Amritsar Heritage Walk

INTRODUCTION:

The Heritage Walk is a guided tour deep inside the narrow lanes and bye - lanes of the 400-year old city of Amritsar. One gets to see Katras, Akharas, Bungas, Havelis and Hattis- the vocabulary of traditional town planning and architecture. The walk takes you back in time as you witness traditional trades and crafts being practiced in the same place and in the same manner, as has been done for centuries. It is, however, the famous intricately carved wooden facades that will take your breath away.

This walk is an opportunity to feel part of this beautiful, sacred, vibrant,

Guru Di Nagari.

Welcome to Raamadaaspur. Welcome to Amritsar.

History of Amritsar

Amritsar was founded by Sri Guru Raamdas, the fourth guru of the Sikhs in about 1574 A.D. Before the city was founded, the area was covered with thick forests and had several lakes. To start the city the Guru invited 52 traders from different sects belonging to nearby places like Patti and Kasur to settle here. These families started the first 32 shops in the city which still stand in the street called Batisi Hatta (32 shops) The Guru himself shifted to live among them in the city which came to be called Raamadaaspur and has been eulogised in the Guru Granth Sahib.

The construction of Amrit Sarovar from which the city gets its present name was also started by Sri Guru Raamadas. His successor, Sri Guru Arjan Dev, completed the project and located the Harmandir Sahib in its midst.  Later, when Guru Arjan Dev completed the writing of the Holy Granth Sahib (Holy Scriptures of the Sikhs), a copy of Guru Granth Sahib was ceremonially installed in Harmandir Sahib.  Baba Buddha Sahib was appointed the first Granthi.

After the last Guru Sri Gobind Singh Baba Banda Bahadur a Sikh from Nanded came to Punjab and inflicted several crushing defeats on the Imperial Mughal forces. This led to the rise of Sikh power and the formation of several “jathas” or bands called “Misls” (literally “equal”, also “an example”). 12 Misls of the Sikh confederacy controlled Punjab and from time to time attempted to expand their territory and resources. 4 of these misls, namely; the Ahluwalia Misl, Ramgarhia Misl, Kanhiya Misl and Bhangi Misl controlled Amritsar at various points in time. Each of them contributed to the City of Amritsar.

Before Maharaja Ranjit Singh, outer Amritsar was controlled by the Bhangi misl who built the Gobindgarh Fort. They were crushed by Maharaja Ranjit Singh early in his career. Part of Amritsar was controlled by the Kanhiya Misl with whom Maharaja Ranjit Singh formed a matrimonial alliance by marrying Jai Singh’s  infant granddaughter Mahtab Kaur when he was 6 years old himself. 

The Ahluwalia Misl controlled a large part of the city. Jassa Singh Ahluwalia was its most prominent leader. He defeated the Afghan Ahmed Shah Abdali in the battle of Amritsar in 1765. He was at one time the richest and most powerful misaldar. The Misl built a Fort in the city and had full control, till Maharaja Ranjit Singh forced them to accept his leadership.

The Ramgarhia Misl controlled the rest of Amritsar and was one of the most powerful misls. Jassa Singh Ramgarhia was the first to fortify Amritsar. He surrounded the place with a huge mud wall calling it Ram Navami or Fort of God. It was attacked by the imperial Mughal forces but it was rebuilt by Jassa Singh who renamed the place as Ramgarh from which his misl took its name; Raamgarhia. He was a ferocious military leader and even attacked the Red Fort in New Delhi and made away with 4 guns and the endowment slab on which the Mughals were crowned. He then placed the slab within the Golden Temple Complex. During the misl period barracks, bungas, forts and havelis were constructed as required, around the Golden Temple for use by the Sikh Army. 

Maharaja Ranjit Singh brought all the misls under his charge and took over full control of Amritsar by 1802 A.D. It was he who fortified the Gobindgarh Fort along modern lines. He also built the Ram Bagh palace and garden on Mughal lines and covered the Harmandir Sahib in gold and made it look like it does today. Maharaja Ranjit Singh also built a huge wall with 12 gates around the city of Amritsar. Only one gate The Raam Bagh Gate stands today.

The British took over Amritsar in 1840 A.D. The years under British rule saw the demolition of the outer walls of the city and rebuilding of gates, as well as the construction of the Town Hall from where they administered the city of Amritsar. The British also renamed the Ram Bagh garden as Company Bagh. The current building of the Railway Station, the Post Office and the Saragarhi Gurdwara Memorial were all erected during the British era.

The best example of Indo-British architecture however, is the Khalsa College, designed by the famous architect Ram Singh, a resident of Cheel Mandi, Amritsar. His works include the Darbar Hall of Queen Victoria at Osborne House, Isle of Wight, the Darbar Halls of Mysore and Kapurthala, Chiefs’ College at Lahore and several other outstanding examples of Indo-British architecture. He used the exquisite Pinjara Woodwork and wooden carvings of Amritsar and made them famous all over the world.

The Heritage Walk showcases some exquisite woodwork and traditional architecture. The city is the cultural capital of Punjab today.

• Heritage Walk starts from

Town Hall at 8:00 a.m. and ends

at Entrance to - The Golden Temple

10:00 a.m. everyday

• Summer Timing

(March to November) - 0800hrs

• Winter Timing

(December to February) - 0900hrs

Evening: 1800 hrs to 2000 hrs (Summer)

        1600 hrs to 1800 hrs (Winter)

• Heritage Walk contribution: 

Rs. 25/- for Indian

Rs. 75/- for Foreigner

• For further information:

Tourist Information Centre,

Exit Gate of The Amritsar Railway Station,

Tel: 0183-402452

Amritsar Heritage Walk Poster

 Amritsar Heritage Walk Leaflet-Front, Back

Amritsar Heritage Walk Ticket-Front, Back

Published by:
Punjab Heritage and Tourism Promotion Board
Archives Bhawan, Plot 3, Sector 38-A, Chandigarh 160036
Tel.: 0172-2625950; Fax: 0172-2625953; Email: phtpb123@gmail.com
www.punjabtourism.gov.in
Concept: Debashish Nayak, Advisor PHTPB
Background Research: Surinder Kochhar
Text Editing: Geetika Kalha
Layout Design: Nilesh Dave, STATUS INC

Amritsar Heritage Walk Book

Printed By:

CITY HERITAGE COLLECTION

108, Anilkunj Centre, Near Shefali Shopping Centre,

Paldi Cross Road, Paldi, Ahmedabad - 380007, Gujarat, India

Phone:91-79-26579755/26579180