Amritsar is a city in the north-western part of the Indian state of Punjab. It is the administrative headquarters of Amritsar district and one of the most important religious, cultural, and commercial centres of the Punjab region. The city is best known as the location of the Harmandir Sahib (Golden Temple), the holiest shrine of Sikhism, and as a historic hub of trade on the routes connecting the Indian subcontinent with Central Asia.
| Country | India |
|---|---|
| State | Punjab |
| District | Amritsar |
| Region | Majha |
| Founded by | Guru Ram Das, the fourth Sikh Guru |
| Founded | 1577 (traditional date) |
| Languages | Punjabi (primary), Hindi, English |
| Notable landmark | Harmandir Sahib (Golden Temple) |
The name Amritsar derives from Amrit Sarovar, meaning "pool of nectar", a reference to the sacred tank around which the Harmandir Sahib was built. The city was historically also known as Ramdaspur, after its founder Guru Ram Das.
Amritsar lies in the fertile alluvial plains of the Majha region of Punjab, between the Beas and Ravi rivers. It is situated close to the international border with Pakistan, with the Wagah–Attari border crossing located to the west of the city. The terrain is largely flat, and the climate is characterised by hot summers, a monsoon season, and cool winters, with occasional fog in December and January.
The settlement was established by Guru Ram Das in the late 16th century. His successor, Guru Arjan, oversaw the excavation of the sacred tank and the construction of the Harmandir Sahib, which was completed in the early 17th century. The Adi Granth, the principal scripture of Sikhism, was first installed in the temple in 1604.
During the 18th century, Amritsar grew as a centre of Sikh religious and political life. Under Maharaja Ranjit Singh, who ruled the Sikh Empire in the early 19th century from Lahore, the Harmandir Sahib was embellished with marble and gold leaf, giving it the popular name "Golden Temple". The city's fortifications, bazaars, and havelis took their characteristic form during this period.
Amritsar was annexed by the British East India Company after the Second Anglo-Sikh War in 1849. It remained an important commercial centre, particularly for the trade in textiles, carpets, and dried fruits.
On 13 April 1919, the city was the site of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, in which troops under the command of Brigadier-General Reginald Dyer fired on an unarmed gathering of civilians, killing several hundred people. The event became a turning point in the Indian independence movement.
The Partition of India in 1947 deeply affected Amritsar, which lay close to the new international boundary defined by the Radcliffe Line. The city saw large-scale violence and population exchange, with Muslim residents departing for Pakistan and Hindu and Sikh refugees arriving from West Punjab.
In June 1984, the Indian Army carried out Operation Blue Star at the Harmandir Sahib complex to remove armed militants who had occupied the site. The operation caused significant damage to the Akal Takht and remains a contentious episode in modern Indian history.
Amritsar is the spiritual centre of Sikhism. The Harmandir Sahib complex includes the Akal Takht, the highest temporal seat of the Sikh community, and the central langar (community kitchen), which serves free meals to large numbers of visitors every day. The city is also home to the Durgiana Temple, a major Hindu shrine, and several historic gurdwaras associated with the Sikh Gurus.
The Partition Museum, housed in the Town Hall, documents the events of 1947 through personal testimonies and artefacts. The Jallianwala Bagh memorial commemorates the victims of the 1919 massacre.
Amritsar's economy is diverse, with traditional strengths in the trade and manufacture of textiles, woollen garments, carpets, and handicrafts. The city is a well-known centre for Punjabi cuisine, particularly its dhabas and the local style of kulchas, fish, and lassi. T