Amritsar

Amritsar a journey of unexpected encounters and historical reflections

I’m not sure that Amritsar was ever on any ‘bucket list’. But in September 2024 we found ourselves heading to Gatwick to catch the Air India flight there. The start of a long journey. Our return tickets were in three months,  home in time for Christmas.

An uneventful flight, but one which left me regretting my breakfast choice. The kindness of the staff at the ‘Malhotra Hotel’ allowing me to “die” in an available room was most appreciated. Within a few hours my food poisoning had passed. We moved to our room.  Now I was feeling much better Amritsar was ours for the exploring.

A kind of celebrity status descends on you when you are pretty much the only white face in town.  People stop you to enquire where you are from? To ask for a photo.   You kindly oblige. But after three days we were none the wiser as to what was so interesting about us?  Perhaps it is an elaborate joke?

Amritsar was an education. That’s what you look for whilst travelling. This education centred around the behaviour of the British when they were ‘leading’ this country. How and why they came to leave, what they did in the process.  The partition museum here was excellent in its comprehensive narrative.  And then there are the indiscriminate shootings…….

How can any British National feel anything but shame for the actions of our forefathers? Something which makes the kindness and generosity we received today all the more remarkable. But the Indians still love the British they see that we brought peace and unity to their country.

An afternoon spent at Attari, followed a morning at the Partition Museum. At the border with Pakistan, we came to witness the border closing ceremony.  A spectacle just for the tourists (on both sides of the border) it is all very ceremonial.   A piece of theatre but one taken very seriously.  In the main we had no idea what was going on but it was very enjoyable nonetheless.

Our last day in Amritsar we set aside to visit to the Golden Temple, Beautiful by day, but stunning by night.  

We dressed appropriately and were openly welcomed. Many pilgrims stopped to ask if we had any questions about the Temple or the religion. I felt like I had arrived at a wedding I wasn’t invited to. 
We had planned to, but we neither entered the Holy temple nor ate the free Pilgrim’s meal.

We admired this stunningly beautiful, holy site at arm’s length. Trying to blend into the background whilst taking it all in. Whilst between being asked for yet another selfie!