The city of Amritsar is a glittering showcase of compound traditions and secular culture. A thriving city with important devout centers and historical sites Amritsar exhibits a glorious past, magnificent present and a hopeful future. A significant city of Majha region, it has been entitled the prestigious title of the jewel of Punjab. A prosperous depository of national heritage and religion, it has been renowned as the abode of all merits.

This month we bring to you Amritsar, as the destination of the month.
 

Niraamaya Retreats debuts in North India with Royal Heritage Haveli, Jaipur
Niraamaya Retreats has announced its first foray in North India to operate and manage Royal Heritage Haveli in Jaipur. Located on the outskirts of the city, the haveli offers unique experiences such as destination cued dining, cooking sessions revealing the secrets of the family’s favourite recipes passed down generations, a hands-on hand-block printing workshop and a private class of Polo at a nearby farm.
Built in the 18th century as a hunting lodge for the Jaipur royal family, the sprawling five-acre property offers 19 spacious suites. Built in the Indo-Saracenic style of architecture, each of the living spaces has a unique character which exudes regal charm and features well-appointed interiors that provide the highest standards of luxury and comfort.

Hotel industry lauds Govt move to levy GST on invoiced room tariff
As GST applicable on room tariffs created much confusion for the hotel industry and its guests, trade associations had appealed for the rate categorisation for hotels to be done basis the transaction value or actual value rather than on the Declared tariff. The GST was mandated to be levied on the Published tariffs or the Declared tariffs on hotel rooms. However, hotels are known to offer discounts on room tariffs to patrons which alter the Declared rates and which could correspond to a different GST rate as per the prescribed rate slabs on room tariffs.

Mana Hotels to open a resort in Kumbhalgarh, Rajasthan
Mana Hotels is set to open a resort in Kumbhalgarh, Rajasthan. With 27 rooms; 16 Deluxe Tents and 11 rooms along with a conference hall, restaurant, game room and swimming pool, this property will be positioned as a three-star deluxe resort. With a location closest to Kumbhalgarh fort amongst this category of hotels and with amazing views of the hills, Mana at Kumbhalgarh will ensure a satisfying experience for guests. The bookings have already started from July 1.

IHG debuts in Agra with 150-room Holiday Inn Agra MG Road
InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), has signed a management agreement with Hotel Marina Agra for Holiday Inn Agra MG Road. Expected to be operational in 2018, the 150-room hotel marks the company’s debut in Agra and also completes IHG’s presence in the Delhi-Jaipur-Agra Golden Triangle tourist circuit. Just 15 minutes’ drive from Agra Fort and Taj Mahal, Holiday Inn Agra MG Road offers stunning views of the Taj from the upper floors. With excellent location, facilities and best in class amenities, we are confident the hotel will be a great choice for varied guest profiles with diverse requirements.
 

Ramayana Express from November 14

Starting November, the Indian Railways will start a special train, ‘Shri Ramayana Express’, which will cover important destinations related to the epic in a 16-day journey.
The train will be flagged off on November 14 from Delhi’s Safdarjung railway station, an official statement said.
The tour will be spread across India as well as Sri Lanka. It will be priced at ₹15,120 per person, which will cover all meals, accommodation, wash and change facilities in dharmashalas, all transfers, sight-seeing arrangements and a dedicated tour manager. After leaving Delhi, the train will make its first stop in Ayodhya followed by Hanuman Garhi Ramkot and Kanak Bhawan temple. It will then cover the important destinations of Ramayana circuit such as Nandigram, Sitamarhi, Janakpur, Varanasi, Prayag, Shringverpur, Chitrakoot, Nasik, Hampi and Rameswaram.
                                       

Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport initiates check-in from hotels in Mumbai

GVK Mumbai International Airport Limited (MIAL), the company that administers the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport (CSIA) has introduced another initiative to enhance passenger experience at the airport premises. Passengers can now use extended check-in facility that will be available at the hotels in Mumbai. This facility is presently introduced at hotels like Sahara Star, Hyatt Regency, Taj Santacruz, ITC Maratha, Hilton Mumbai International Airport and LaLiT so far. This facility can be used by anyone who has the access to these hotels. By the use of this facility, passengers will be able to save on time and have a stress-free experience at the airport. GVK Mumbai Airport also has equipped Terminals with various self-service check-in facilities. CSIA is the pioneer to introduce facilities like check-in kiosks, generating boarding pass through CUSS, generating Baggage tag through CUSS, and use of self bag drop facility for a faster check-in experience. All the airlines operating out of Terminal 1 of CSIA are now on SBD (self-bag drop facility) making Terminal 1 the only terminal in the country to have a fully automated check in system. The integration of new technology allows the processing of a significant number of passengers to be decentralised from the airport and allows for better use of airport resources.

IndiGo to launch flights to Surat from August 16

IndiGo is set to operate flights to and from Surat from August 16, 2018, connecting Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Jaipur. After a successful launch of seven domestic and two international destinations since January 2018, the airline has announced Surat as its 56th destination. Bookings are open with immediate effect with fares starting from Rs 1999. To provide more enhanced connectivity across India, IndiGo will operate three new routes, including Jaipur-Varanasi, Jaipur-Guwahati and Mumbai-Bagdogra. All new services start in August 2018. The new flights are designed to cater to business and leisure travellers who are constantly on the lookout for new and affordable flying options.

