Amritsar is both foodie and religious and moreover it is famous for three iconic things - Golden Temple, Delicious Food and the Wagah Border. In short, you may not want to miss this city at any cost! Book tickets to India at the best price from Flights to India and create memories in this amazing city.
Amritsar is the core centre for Sikhism. Apart from the delicious food, you can also see the cultural and spiritual part this November with flights to Amritsar. Well, it's the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak who was born in 1469 AD near Lahore. Hence, this remembrance is mostly known as Guru Nanak Jayanti and it is celebrated with passion, joy and high enthusiasm among the Sikh community.
This year, in 2016, the festival falls on 14th November and will begin with early morning procession from the local Sikh temple or the gurudwara, famously known as 'prabhat pheri'. The procession is accompanied by religion songs and chanting verses.
The procession (Prabhat Pheri) is performed on the day before Guru Nanak Jayanti and carries on for 3 days. The holy book, Guru Granth Sahib is continuously read, without a break, from the beginning till the end.
Features of the Festival
This festival is celebrated not only among the Sikh community in Punjab, but all over the nation of India. Punjab is the place that hosts the largest celebration. At the day of the festival, the holy Guru Granth Sahib is carried on a beautifully decorated float, accompanied by musicians and armed guards. During the festival prayers and devotional songs are carried on, which is followed by a combined lunch called as langar.
The iconic and sacred Golden Temple is the best place to witness the amazing festival with tickets to Amritsar. The temple is crowded and being there will give you a true sense of the culture of the Sikh community.
How is it Celebrated?
A non-stop reading of the Guru Granth Sahib, which is called as Akhand Path, begins just 48 hours before the Gurpurab. With flights from London to Amritsar, you can witness a mass crowd visiting the Golden Temple to be a part of the reading of the holy scriptures. A day prior to Guru Nanak Jayanti, the religious processions is carried out with the Sikh flag, also called Nishan Sahib, along with the well decorated palanquin.
The devotional songs that are sung, thank and praise the Guru for his blessings, his wisdom and prosperity. The procession begins from the Sikh temple (gurudwara) and ends also at the gurudwara with the performance of martial arts by Gatka performers.
During the festival, celebrations begin before dawn and prayers are offered early morning. Kathas, the holy scriptures are chanted with narratives in the honour of the Guru. A communal meal (the langar) is prepared by the volunteers of the gurudwara, which is distributed freely and eaten together without any division of caste, creed or even religion. The celebrations end with traditional dance called bhangra and gidda.
The Golden Temple
The holiest shrine for the Sikhs, Harmandir Sahib or the Golden Temple witnesses the religious fervour with enthusiasm beyond words. Thousands of devotees swarm into the Golden Temple courtyard in Amritsar from early morning to offer prayers and supplications. Even NRIs Book flights to Amritsar from UK and other parts of the world to seek blessings and make offering at the Golden Temple.
Right after the Diwali celebrations, the Sikh community get on their toes to make this felicitous festival a grand success. Of course, there are security guards controlling the crowd, making sure every movement and procession turns out to be good and rewarding for all.
The best thing is, this festival even crosses the borders of Punjab, across the nation, where a large number of devotees can be seen offering prayers to mark and remember the birth anniversary of the Guru. Hymns are sung at the holy shrines and at the Sikh temples. Langars (communal meals) are arranged at several places and no words can describe the oneness and commitment of the people. Book flights to Amritsar with special offers and discounts from Flights to India and save big.
Last year, in one of the posts, it was mentioned that numerous Sikh pilgrims from India travelled to Pakistan in a special Lahore-bound train that carried Sikh pilgrims among the two nations. Among heavy security, several Indian Sikh pilgrims reached the city of Nankana Sahib, where Guru Nanak Sahib was born over 600 years ago. Every part of the celebration was just as it is done in India. The town of Nankana Sahib is situated almost 50 miles south-west of Lahore.
No wonder, the birth of Guru Nanak Sahib, the first of ten Sikh Gurus, is celebrated with much fervour by Sikhs across India.
Rajasthan – The Royal State of India
The majestic forts, palaces and monuments have maintained the rich cultural heritage of Rajasthan since ages. This Royal State is the most popular tourist destination in India luring tourists from all over the world and as a part of Golden Triangle Tour, Rajasthan always played a major role in flourishing tourism sector. Some of the desolated forts and palaces in the state have been converted into luxurious hotels holding a beautiful and exalting ambiance.India – An embodiment of Unity in Diversity
India is a big country with diverse culture, creed, religion, caste , languages, cuisine, attire , dances and climate. Despite of this heterogeneity there is sense of integrity and oneness among the people who live together being proud of their deep rooted values and richness of cultural heritage, thus India could be justly acclaimed as a Land of Unity in Diversity.SHOPPING SPOTS IN DELHI
From traditional bazaars to contemporary malls, street-side markets to branded outlets, Delhi has always topped the list of world's hottest shopping destinations. It has everything to offer from it's unending well of desirable goods with a huge variety and price range, catering to every segment of the population. So, do visit these markets on your holidays to India and shop till you drop.