Considered to be the holiest city for the Sikh community, Amritsar derives its name from the pool of nectar (amrit - nectar, sar - pool) that surrounds the Golden Temple.
The construction of the Golden Temple was initiated by Guru Ram Das the fourth Sikh Guru.
It was carried on by the fifth Guru, Guru Arjan Dev who had the pool paved. To symbolize the truth of One God, Arjan Dev invited the Muslim divine, Mian Mir of Lahore to lay the foundation stone of the temple in 1588 A.D. To further strengthen this belief the Golden Temple incorporates the rectangular form of the Hindu temple combined with the dome and minarets, which are essentially Islamic in nature.
Later Maharaja Ranjit Singh spent a huge some beautifying the temple. He had the embossed plate, above the marble skirt of the Hari Mandir, gilded and had the ceilings adorned with Horal reliefs and little mirrors.
Amritsar has always been one of the most ancient cities of Punjab. Apart from its Sikh significance, some people believe that Valmiki wrote the Ramayana near "Pool of Nectar". Goddess Sita stayed here during the period of her banvasa (banishment) and it was here that Luv and Kush the twin sons of Lord Rama, were taught the Ramayana.
The socio - economic prosperity of Amritsar owes a lot to Maharaja Ranjit Singh. He went to great lengths to make it the spiritual capital and the commercial and cultural center of his kingdom.
Today Amritsar is a prosperous city of north India.
Accesibility Air - Amritsar has its own airport and is directly connected by air with Delhi and
Srinagar.
Rail - Amritsar has its own railway station and is connected with Delhi, Calcutta,
Bombay and other major cities.
Road - You can easily get buses to and from Amritsar from Ambala, Chandigarh, Delhi, Ferozepur and other main cities and towns in north India.