                                                        
 

Amritsar

Amritsar historically also known as Rāmdāspur and colloquially as Ambarsar, is a city in the north-western part of India. It is the spiritual centre for the Sikh religion and the administrative headquarters of the Amritsar district in the state of Punjab.
It is home to the Harmandir Sahib (referred to as the "Golden Temple" in the western media), the spiritual and cultural center for the Sikh religion. This important Sikh shrine attracts more visitors than the Taj Mahal with more than 100,000 visitors on week days alone and is the most popular destination for Non-resident Indians (NRI) in the whole of India. The city also houses the Sikh temporal and political authority, Akal Takht, as well as the Sikh Parliament.

History

Amritsar is one of the largest cities of the Punjab state in India. The city origin lays in the village of Tung, and was named after the lake founded by the fourth Sikh Guru Ram Das in 1574 on land bought by him for 700 rupees from the owners of the village of Tung. Earlier Guru Ram Das had begun building Santokhsar Sarovar, near the village of Sultanwind in 1564 (according to one source in 1570). It could not be completed before 1588. In 1574, Guru Ram Das built his residence and moved to this place. At that time, it was known as Guru Da Chakk. (Later, it came to be known as Chakk Ram Das.)

Amritsar's central walled city has narrow streets mostly developed in the 17th and 18th century. The city is a peculiar example of an introverted planning system with unique areas called Katras. The Katras are self-styled residential units that provided unique defence system during attacks on the city.

The city lies on the main Grand Trunk Road (GT Road) from Delhi to Amritsar connecting to Lahore in Pakistan. The G. T. Road, built by Sher Shah Suri, runs through the whole of the northern half of the Indian subcontinent, connecting Peshawar, Pakistan to Sonargaon, Bangladesh. The city is also connected to most other major cities such as New Delhi, Mumbai, Calcutta by an extensive network of rail system. The city also provides air connectivity to major Indian cities, as well as international cities such as Birmingham, Toronto, Dubai, Singapore, Tashkent, Ashgabat, London etc. from the Raja Sansi International Airport, recently renamed as Guru Ramdas International Airport.

Places of Visit

Golden Temple :The holiest abode of the Sikhs all over the world, the Golden Temple at Amristar is popularly called as the Sri Harmandir Sahib. The idea behind this sacred shrine was conceived by Guru Arjan Sahib, who himself designed the structure of the temple. A Muslim saint Hazrat Mian Mir ji of Lahore laid the foundation of Golden Temple on 1st December, 1588.

Placed on the lake, Amrit Sarovar, the Golden Temple, is bounded by a corridor of glittering white marble. Made up of the yellow metal, gold, this grand edifice of the Sikh religion is the pride of not only the Sikhs but also the entire nation. This stunning shrine houses numerous other small temples inside its premises. The Adigrantha, the sacred book of the Sikhs, adorns the sanctum of the shrine.

From early morning to the dawn the temple premises is echoed with the chanting of hymns, prayers, and other devotional songs, which makes an ethereal ambiance. One among the conspicuous feature of this temple is the Jubi tree, which is believed to have extraordinary powers. Vast dining halls and dormitories in the shrine offer free food and accommodation to all persons irrespective of caste, creed, or gender.

Jallianwala Bagh is a sprawling memory of the great tragedy, which evokes the patriotic spirit in every Indian. It was here, that the worst massacre in the entire history of Indian freedom struggle took place in the year 1919. To commemorate the murder of the innocent people a memorial was constructed at the site of the gruesome bump off.

Jalianwala Bagh is a vast garden spread over to an extent of 6.5 acres and the most conspicuous structure in the garden is the memorial of the 1919 massacre victims. The memorial also preserves the portion of the wall with pellet marks along with the well.

Jallianwala Bagh National Memorial Trust constituted as per Jallianwala Bagh National Memorial Act, manages the activities of the memorial. Situated adjacent to the golden Temple, this garden is easily accessible and it is a must visit place in Amritsar.

Wagah Border :The international borderline between India and Pakistan, Wagah is always been in the news headlines of both countries. Convoluted buildings, barriers and roads mark both sides of the border. The fencing between the borders is electrified with very high voltage. The Swarna Jayanthi gate, which is the entry gate of the outpost, commands the magnificent scenery of verdant landscapes.

Situated in between Lahore and Amritsar, evenings in this army outpost is very charming and colourful with the "Beating the Retreat" ceremony. The pageantry and pomp, and the change of guard within a short expanse make an appealing spectacle, which grabs large gathering. The most important segment of the ceremonial parade is the bringing down of the respective flags of both countries. Tourists and the locals throng near the border to witness the ceremonial parade of the Soldiers of the two countries. When the sun sets in the horizon, the soldiers take their departure amidst the beatings of the drums and beguiles. The entire ceremony nearly takes thirty minutes.