Amritsar

Amritsar is a famous city in the state of Punjab, which was earlier called Ramdaspur and Ambarsar. It gets its name from the Amrit Sarovar, the holy water body surrounding the beautiful Golden Temple. It’s one of the largest cities in Punjab and the administrative headquarters of the Amritsar district.

Having a significant Sikh population, this city is a spiritual center for the Sikhs. The city of Amritsar is known widely for the Golden Temple or Harmandir Sahib. It also houses houses the symbol of Sikh political sovereignty called Akal Takht and holiest text of Sikhism, the ‘Guru Granth Sahib’.

Known for its rich cuisine and vibrant culture, Amritsar is visited by a lot of tourists from all over the world. This city is also known for the tragic Jallianwala Bagh massacre in 1919. Amritsar has very narrow streets and is a very good example for the Katra style of introverted planning system, a defense system for when the city comes under an attack.

Stats and Facts

• As per the census report of 2011, the population of Amritsar stands at 11, 32,761. But its urban agglomeration has a population of 11, 83,705
• According to the same report, the sex ratio in Amritsar is 879 per 1000 males, which is well below the national average sex ratio of 940 per 1000 males. There is, however, a definite increase in sex ratio from the previous counting that occurred in 2001
• Amritsar’s literacy rate is 85.27%, according to the 2011 census. This number indicates an amazing upward trend, as the literacy rate stood at just 67.85% during the release of the previous census report in 2001
• Amritsar lies on the Grand Trunk Road (also known as NH-1), which connects the city to Delhi in India and Lahore in Pakistan

Tourism and Fabrics Industry

• The tourism sector is the largest contributor to Amritsar’s economy. Lots of people from all over the world flock here, which boosts other industries apart from tourism
• The Golden Temple alone attracts more visitors than the Taj Mahal in Agra. Even on weekdays, there are more than 1, 00,000 visitors. A lot of NRIs also visit here
• Amritsar is also very famous for its Pashmina shawls. The manufacturing of silk goods, thick serge, and carpets form a major part of the industry, contributing to this city’s economy
• Weaving carpets is also popular in Amritsar, and are mostly produced from inferior raw wool

Economy

Amritsar is the second-largest city and district of Punjab. It is also one of the fastest growing cities of Punjab. In the mid 1980s the city was famous for its textile industry. After the 1984 Sikh riots Amritsar faced a blow in Industrial growth but there are still many textile mills present in the city. It is famous for its Pashmina Shawls, Woolen Clothes, Blankets, etc. Among handicrafts, the craft of the Thatheras of Jandiala Guru in Amritsar district got enlisted on UNESCO’s List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2014,^[59] and the effort to revive this craft under the umbrella of Project Virasat is among India’s biggest government-sponsored craft revival programs.^[60]

Transport

Connectivity

• Amritsar can be reached by domestic and international travelers by air through the Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport. More than 160 flights, both national and international, fly during the week. It’s connected to the metro cities in India, and cities abroad, like London Heathrow, Doha, and Dubai
• Amritsar is connected by rail to most important cities in India. The main terminal station is the Amritsar Railway Station and has 6 platforms 1a, 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5. The Samjhota Express, a special train runs towards Wagah before moving on to Pakistan. A high-speed line is proposed, which will serve Delhi and Amritsar through Ambala
• Located on the Grand Trunk Road (G.T. Road), better known as NH-1, Amritsar is very well connected by the road network to all the major cities in India as well as Lahore in Pakistan. There are buses that run frequently between Amritsar and surrounding cities like Delhi, Ambala, Patiala, Jammu, and Chandigarh. The expansion of the Amritsar-Jalandhar stretch of the G.T. Road to 4 lanes is the latest development
• The intra-city transportation mostly takes place through cycle-rickshaws, auto-rickshaws, buses, and taxis. A mass rapid transport system is in the development stage, which is expected to help the current traffic situation.

Lifestyle
The prominent tourist places in Amritsar include Durgiana Temple, Gobindgarh Fort, Harmandir Sahib, Jallianwala Bagh, and Wagah Border. There also are numerous prestigious educational institutions in this city.
In recent times, several malls have come up, significantly improving the lifestyle of the local population. One also has easy access to quality medical services here, thanks to the well-equipped hospitals and health care centres present in the city.

Localities in Amritsar