History of Amritsar

 

Amritsar is situated in the north-western part of India. It is the spiritual Hindus and the Sikhs, so many of their sacred shrines are found in and around the city center of the Sikh religion. It is the home to the Harmandir Sahib, also known as the Golden Temple. 

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The seeds of the city were laid in 1577 when the fourth Sikh Guru, Guru Ram Das, heard of a pool in the area that had healing powers. He instructed his son and successor Guru Arjan Dev to construct a temple at the site that would be the focus of the Sikh religion. The Mughal emperor Akbar is said to have donated the land around the temple, which came to be known as the Harmandir Sahib (Temple of God).

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Amritsar is also known for the incidents like Jallianwala Bagh Massacre in 1919 and Operation Bluestar in 1984.

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The main commercial activities of this holy city include tourism, carpets and fabric making, handicrafts, service trade and light engineering. The city is also known for its culture and cuisine.

During India’s freedom struggle, Amritsar became the scene of one of the worst atrocities perpetrated by the British at Jallianwala Bagh.

 

Partition of India into India and Pakistan had the most profound effect on the demographics, economics, social structure and culture of Amritsar. The city experienced some of the worst communal riots during the partition of India. The state of Punjab was divided between India and Pakistan and Amritsar became a border city, often on the front lines of India-Pakistan Wars.