sirhind also called the Fatehgarh Sahib is a famous holy destination for Sikhs situated in the Fatehgarh district of Punjab.
This place is also known for the worth seeing Fatehgarh Gurudwara the symbol of Sikh’s sanctified and Muslim saint famous as Muzzajuddin Al Sani’s tomb.
Thousands of tourists visit this place due to its significance of historical, cultural and religious values.
Places of Attraction in Sirhind:
- Aam Khas Bagh
- Rauza Sharif
- Gurudwara Fatehgarh Sahib
- Floating Restaurant
- Mata Chakreshvari Devi
- Sanghol
- Sant Namdev Temple
- Haveli Todar Mal
- Ustad Di Mazar
- Mosque of Sadhna Kasai
- Shahgird di Mazar
Airport near Sirhind: There is no airport in Sirhind. The nearest airport to this place is Chandigarh International Airport which is located at a distance of about 45 km. The other airport is Ludhiana Airport but it is reserved only for domestic flights.
Railway Station near Sirhind: This city has its own railway station which was assigned the code Sir and is located at an elevation of about 270 meters.
Ideal Time to Visit Sirhind: The best time to visit this place is from February to Mid-May and October to December. The rest of the period is either very hot or cold and not suitable to enjoy in full.
7. Ropar A City of Rivers and Hills
Ropar is one of the oldest towns of Punjab and is also known as Rupnagar is located in Punjab state in the northern part of India with an average elevation of about 265 metres.
The more specific location of this town is that it is located on the bank of the Satluj River and the peaks of Shivalik hills. There is some historical evidence that showed that it is one of the big sites which belongs to the Indus Valley Civilization.
The total population of Ropar is about 57,000 who generally speak the Punjabi language. Now with the passage of time and an increase in the literacy rate the young generation of this town also speaks Hindi and English.
It is believed that this town derives its name from the name of Rup Sen who was the son of King Rokeshwar who ruled during the 11th century.
There is the famous Archaeological Museum in this city which exhibits archaeological evidence in the form of remains from the excavated site.
This museum was established and opened to the general public in the year 1998 and is the first site of the Harappan period of Independent India.
This Museum exhibits the most unique items of ancient India like antiquities of the Harappan period, The Chandragupta period gold coins and much more viz. copper and bronze implements.
Ropar is one of the major three wetlands of Punjab state which is famous as the Ropar Wetland or Rupnagar Wetland and is not the creation of nature but is a man-made wetland that covers an area of about 1,370 hectares for the supply of fresh water.
This wetland also known as Rupnagar Lake is created by the construction of an important regulator on the bank of the Sutlej River.
This area is well equipped with a large species of birds, mammals, flowers and fruits. This species includes about 9 to 10 mammals, 155 birds, 9 to 10 arthropods, 36 fish, 10 protozoans and 10 rotifers.
Gradually this part of Punjab state is in economic progress and a large number of national and multinational companies are established here like Ranbaxy Laboratories and Smart IT Ventures.
Private Limited and The Australian Academy. The education level of this place is also increasing with the result of a large number of public and private schools and colleges.
This place is much safer for tourists than most of the other parts of the country. Tourists can visit a large number of places and enjoy their trip with friends and family. Some of them are:
Places of Attraction near Ropar:
- Bhakra Dam
- Virasat E Khalsa
- Sri Takht Keshgarh Sahib
- Kikar Lodge
- Gurudwara Bhatta Sahib
- Gurudwara Parivar Vichhora Sahib
- Jateshwar Mahadev Temple
- Nangal
- Gurudwara Peer Baba Budhan Shahji
- Sirhind Canal
- Sri Chamkaur Sahib
- Gurudwara Sadabarat
- Archaeological Museum
- Holistic Spa & Salon Academy
- Shri Naina Devi Temple
- Gurdwara Sheesh Mahal Sahib
- Gurudwara Garhi Sahib
- Style Virus
Airport near Ropar: The nearest airport to Ropar is Ludhiana Airport (57 km) and other airports are Kullu Manali Airport (118 km) and Kangra Airport (135 km).
These airports are well connected with the other major cities airports and have easy excess of taxis and another mode of transport.
Railway Station near Ropar: Ropar town has its own railway station known as Rupnagar Railway Station. The other railway stations are Manipur (7.5 Km), Ghanauli (10 km), Vhatouli (12.5 km) and Kurali (14 km).
