Amritsar, is a holy city, in the state of Punjab. The name of the city has been derived from the name of the pool which surrounds the Golden Temple called Amrit Sarovar meaning the ‘pool of nectar’. It is the spiritual and cultural centre of the Sikh religion. The trip to this holy place was with my family has me hypnotized by its beauty and the history associated with the place.

Our first stop was of course the mighty Golden Temple. It is the main attraction of the city and the stunning complex is always full of pilgrims. I could hear bits of conversation about the religion and culture of Amritsar and many people were happy to show around the place. We were also lucky enough to treat ourselves to the free vegetarian meal in the shrine’s Guru-ka-Langar. It was simple yet delicious. I have always felt that there is something unexplainable about food at temples. They always seem to make you feel at home.

After a short walk from the Golden Temple, we reached the Jallianwala Bagh Garden. It is the site of the 1919 Amritsar Massacre where the British Indian Army soldiers opened fire on an unarmed gathering of men, women and children. I have read about the incident in my History books but I realized how worst it was when I saw the bullet holes in the walls of the adjoining buildings. The well where people jumped and drowned to save themselves is also a protected monument inside the garden.

Our next stop was the Mata Temple. It is a Hindu cave temple devoted to the female saint Lal Devi. The walk through the path to the temple is a beautiful experience. It passes through tunnels, caves full of ankle-deep water, inclined walkways, and mirrored hallways. The intricate colours and the innumerous deities magnetized me.

The next day, we decided to see the Summer Palace of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. But before that, me and my foodie family gorged on some Punjabi delicacies that we enjoyed thoroughly. The Summer palace has a museum which has a huge collection of beautiful oil paintings, intricate miniatures and coins and weapons from the Sikh period. Needless to say, it was an enriching experience.

After cooling ourselves with some Lassi, we decided to go shopping. This is the part in every trip where I am the happiest. Apart from a few religious paraphernalia, we bought a number of salwar kameez, coloured shawls and Phulkaari sarees. We also bought a few pair of Punjabi Juttis from tiny shops near the Hall Bazaar flyover.

We had heard the other day that the Golden Temple is more beautiful at night, so we had ourselves going in that direction. The magnificent beauty of the Golden Temple, all lit up in the dark had us simply spell-bound. The reflection of the lit up temple in the Amrit Sarovar is a sight to behold.

After a tiring day, I fell asleep pretty soon and needless to say, my dreams were all misted by a golden haze.