Punjab – The Heart of India: Places to Visit in Punjab, Punjabi Food & More

The land of infectious zest for life – Punjab is located in the North West of India. Unique, extravagant, colorful etc are a few attributes that we can associate with this state. In this blog, we take you on a virtual tour to the Heart of India where we explore the places to visit in Punjab, Punjabi food and a lot more.

The word Punjab consists of two Persian words Panj (five) and āb (water), hence signifying the land of five rivers – The Beas, Chenab, Jhelum, Ravi, and Sutlej. Punjab is one of India’s most beautiful states.

The century-old Punjab is renowned for its sacrifice, tolerance, logic as well as a progressive approach to life. It is well known for its culture, cuisine, and history. Above all, the people of Punjab are known for their hospitality and warmth.

Distinguished across the globe, Punjab culture is indeed overwhelming.

Punjab’s main cities include Jalandhar, Amritsar, Chandigarh (capital), Ludhiana etc and a few villages (pinnd in Punjabi) like Moga, Sahnewal, Phillaur, Nakodar etc are also quite popular.

Punjab is studded with historical monuments, temples, and several holy shrines that are still unexplored. 

Let’s talk about something Punjab is famous for FOOD!

If you are a food freak, then you would not want to miss out on Punjab. Punjabi food is famous for its variety- be it punjabi kadhi, tandoori chicken, or even punjabi thali, the list of Punjab food items is endless.

If you are in Amritsar, not grabbing a bite of mouth-watering and piping hot Amritsari Naan (a kulcha stuffed with different vegetables & available in different sizes and stuffing) would be a sin.

The famous traditional food of Punjab, Makki Di Roti Sarson Da Saag is also a must. And how can we forget – the staple drink of Punjab – the cold Lassi which will take your heart away. This heart filling appetizer is prepared with thick curd and is available in both sweet and salty flavors. 

Some Wikipedia facts about Punjab

• Capital- Chandigarh

• Area- 50,362 square kilometres

• Population- 27,704,236

• Airports- Amritsar International Airport, Chandigarh Airport, and Ludhiana Airport

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Let’s Checkout Some Amazing Punjab Tourist Places to visit

HARMANDIR SAHIB (THE GOLDEN TEMPLE) – AMRITSAR

The 1st place in our list of places to visit in Punjab would be the world-famous- The Golden Temple. It is the world’s largest and holiest Gurudwara – The Golden Temple is located in the Amritsar, Punjab. Millions of devotees from across the globe come to see its imitable architecture every year. Many take the temple’s holy water back home as it is believed to have healing powers. A visit to the Golden Temple is incomplete without having Langar (free food served to the devotees).

The best part about this langar is- It is free of any caste or religious system. Anyone can cook, serve, and eat a delicious wholesome meal. Punjab culture is all about giving and love and langar represents that We are all one.

DEVI TALAB TEMPLE – JALANDHAR

Devi Talab Mandir or Devi Talab Temple is a Hindu temple located in the city of Jalandhar. This beautiful Goddess Durga (Amazon affiliate link) temple is believed to be around 200 years old. It contains different artefacts designed on the walls and they tell a different story. It was recently renovated and many changes have been made which has made the temple even more eccentric.

WAGAH BORDER (ATTARI BORDER) – AMRITSAR

Wagah is a village situated on the Grand Trunk Road between Amritsar (India) and Lahore (Pakistan). The Wagah Border is 27 km from Amritsar and 29 km from Lahore. A visit to the Wagah border should be a must in your punjab tourist places itinerary. It attracts thousands of tourists every day and who specially come to witness the Wagah Border ceremony held before the sunset.

The ceremony is done to close the border for the night and take off the National Flag. During this ceremony, the National Anthem is played, patriotic slogans are played and the dance is also performed to Bollywood songs. Goose Marching is also done wherein the soldiers lift their legs very high. This ceremony continues for 45 minutes.

JALLIANWALA BAGH – AMRITSAR

Who can forget the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre which took place on the auspicious festival of Vaisakhi (April 13, 1919) that claimed thousands of lives? It is located near the Golden Temple in Amritsar, Punjab. This historic garden and ‘memorial of national importance’ are preserved in the memory of the people/soldiers who were wounded and killed in the massacre.

It contains a small museum, a gallery, and many memorial structures and sculptures telling the stories of the lost lives. It is also one of the Amritsar famous places and visited by many.

ROCK GARDEN – CHANDIGARH

Rock Garden is a sculpture garden located in Chandigarh, Punjab. In 1957, it was founded by Nek Chand Saini, a government servant who started this secretly in his free time. It is purely made out of home waste and discarded items. Located near Sukhna Lake, you can find sculptures made of waste items such as broken pipes, bottles, ceramic pots (Amazon affiliate link), bangles, etc in this garden.

SUKHNA LAKE – CHANDIGARH

Sukhna Lake is a reservoir at the foothills (Shivalik) of the Himalayas. It is situated in the beautiful Chandigarh. It has a membership-based Lake Club with lawns, a gym, indoor games (Amazon affiliate link), a swimming pool, and tennis (Amazon affiliate link) courts with synthetic and grass courts. Boating, rowing, sculling, sailing, kayaking, water skiing, etc can be enjoyed throughout the year.

This lake was the venue for the Asian Rowing Championships and has the longest channel for rowing and yachting events in Asia. Apart from these tourist places, many other places like Kila Raipur, Sheesh mahal (Patiala), Nankasaheb Gurudwara (Nakodar), etc can be explored.

Do not forget to visit- THE HERITAGE VILLAGE, located on the outskirts of Jalandhar which is known to give you an immense feeling of typical Punjabi Khaatirdari (hospitality).

Every trip is incomplete without shopping. Time to talk about it. When it comes to shopping, there are a lot of traditional things to explore.

Punjabi suit with Patiala Salwar, Punjabi Jutti (shoe), Phulkari Dupatta -(Amazon affiliate link) (embroidered dupatta for weddings), etc can be bought that add immense beauty to a girl’s looks. Apart from all this, Punjabi folk dance (Bhangra and Giddha) is quite popular along with Punjabi food and Punjabi Music.

Punjabis are mainly divided into two communities: Khatris and Jats. A large population still follows the joint family system which has now turned out to be unique.

The feeling of togetherness can be easily felt here as they promise to be with each other in all the ups and downs. Punjabis are very particular about their traditions and relations. Punjab culture is all about vibrancy and people love celebrating all the festivities.

Every festival or ceremony has predefined rituals that are strictly followed. May it be birth or wedding, hair cutting, or a funeral, the adherence to rituals is a must which strengthens a relation and displays a proper social cordiality.

Punjab, the heart of India, is beautiful and worth a visit. Do check our “first-time traveler tips” blog before traveling. You can also check our other blog on Punjabi Virsa to know more about this beautiful state.

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