The Ideal Time to Visit Ropar: The weather in Ropar changes with the change of seasons. The summer is very hot and in the rainy season, Ropar suffers from heavy rail whereas the winter is very chilly. Therefore the ideal time to visit Ropar is September and November.
8. Jalandhar A City of Sports Hub Jalandhar is one of the major cities of the Indian state Punjab located in the northern part of India and is spread over about 112 km. with an elevation of 230 metres from the sea level.
The total population of this city is about 8.50 lakhs who generally speak Punjabi, Hindi and English. Historians have different opinions on the formation of this city.
One myth is that the name of this city is derived from an ancient demon king Jalandhra whose stories are incorporated in the Puranas and the Mahabharata.
According to Vedas, the Devasya Verma was the founder of this city and the other opinion is that it remained as the capital of the Lava kingdom and its name was inspired by the term vernacular Jalandhar which means the place inside the water between Satluj and Beas rivers.
This is the ancient city not only of Punjab but also of India as it was one of the major parts of the Indus Valley Civilization. This is evident from the remains of the Indus Valley Civilization found in the Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro sites.
During the period from 1058 to 1089, this city was the kingdom of Ibrahim of Ghazni and later became part of Lahore province during Mughal Empire and the Delhi Sultanate.
During the period of undivided India, this place was dominated by the Muslim population which was about 45 % of the total population but after partition, it gradually reduced and came down to 0.02%.
This city is on the priority list of Govt. of India as it was selected under the smart city project in the second phase and Rs. 200 crores were allocated for its development.
This city is rapidly recording its economic growth as it is now the global hub in sports goods manufacturing and also exporting furniture and glass to the nearby cities.
The sports goods manufactured here got international fame in quality as they are used in various international sports events like Commonwealth Games, and Asian Games including the Olympics.
This city is also famous for its leather and tools industries. A large number of leather goods like handbags, footwear and other leather items are exported from this city to different countries.
The new culture of malls and shopping complexes is luring tourists including NRIs to visit this place. Like other parts of the country, Jalandhar also has a large number of tourist attractions that are well familiar to visitors. Some of them are as under:
Places of Attraction near Jalandhar:
- Devi Talab Mandir Temple
- Rangla Punjab Haveli
- Nikku Park
- Imam Nasir Mausoleum
- Wonderland Theme Park
- Modella Mall
- Pushpa Gujral Science City
- Jang-e-Azadi Memorial
- Shiv Mandir
- Kartarpur Gurudwara
- TR Enjoy World
- MBD Neopolis
- Guru Gobind Singh Stadium
- Surjit Hockey Stadium
- Shaheed-E-Azam Museum
- Tulsi Mandir Temple
- Gurudwara Talhan Sahib Ji
- Sodal Mandir
- St. Mary’s Cathedral Church
- Prithvi’s Planet
Airport near Jalandhar: The nearest airport to this city is the Amritsar Airport (95 km.) which is an International Airport connected with various domestic and international flights.
Railway Station near Jalandhar: The nearest railway station is Jalandhar Cant Railway Station (2.40 km.). The other choices are Bolinna Doaba (6.15 km.), Jalandhar City (7.0 km.) and Phagwara Junction (14.0 km).
The Ideal Time to Visit Jalandhar: The ideal time to visit Jalandhar is between January to March. April to June is the summer and is very hot thereafter rainy season from July to August.
September to Mid December is also the best time to visit this city. After that up to February is very cold and not good for an outing.
8. Bhatinda a Rail Hub
Bhatinda is one of the major cities and districts of Punjab state located in the northern part of India with an elevation of 212 metres. Its total population is about 2.86 lakhs and the official language is Punjabi.
Bathinda also known as Wathtinda and Bitunda finally turned into Bathinda. Bathinda can also be written as Bhatinda is the major rail hub and its rail lines are connected from other major states of India and also with Pakistan.
It is believed that in early times this city was famous as Tabar-i-Hind which was later known as the Gateway to India. Bhatinda is about 228 km. from the Punjab capital city Chandigarh and is situated in the Malwa Region in northwestern India.
Due to the three artificial lakes, this city is famous as the city of lakhs. This place has a very famous fort known as Bathinda Fort which was constructed by Mahmud of Ghazni in 1004 and later captured by Muhammad Ghori in 1189.
