The Golden Temple is undisputedly the first image you associate with the city of Amritsar. And then, like a kaleidoscope of colors, sounds, aromas and tastes, the city draws you in. Amritsar is truly an embodiment of the Punjabi spirit: men of muscle, brightly dressed damsels, a culinary haven, thumping music, dance and a whopping appetite for life. Yet, through the din and chaos of this vibrant city, you can also grab a moment of tranquility and spiritual ecstasy.
The 450-year-old city was originally called Ramdaspur after its founder, Guru Ram Das, the fourth Sikh Guru. It was common for a Guru to found a new town as another spiritual center. He ordered the digging of a large tank, calling it the Amrit Sarovar or the pool of nectar. His successor Guru Arjan Dev built a shrine in it and placed the holy Adi Granth there. The city grew as a spiritual center and a large number of traders were invited to settle here and transact business.
It steadily expanded from a town to a city under the pontificate of the Gurus that followed and 200 years later was renamed Amritsar. Deviating from the path of pure spirituality, Sikhism adopted militancy after Guru Arjan Dev was martyred in Lahore at the hands of the Mughals in 1606. His son and successor Guru Hargobind established the Akal Takht and the city of Ramdaspur was fortified for the first time.
For the next 100 years, conflicts with the Mughals and the Afghans continued and after the last Guru, Gobind Singh, passed away the city came under the protection of Sikh military groups called jathas or misls. They built their own fortified residential cum trading complexes called katras. Even today, the katras form an integral part of the city plan and contain the dense commercial district.
The chieftains also built havelis and bunglas for themselves. Only a few have managed to survive the vicissitudes of time and remain a testimony to the glorious period of Sikh architecture. The city reached its zenith when all the misls united under the first Sikh empire of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. It was further fortified with two massive gateways; impressive buildings and gardens were built, the shrine was gilded, trade opened and Amritsar was recognized as a formidable force parallel to Lahore.
The city came under British rule in 1840. They razed the fortification, built buildings for administration, constructed sanitation drains and increased the rail and road connections to other cities. In the next half-century, many missionary and educational structures came up. Though trade and commerce were encouraged, the city lost its parity with Lahore, which became the headquarters of the whole of Punjab. The inner core of the city got densely populated and congested.
The British administration started off with local participation but gradually became autocratic. Like in all other towns and cities, the unrest picked up and the city had its fair share of political tragedies, the worst being the Jallianwala Bagh massacre in 1919. This changed Sikh politics and further intensified the struggle for freedom. The early years of the 20th century saw a cultural and industrial revival of the city with the springing up of educational institutions. But the Partition of India left a deep scar; the division of a community crushed the spirit of the city and the proximity to the border further hindered progress. Today, this cultural and commercial capital of Punjab is surely looking up to an era of progress.
These 450 years of history can be best experienced through a walk in the old city. Promoted by the Punjab Heritage and Tourism Promotion Board, it starts at the Town Hall, the symbol of colonial architecture built in 1866 that still remains the center of the local administration. Then to the Gurudwara Saragarhi built in 1902 to honor the memory of the 21 Sikh soldiers who went down guarding the Saragarhi outpost in the North Western Frontier Province.
After that, one proceeds to the Qila Ahluwalia. This fort was erected by the formidable chieftain Jassa Singh Ahluwalia who repelled many foreign invasions in the 18th century and paved the way for Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s empire. This area is now the heart of the commercial district. From here, one moves on to the Jalebiwala Chowk where one can savor the internationally acclaimed fried sweet in sugar syrup. The historical significance of this space is that on April 9, 1919, Hindu-Muslim brethren had jointly celebrated Ram Navami protesting against the ‘Divide and rule’ policy of the British. This became a symbol of hope and courage but unfortunately led to some untoward incidents that snowballed into a ghastly massacre on April 13.
As one walks on, one gets to see fine examples of Sikh architecture in the Akharas, the serais built for spiritual seekers who visited the holy city. The Udasin Ashram Akhara Sangalwala is in a cave 13 feet underground and still invites holy men. The 200-year-old Chitta Akhara is an architectural gem, with intricate stone carvings and houses an ancient tomb. Right in the middle of the road at the end of Bartan Bazaar stands a Banyan tree, considered sacred due to its ties with ancient practice.
Called Baba Bohar, it has witnessed the age of the Gurus, the foundation of the city and for centuries has protected meditating saints and preachers from the elements of nature. It is fascinating to see how the buildings have been built around it and how it has held various communities together.
The Thakurdwara Dariani Mal and Shahni Mandir are beautifully crafted shrines dedicated to Hindu Gods that one finds along the way, showcasing the exquisite Pinjara woodwork and colorful frescoes.
The Chowrasti Atri built by Guru Hargobind to invite traders still functions as a busy commercial space and leads on to the Taksal (Mint House) where currency was minted under various chieftains and the king.
The ‘Crawling Street’ is a grim reminder of the humiliation the locals faced during the colonial period where commuters were made to crawl on the street as the consequence of an assault by a charged mob on a lady missionary. These events were a run-up to the ghastly massacre, which the city will never forget.
Then, past the ‘ancient passage’ between two katras, which today house the Chudi Bazaar, is a space of romance and aspiration, where a Punjabi bride chooses her wedding chura from a resplendent array of red and white bangles.
Past the Bagh Akalian and Galliara Gardens, one ends the walk at the entrance to the Harminder Saheb more famously known as the Golden Temple. The first sight of the gilded shrine is mesmerizing. Upon entering the parikrama, the meditative melodies of the Sukh Mani Saheb floating through the quietness fills the space with religious ecstasy. One could go on for the entire day, partake in the seva, the langar and soak in the spirit of the Khalsa.
The neighboring Jallianwala Bagh is a somber space, a must-visit, reminiscent of a day that changed the psyche of an entire community. The bullet-ridden wall, the Martyrs’ Well sends a chill down one’s spine but as you walk out in silence, onto a street of colorful jutis and Phulkari, aromatic papad-warias and shining brassware, through the din and the chaos.... lies the triumph of the human spirit.
DRAWINGS: PRITHA SARDESSAI
Comments (0)