Amritsar
The legendary Golden Temple is actually just a small part of this huge gurdwara complex, known to Sikhs as Harmandir Sahib. Spiritually, the focus of…
Must-see attractions in Punjab & Haryana
Chandigarh
At the epicentre of Le Corbusier’s planned city are the imposing concrete High Court, Secretariat and Vidhan Sabha, shared by the states of Punjab and…
![[UNVERIFIED CONTENT] One of the highlights of Chandigarh is the Rock Garden designed by local artist Nek Chand.](https://lp-cms-production.imgix.net/2019-06/GettyImages-181001607_master.jpg?fit=crop&ar=1%3A1&w=1200&auto=format&q=75)
Chandigarh
Chandigarh's Rock Garden is unique: it's the surreal fantasy of the much-missed Nek Chand (1924–2015), a local transport official who, starting in 1957,…
Punjab (India)
Of all the ruined forts in Punjab, Bathinda’s Govindgarh is the mightiest and most impressive. It’s also the oldest, dating way back to the 7th century,…
Amritsar
At the southeast end of the Golden Temple Complex is the Guru-Ka-Langar, an enormous dining room where an estimated 100,000 pilgrims come to eat every day…
Punjab (India)
The ancestral home of the maharajas of Patiala, this richly ornamented 18th-century fort is an Arabian Nights fantasy of soaring buttresses and latticed…
Golden Temple Interpretation Centre
Amritsar
Hidden beneath the marble square outside the clock-tower entrance to the Golden Temple, this fascinating multimedia museum tells the story of Sikhism and…
Amritsar
Housed in the beautifully restored 19th-century Town Hall, this unique museum (the only one in the world dedicated to Partition) offers a poignant and…
Punjab (India)
Every afternoon Indian and Pakistani border guards meet at the border post between Attari and Wagah to engage in a 30-minute display of military…
Government Museum & Art Gallery
Chandigarh
You’ll find a fine collection of artworks and treasures at this impressive state museum, including trippy paintings of the Himalaya by Russian artist…
Punjab (India)
Graced by two wedding-cake towers and an ornamental suspension bridge, Sheesh Mahal is one of Punjab's more striking buildings. Inside the lavishly…
Amritsar
Ram Bagh was the former palace grounds of Maharaja Ranjit Singh (1780–1839), who founded the Sikh empire. It now serves as a public park. At its heart,…
Punjab & Haryana
The focus of attention at Kurukshetra is the vast, sacred body of water that is Brahmasarovar, India’s largest ceremonial tank. According to Hindu holy…
Amritsar
Credited with fertility-improving powers, this fascinating labyrinthine Hindu temple commemorates the 20th-century female saint Lal Devi. From the main…
Amritsar
Reached through a narrow gatehouse leading to an enclosed courtyard, this poignant park commemorates the 1500 Indians killed or wounded when a British…
Chandigarh
One for fans of 20th-century avant-garde architecture and design, this fascinating museum displays documents, sketches and photos of Le Corbusier, along…
Punjab & Haryana
More than 100 species of migratory birds, including Siberian cranes, greater flamingo and rosy pelican, join a host of resident species (white-throated…
Punjab & Haryana
The Sri Krishna Museum features an impressive collection of sculptures, carvings and paintings, and a low-tech multimedia exhibition with dioramas, giant…
Netaji Subhas National Institute of Sports
Punjab (India)
The Netaji Subhas National Institute of Sports occupies a wing of the vast Moti Bagh Palace, constructed by Maharaja Narendra Singh in 1847. The museum…
Punjab & Haryana
The impressive mausoleum of 17th-century Sufi mystic Sheikh Chehli, who provided spiritual guidance for the Mughal prince Dara Shikoh, lies in a quaint…
Chandigarh
The High Court is one of Chandigarh's most iconic buildings from the Le Corbusier era. Executed in reinforced concrete, the massive avant-garde structure…
Amritsar
The Guru Granth Sahib is installed in the temple every morning and returned at night to the Akal Takhat, the temporal seat of the Khalsa brotherhood. The…
Punjab (India)
The largest and most dramatic gurdwara in Anandpur Sahib is the Kesgarh Sahib, set back from the main highway on the edge of the old town. An elegant…
Amritsar
Just outside the Golden Temple Complex, and with its own ceremonial tank, the octagonal Baba Atal Tower was constructed in 1784 to commemorate Atal Rai,…
Punjab & Haryana
A private collection of gleaming vintage motors – cars, commercial vehicles, scooters, aviation and rail memorabilia – alongside non-motorised modes of…
Chandigarh
On the approach road to the High Court, the small High Court Museum displays assorted judicial memorabilia including original Le Corbusier sketches, a…
Amritsar
This vast, sprawling castle of a college, on your right as you head west of town along GT Rd, was founded in 1890 to educate the cream of Punjabi society…
Amritsar
Spiritually, the focus of attention within the Golden Temple Complex is the tank that surrounds the gleaming central shrine. Known as the Amrit Sarovar,…
Maharaja Ranjit Singh Panorama
Amritsar
Located in the northwest corner of Ram Bagh, this museum is dedicated to Maharaja Ranjit Singh, the ‘Lion of Punjab’ (1780–1839), who founded the Sikh…
Chandigarh
Fulfilling the leisure objective of Le Corbusier’s urban master plan, this landmark artificial lake is a popular rest and recreation stop for Chandigarh's…
Chandigarh
The ruins of the 10th-century Bhima Devi Temple comprise broken pillars, statuettes and friezes (including some Khajuraho-esque erotic carvings) scattered…
Chandigarh Architecture Museum
Chandigarh
Using photos, letters, models, newspaper reports and architectural drawings, this museum tells the story of Chandigarh’s planning and development,…
Chandigarh
This place is a must-visit for those travelling with children, and has exhibits featuring fossils, model dinosaurs, exquisite hand-embroidered pictures of…
Amritsar
Dedicated to the goddess Durga, this modern Hindu temple was built in 1921 in the architectural style of the Golden Temple. Surrounded by a holy water…
Punjab (India)
One kilometre northwest of the bus stand (turn left out of the bus stand, walk past the train station and it's eventually on your right) stands this…
Amritsar
Around 13km west of Amritsar, it’s in the vicinity of this Hindu temple that the hermit Valmiki is believed to have worked on the Ramayana. It’s also said…
Punjab (India)
Up to your right as you walk out the back of Kesgarh Sahib gurdwara, a broad paved path climbs the hillside to the small Kesgarh fort, which affords…
Kurukshetra Panorama & Science Centre
Punjab & Haryana
The circular-shaped Kurukshetra Panorama & Science Centre, next door to the Sri Krishna Museum, contains a gory diorama of the Mahabharata battle, where…
Punjab (India)
The striking five-petal form (inspired by the five warrior-saints in the Khalsa) of the Khalsa Heritage Complex, which opened in 2011, is one of India’s…
Chandigarh
The tour of the Capitol Complex includes a visit to Le Corbusier’s unmistakably mid-century Open Hand sculpture, the city’s official emblem, signifying…