Thereafter in 1190, the ruler of this region Prithvi Raj Chauhan recovered its possession in the first battle of Tarain. Hinduism and Sikhism are the major religion of this city with a ratio of 62% and 35% respectively.
The people of other religions like Islam, Christianity and others fall under 3% of the total population of the city. This city is the trade hub of agricultural products, flour milling, industries and hand-loom weaving and printing.
The rate of education in this city is very high as compared to other cities of the country and the Central University of Punjab state which was established in the year 2009 and is also affiliated with Punjabi University of Patiala.
This is one of the historical towns in this part of the country and is known for the imprisonment of the famous queen Razia Sultan in the fort which is about 1800 years old.
The Govindgarh Fort constructed sometime in the 16th century is one of the major forts of India it is about 120 feet high and is the shrine of Baba Ratan a Muslim saint.
This city is also famous for its modernized thermal power plants like Guru Hargobind Thermal Plant located at Lehra Mohabbat and Guru Nanak Dev Thermal Plant.
Tourists visit this place to know the strong historical history and culture and enjoy the most attractive tourist places located in Bhatinda.
Places of Attraction near Bhatinda:
- Maiser Khana Mandir
- Bhagwati Mandir
- Damdama Sahib
- Zoological Park
- Gurudwara Haji Rattan
- Bathinda Lake
- Lakhi Jungle
- Bir Talab Zoo
- Thermal Plant Lake
- Mazaar of Peer Haji Rattan
- Chetak Park
- Mittal City Mall
- Qila Mubarak
- Rose Garden
- Bahia Fort
- Dhobi Bazaar
Airport near Bhatinda: The nearest airport to this place is Chandigarh International Airport (226 km) and Indira Gandhi International Airport, Delhi (315 km). The airport of Bhatinda is still under active construction.
Railway Station near Bhatinda: This city is very rich in terms of railway and had its own railway junction which is properly connected with the big cities of the country like Kolkata, Delhi, Chandigarh, Patna, Jaipur, Guwahati, Ahmedabad and Jammy.
The Ideal Time to Visit Bhatinda: The ideal time to visit this city is from October to March. The summer period from April to September is very hot and in the rainy season, the rail is very uncertain.
10. Patiala A Punjabi Culture City
Patiala is the most famous city of Punjab located in the southeastern part of India and is the fourth largest city of this state.
This city was founded in the year 1763 by Sidhu Jat chieftain Ala Singh and is situated around Qila Mubarak also known as Fortunate Castle.
The city is known for its traditional Patiala shahi turban, Patiala salwar, paranda, jutti, Patiala peg, folk songs and Gidha and Bhangra. This city is also known for its beauty, ultra-modern fashion and rich culture.
Patiala is not a very old city but it came into existence about two centuries ago. He was Maharaja Bhupindra Singh with the efforts of this city got a place on the map of India for International sports. The famous ten gates around Patiala were constructed by Narendra Singh.
This famous city is divided into five tehsils which consist of 942 villages. This city is the home of forts and palaces out of which Bahadurgarh Fort is the most famous place and attracts a large number of tourists all around the year.
Places of attraction in Patiala: 1. Kali Temple 2. Gurdwara Dukh Nirvarna Sahib 3. Nanital Institute of Sports 4. Baradari Garden 5. Thapar University
6. Omaxe Mall 7. Sheesh, Mahal 8. Qila Mubarak Complex 9. Moti Bagh Palace 10. Deer Park 11. Qila Bahadurgarh 12. Lachman Jhoola 13.
Darbar Hall & Museum 14. Patiala Heritage Walk 15. Bir Moti Bagh Sanctuary 16. Rajindera Kholi 17. Lijas-e Khas 18. Sardarji’s Fabric Studio 19. Jalau Khana and Sard Khana
20. Aayu Kerala Ayurvedic Centre 21. Muteyaar. These are not only the places but Patiala offers many other places to attract tourists throughout the year.
Airport near Patiala: The nearest airport to Patiala is Chandigarh Airport located at about 53 km. far from this city. The other airport is Dehradun Airport, about 170 km. from Patiala.
Railway Station near Patiala: This city has its own railway stations namely Patiala Railway Station, Patiala Cantonment and DMW Halt Patiala which are well connected with the railway stations of the major cities of the country.
Ideal Time to Visit Patiala: The best time to visit this city is from March to May in Summer, June to September in Monsoon and October to February in Winter.
