Top 5 Must See Tourist Places in Punjab, India

Punjab is an exquisite land where you find monuments of historic significance, enchanting scenes of natural beauty, awe-inspiring religious sites and fertile greenery - all rolled into one. When you drive or rather glide down the smooth roadways, you will find green stretches of mustard fields on both sides and you will be overwhelmed by its sheer fleeting magic. Punjab is located in the northern region of the Indian mainland bordered by Rajasthan, Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Haryana and it is the land of the Indus Valley Civilization.

Punjab is said to have derived its name from the five rivers which flow through this State - the Indus, the Sutlej, the Beas, the Ravi and the Ghaggar. These rivers provide water to this State and enrich the entire northern plain. The cities of Punjab have many places of interest for the tourists and people from all over the world visit these cities.

Amritsar is the administrative center of the State of Punjab which is the supreme sacred pilgrimage destination for Sikhism. It is home to the world famous Gurudwara Harmandir Sahib - known to the world as The Golden Temple. Amritsar lies in the heart of Punjab where one could see the richness of Punjabi culture, arts and crafts, music and dance. The Golden Temple is a highly revered religious abode with an imposing dome covered with gold. The entire edifice of gold-covered dome and the marble base enshrine the holy script of Guru Granth Sahib. It reportedly took 400kg of gold leaves to cover it.

Though it is a holy shrine for the Sikhs, people from various other faiths also flock to offer prayers at this holy place. The temple is exquisitely adorned with intricate designs and carvings. If you travel to Punjab then the one place you should never ever miss is the world renowned Golden Temple.

Jallianwala Bagh has a permanent place in Indian history as one of the most gruesome acts of inhumanity on Indian soil was the Jallianwala Bagh massacre. This is a sordid chapter in the history Indian Freedom Struggle as hundreds of innocent men, women and children perished due to the indiscriminate and ruthless firing by the British Police in 1919. The bullet marks are still alive on the boundary walls.

Chandigarh, the capital of Punjab and neighboring Haryana, is the first planned city in India, specially designed by French architect Le Corbusier. The main tourist attractions in Chandigarh are the Rock Garden, Sukana lake, Pinjore Gardens, and Rose Gardens. The Rose Gardens, better known as Zakir Hussain Rose Garden, is the largest rose garden in entire Asia and features a stunning range of over 1600 rose species. Nature lovers from different parts of the country flock to Chandigarh to view the romantic theme gardens of the city. Leisure valley is the most picturesque and popular tourist destination in Chandigarh. Chandigarh Leisure valley is resembles a garland of gardens that lends the entire city enormous charm.

Chandigarh rock garden, full of art objects made of industrial and urban waste, is an epitome of human creativity and innovation. Sukhna Lake, a three km long unique man-made lake, is a scenic lake that lies in the foothills of Shivalik range. Open hand in Chandigarh, is one of the most significant monuments of the city. This monument, 14 meters high and weighing around 50 tonnes, was made from metal sheets that rotate like a weathercock, indicating the direction of wind.

Situated by the old bank of Sutlej River, Ludhiana is the largest city in Punjab. Ludhiana is replete with a number of splendid tourist attractions like the Nehru Rose Gardens, Rakh Bagh, Raja Ranjeet Singh Fort and Tiger Safari.

Easily accessible and well maintained, Patiala is a unique that would give one the much-needed calmness far from the madding urban chaos. Patiala is certainly among the most elegant cities of Punjab. Stroll through the streets of Patiala and you would be able to perceive it being a once princely state. The best of them all is the Moti Bagh Palace that strikingly resembles the Shalimar Garden of Lahore. Today it houses National Institute of Sports and a well-maintained and nicely stocked art gallery. Attraction like Quila Mubarak complex, Sheesh Mahal and Lachman Jhoola are great crowd pullers.

Jalandhar, situated at a distance of 90 km from Amritsar, is among the most ancient cities of Punjab. To visit Punjab and not visit Jalandhar may be an unforgivable omission. The main attractions of this old city are the 800 year old Imran Musoleum, 400 year old Jamma Masjid and the magnificent Devi Talab Mandir. All these time-honored monuments are known for their splendid architecture and marvelous carvings. Spread over 72 acres, Science City is the biggest science project in India. Science City has several well-known attractions, which make it a unique destination for the tourists visiting Punjab.

Punjab fulfills all dreams and aspirations of an avid traveler. Apart from the world’s largest Gurudwara – the Golden Temple, Punjab attracts millions of tourists from across the globe to see its inimitable architecture, historical monuments, hill resorts, temples, churches, mosques, romantic gardens and serene lakes. In short, Punjab has a whole array of attractions to offer to a travel enthusiast. The Yadavendra Gardens 24 kilometers on the Shimla road at Pinjore has enchanting Mughal style terraced lawns, alluring flower beds, gorgeous fountains and breezy pavilions enclosed by high walls swathed in the mauve and magenta bougainvillea.

Purana Quila, Bhakra Nangal Dam, Mehdiana Sahib Gurudwara, Hussaini Wala Border in Ferozpur, Asafwala War Memorial, Gurudwara Bhabour Sahib and Shahpur Kandi fort are some of the must-see tourist attractions in Punjab.