Editor's Letter: Punjab Travel

Dear reader,

There is a word that comes up again and again when people describe Punjab, and it is generosity. Generosity of food, poured into steel plates at a gurdwara langar for anyone who sits down. Generosity of land, flat and fertile to the horizon, green with wheat in February. Generosity of welcome, in a farmhouse courtyard where a stranger is offered tea, then lassi, then lunch, before anyone has asked their name. This February issue of Travel Viewpoint is about Punjab, the land of five rivers, and about the many ways it gives.

February is a lovely month to be here. The worst of the winter fog has usually lifted, the days are bright and mild, and the wheat fields stand tall and green. Mustard flowers still edge some fields in yellow. It is a good time for slow drives along canal roads, for long walks in old city lanes, and for meals that do not need to hurry.

Travelling with care

We are still living through an unusual time, and many of us are only now beginning to think about travel again. Please check the latest official guidance before visiting any gurdwara, museum or border area, as timings and access arrangements may change at short notice. Some sites have been closed or restricted over the past year, and some are being restored. Travel gently, keep your plans flexible, and respect the rules that each place sets for its visitors.

What is inside

We open with an overview of Punjab, the land of five rivers. The name itself comes from the Persian words for five and water, and although the rivers of the historic Punjab are now divided between India and Pakistan, water still shapes everything here, from the canals that feed the fields to the rhythms of village life.

Then we go to Amritsar, the spiritual capital of the state. The Harmandir Sahib, known to the world as the Golden Temple, is one of the most moving places I have ever visited. Its gilded sanctum seems to float on the sacred pool, the Amrit Sarovar, and the sound of kirtan carries across the marble walkways day and night. Our writer explains how to visit respectfully and what the community kitchen means to the people who serve in it. A second piece looks at the places around Amritsar, for those who have a little more time.

We travel to Anandpur Sahib, the city of bliss, in the foothills of the Shivaliks. It is here, at Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib, that Guru Gobind Singh is remembered for founding the Khalsa in 1699. We also visit Fatehgarh Sahib, a place of deep sorrow and devotion associated with the martyrdom of the Guru’s younger sons, and the towns around it. And we end our state tour in Patiala, with its forts, palaces, gardens and a royal history that has given its name to everything from a turban style to a famously generous measure of whisky.

New pieces in this issue

This month we also have three new features. The first follows one route, from Amritsar east towards Anandpur Sahib, and argues that a single journey across the state explains Punjab better than any list of sights. The second suggests how to spend three days here without turning the trip into a checklist. The third is an honest list of things a first-time visitor can skip, so that you have more time for the things that matter.

Punjab beyond the postcards

It is easy to reduce Punjab to a few familiar images: the Golden Temple, a plate of makki di roti and sarson da saag, a wedding with a dhol. All of these are real and wonderful. But Punjab also has quieter stories. It has canal towns and small museums, old havelis with carved doors, Sufi shrines and Hindu temples alongside its gurdwaras, and a rich tradition of folk music and poetry. It carries the memory of Partition more closely than almost anywhere else in India, and to understand the state, it helps to spend some time with that history too. The Partition Museum in Amritsar’s old Town Hall is a thoughtful place to begin.

Music and poetry

Punjab is also a land of song. The verses of Baba Farid, Bulleh Shah and Waris Shah are still recited and sung on both sides of the border, and the folk forms of the region, from boliyan sung at weddings to the stirring dhadi ballads of Sikh history, carry centuries of memory. If you have the chance to hear live music at a gurdwara, a fair or a family celebration, take it. It will tell you more about the spirit of this land than any guidebook.

A note on food

You will eat well in Punjab. That is almost a promise. But I would encourage you to eat simply as well as richly. A bowl of dal and fresh roti at a langar, a glass of buttermilk at a village shop, a plate of seasonal greens at a family table: these meals often stay in the memory longer than the famous butter-laden dishes. When you eat at a gurdwara, cover your head, sit with everyone else, accept what is served and, if you can, offer an hour of help in the kitchen or the washing area. It is one of the most beautiful experiences Punjab can give you.

How to see it

Punjab is compact and well connected, with good roads and frequent trains. Amritsar has an international airport, and Chandigarh, just across the border in the Union Territory, is a convenient gateway to the eastern part of the state. Hire a driver, or take trains between the main towns, and leave time to stop at the small places in between. Roadside dhabas, village gurdwaras and fields of wheat are not side attractions here; they are the heart of the journey.

Thank you

Thank you for reading, and for all the letters you have sent us through a long year of staying in. I hope this issue gives you a taste of Punjab’s warmth, and a reason to go and experience it yourself when you are ready. Go with an empty stomach and an open heart. Punjab will fill both.

With warm wishes,

Khushi Anand, Editor