The Golden Temple and Punjab's big-hearted kitchens
Amritsar is built around the Harmandir Sahib, the Golden Temple, whose gilded sanctum sits in a shimmering pool and draws pilgrims around the clock. Its langar, the free community kitchen, serves simple meals to anyone who sits down, prepared by volunteers. Nearby, Jallianwala Bagh remembers the 1919 massacre, and in the evening crowds gather at the Wagah border for the flag-lowering ceremony with Pakistan. Punjabi food is the other draw: Amritsari kulcha, lassi and fish fried in spiced batter.