Amritsar Culture
The city of Amritsar a dazzling showcase of composite culture and secular heritage .It has a proud past .a glorious present and a promising future. A rich repository of spiritual and national heritage, It has been hailed as the home of all virtues'(sifti da ghar) .while praying, every devout Sikh longs to be blessed with a pilgrimage to Amritsar and a holy bath at the Golden Temple. A visit to Amritsar is believed to wash off all the sins.
A focal point of Sikh faith
A nursery of defence pool, an alert sentinel at the Indo-Pak border, Amritsar is the place where the first Sikh Army was raised by the sixth Guru, Guru Hargobind. The city saw the fierce onslaughts of the invading armies of Ahmad Shah Abdali and a reckless carnage at the Jallianwala Bagh. An epicenter of Kooka and Akali movements and a symbol of resistance against the British tyranny, Amritsar had been a favourite place of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. It was in Amritsar that the clarion-call for the liberation of India sounded louder and clearer. In the recent times, the has at regular intervals borne the brunt of Indo-Pak conflicts.
The most dominating
The most dominating asset, however, is its people who are friendly, God-fearing, hospitable, hard working informal, robust and with a tremendous zest for living. They are fond of good food, good dress and all the external symbols of life.
Amritsar is the heart-beat of the Majha region
which has provided Punjabi literature with its standard language. A launching pad of several renowned artists, authors and poets, the city has been a home of handloom and carpet industry for more than a century. The city is proud to have the second largest Milk plant in the country.
The Cultural
Amritsar has immensely contributed to the Punjabi literature and folk culture. It has standardized the Punjabi language. The early journey towards formal education has given it many writers and poets of repute.
People of different languages, cultures, customs and races came to Punjab for good life and it was the strength and superiority of Punjabi culture and language that these all immigrants forgot their native culture and became Punjabi.
The Hardworking Punjabi
The region of Amritsar and Gurdaspur is called Majha or the heartland. Amritsar has always occupied the center stage in the Majha region and been aptly named as the Mukut Mani, the Jewel in the Crown. The region is not as fertile as the Doaba region of Jalandhar and Kapurthala. Punjabis, the name for people of Punjab, are the most successful community in India. The people of the Amritsar region are hardworking farmers, traders and weavers. The tough and unforgiving terrain has taught them to garner the best from available resources.
The Martial Race
Amritsar has been the pivot point of the Sikh religion and Punjab politics. The first Sikh army was raised here and even today this region contributes the maximum volunteers to the Indian Army. The people have been quick to form resistance movements; the Akali, Kooka movements in the Indian freedom struggle against the British and the call for Khalistan by Bhinderanwale originated in this city.
The brave and carefree culture of soldiering is the second nature for the people of Amritsar. The most essential quality of the people apart from soldiering is their hospitable and friendly nature. A visit to the rustic villages and you will promptly get scores of invitation to savor the famous Tandoori Chicken, fried fish and home made sugarcane wine or the Makki Ki Roti and Sarson Ka Saag, a meal of corn flour pancakes and a dish prepared with mustard leaves and stems, kulche chole, and aloo wala kulcha.
Festivals in Amritsar
The major festivals are Lohri, Holi (Hola Mahalla), Vaisakhi and Guru Nanak Birthday, Guru Gobind Singh Birthday and Diwali. Lohri is celebrated on the 13th of January as the end of winter and the harvesting season. The next day is the first day of the Sikh month and is celebrated with offerings to Gurudwaras and the needy. Baisakhi is the end of year for the Sikhs and is celebrated on the 13th of July. It is the festival of celebrations, of dance and signifies wealth and prosperity. It is believed that the dance form Bhangra, now popularized by the Punjabi singers all over the world, originated as an expression of gratitude to the mother earth during Vaisakhi. Guru Nanak Birthday , the Birthday of Guru Dev Nanak dev ji the founder of Sikhism, Guru Gobind Singh Birthday the 10th Guru the founder of Khalsa.
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