TOURISTS CIRCUITS

If you are one of those travellers who already know the kind of travel experience you are looking for, then this section will suggest a practical way of going about it. The tourist circuits described below will help you take your pick on your travel idea and the most convenient route depending on the duration of your tour.

Ludhiana - Moga - Ferozepur - Bhatinda - Malout - Muktsar-Faridkot
Starting from Ludhiana, Punjab's industrial home, you can move to Ferozepur , a border town known for its memorials to the Indian freedom fighters. Here, on Ferozepur- Moga road is Zira, a beautiful Jain Swetembar Temple. What is worth seeing here is the finesse of sculpture in the ancient icons and wall paintings. At Bathinda, you can visit the 1800 year-old fort. Malout is an old mandi town, where produce from surrounding areas is brought for sale. Muktsar is associated with the victory of the Sikh forces over Moguls, headed by Sri Guru Gobind Singh in 1705. Faridkot gives you an antique feel of magnificent art and architecture manifest in its forts & palaces. Their walls display remarkable paintings, mirror-work & frescoes.

Amritsar – Ram Tirath - Sarai Amanat Khan - Wagah Border – Amritsar
Take a trip back to the times of Ramayana starting at Ram Tirath. Next, at Sarai Amanat Khan, you can have a taste of the Mogul hospitality. And then back to the present at Wagah border where the pageant of the beating of retreat makes for a captivating scene. It is fascinating to watch the evening drill as the change of guards takes place within a handshake’s distance of the Indian and Pakistani forces. Do confirm the timings before you set out on this tour as it might change from season to season.

Amritsar - Dera Baba Nanak - Qadian-Kala naur - Gurdaspur – Pathankot
Start your day on a religious note with a visit to Dera Baba Nanak, the home of first Sikh prophet Guru Nanak during the last years of his life. The place has a historical Gurdwara built in the great Guru’s memory and preserves the holy robes presented to him at Mecca. Qaidian is the home of the founder of the Ahmedyia sect of Muslims. Move on to Mogul times at Kalanaur where Akbar the great was coronated. And then find your way out to some of the best tourist destinations in India at Pathankot, the link city to Jammu & Kashmir and the hills of Himachal.

Amritsar - Tarn Taran-Hari-Ke-Pattan - Goindwal Sahib - Sultanpur Lodhi – Kapurthala( Kanjli lake) – Jalandhar
The Gurdwara of Tarn Taran with its majestic golden dome and large pool of holy healing waters is sure to lift you spiritually for the rest of your journey. The shrine stands to commemorate the sacrifices of the 5th Guru, Shri Arjan Dev ji. Hari-Ke-Pattan, a wild life sanctuary of international repute offers its serene natural environs. Next is the journey to Goindwal Sahib, in fact a route to salvation! This holy shrine was the seat of 3rd Sikh Prophet Guru Amar Das ji. Inside the Gurdwara, 84 steps lead to a deep well. And as the legend goes, if one recites the prayers of Jap ji Sahib at each step after a bath in the well, one crosses the 84,000 lifecycles to attain Moksha (salvation). At Sultanpur lodhi Sri Guru Nanak Dev ji spent 12 years in the service of Nawab Daulat Khan Lodhi. Then he began his first holy travel towards the east and the south to preach the word of God in 1500 A.D. At Kapurthala apart from the beautiful palaces and buildings, you can choose to relax at Kanjli lake and watch exotic migratory birds fly in.

Amritsar - Baba Bakala – Kartarpur – Jalandhar
At Baba Bakala, the 9th Prophet of Sikhism Sri Guru Teg Bahadur Ji assumed the seat of Sikhism after the demise of the child Guru, Shir Hari Krishan ji. Kartarpur is the home of the authentic, handwritten copy of Sri Guru Granth Sahib. The holy book was complied & edited by the 5th prophet with his seal, here. After this sacred experience stop over at the most ancient city of Punjab - Jalandhar. Today it is internationally reputed for the manufacture of sports goods and landmarks associated with the Hindu religion.

Chandigarh - Ropar (Rup Nagar) - Anandpur Sahib - Bhakra - Nangal - Ropar – Chandigarh
Flip the pages of history at Ropar. Famous for its archaeological findings, the place today, is better known as Rupnagar. Go trekking in the valley of River Sutlej, from Kiratpur Sahib to Anandpur Sahib (the seat of Sikhism for almost 80 years). You can explore many a historical landmarks on the way. The place is also a pilgrim’s paradise with a host of beautiful Gurudwaras, the most prominent being Sri Keshgarh Sahib, where the 10th Guru, Shri Gobind Singh ji, created Khalsa in 1699. The world's highest straight gravity dam is located at Bhakra.

Patiala - Nabha - Malerkotla - Ludhiana - Fatehgarh Sahib – Chandigarh
At Patiala, you can explore everything on a traveller’s itinerary from palaces and museums to sports, cuisine and fashion. Nabha is a small place of great historical significance. It is the venue of the freedom struggle where Pandit Nehru had come to court arrest. Malerkotla is a hub of Punjabi ethnic wear and quite popular for suit embroideries, insignias and handicrafts and artifacts. Then there are Fatehgarh Sahib and Sirhind with some splendid monuments belonging to the Muslim era. Chandigarh, the most well planned city was designed by a French Architect and is also known as the Paris of India.

Jalandhar - Hoshiarpur (either back to Jalandhar or Ropar-Chandigarh)
Well connected both by rail and road, the ancient town of Hoshiarpur offers its laid back charms. The place is famous for its Vedic Research Institute, Bhrigusamhita system of astrology; inlay work and lacquer finish furniture, musical instruments and an archaeological museum.