A Weekend Getaway

Among all the humdrum, it feels good to take a day off and what's better than a weekend getaway to the holy city of Amritsar? Waking up at four in the morning itself sets the stage for a wicked day ahead. We started our journey and the road shined with the glory of the destination itself! So after some quick titbits at a tourist dhaba, we made our way to India's Golden City.

First up was obviously the one and only famous Golden Temple, considered to be the holiest place for all Sikhs. On our way there, we would have loved to take in the beauty of the city as well if we were not busy taking in all the dust and pollution generated by the bumper to bumper traffic which delayed us by more than an hour. But alas when we arrived, it was truly a sight to behold!

Over one lakh people visit this Gurudwara, founded in 1604 by Guru Arjan that was built at the centre of a holy tank, on a daily basis. After its construction, the Adi Granth was installed inside the temple, which is also home to the Akal Takht. After a moment or two of true inner peace (yeah! the thought of Kung Fu Panda makes me giggle too!), we partook the yummy Langar.

Moving on to the Jalianwala Bagh just adjacent to the Golden Temple, pretty much every Indian must have read or at least heard about the infamous massacre that took place here. With walls still adorned by bullet holes and the Martyr's Well still concealing the remains of those who plunged into it as a last resort, we tried to visualize the gravity of the events that unfolded here ages ago. It really sends a chill down your spine, cursing the ones responsible!

Our next and final stop before returning would be the Indo-Pak Wagha Border, another terrorist... oh! sorry... tourist destination for obvious reasons... hehe... Well, jokes apart, for those of you who haven't watched the associated videos on YouTube or elsewhere, do watch! For others, the grandeur of the few hours we spent there simply cannot be comprehended through a video, and a couple of pics would surely do no justice. It is not just about taking down the flags of the two countries at sunset, but making a statement each and every single evening. The flag marches, performances, display of strength and the immense patriotic vibe with the crowd jeering at the top of their voices really made quite the impression. All this followed by dinner (or should I say breakfast?) at one thirty in the morning before retracing our steps back to our abode, gave us the essential boost needed for the days to come!