We had a lazy morning. After breakfast we packed and checked out, leaving our luggage at reception and we sat in the lounge so I could work on yesterday's Blog post (no time to do it yesterday) and David started on his Trip Advisor reports - he likes doing those.
Then we had a mini walk round the local back streets to check out the Partition Museum which, as the name suggests, tells the story of the fierce fighting and loss of lives during the split between Pakistan and India. Sadly the Museum is undergoing renovation so its very messy and dusty. We walked around the outside but didn't venture inside.
It has a very impressive frontage
and one half of the interior is still good
But the other walls are a mess
Amritsar is (or was) a walled City with 6 Heritage Gates. All the gates are identical but they are named individually. They all look like this one. There is a major programme of renovation going on in the City and they are rebuilding gaps in the wall.
Then we had a mini walk round the local back streets to check out the Partition Museum which, as the name suggests, tells the story of the fierce fighting and loss of lives during the split between Pakistan and India. Sadly the Museum is undergoing renovation so its very messy and dusty. We walked around the outside but didn't venture inside.
It has a very impressive frontage
and one half of the interior is still good
But the other walls are a mess
Amritsar is (or was) a walled City with 6 Heritage Gates. All the gates are identical but they are named individually. They all look like this one. There is a major programme of renovation going on in the City and they are rebuilding gaps in the wall.
Another site we wanted to visit is the Jallian Wala Bagh which commemorates one of the most gruesome acts of
mass killing committed by the British during India’s struggle for
independence.
It has been converted to a Martyr’s Gallery Museum but, again, it is being renovated. There is only one entrance and the queues were awful so we changed our minds. In any event, we've been to enough museums documenting the atrocities carried out by the British Raj and have ended up almost crawling out in shame.
This massacre took place here in a large park in April 1919 during the festival of Baisakhi. The British Government had passed the 'Rowlatt Act' to curb the acts of Indian revolutionaries and banned any public meetings or gatherings in Amritsar. News of the ban didn't reach all the inhabitants and they gathered in the park as usual to celebrate the ceremony whereby General Dyer on behalf of the British Government blocked the park's 5 gates and gave the order to shoot. Hundreds of unarmed Indians were killed . Many drowned in the large well in the park, trying to avoid the bullets. Walls peppered with bullet holes can still be seen (assuming you can get into the park)!
I did at least photograph the monument dedicated to the victims which is situated outside the park. There are faces carved on all sides of the monument.
It has been converted to a Martyr’s Gallery Museum but, again, it is being renovated. There is only one entrance and the queues were awful so we changed our minds. In any event, we've been to enough museums documenting the atrocities carried out by the British Raj and have ended up almost crawling out in shame.
This massacre took place here in a large park in April 1919 during the festival of Baisakhi. The British Government had passed the 'Rowlatt Act' to curb the acts of Indian revolutionaries and banned any public meetings or gatherings in Amritsar. News of the ban didn't reach all the inhabitants and they gathered in the park as usual to celebrate the ceremony whereby General Dyer on behalf of the British Government blocked the park's 5 gates and gave the order to shoot. Hundreds of unarmed Indians were killed . Many drowned in the large well in the park, trying to avoid the bullets. Walls peppered with bullet holes can still be seen (assuming you can get into the park)!
I did at least photograph the monument dedicated to the victims which is situated outside the park. There are faces carved on all sides of the monument.
So its Goodbye Amritsar …… we've had a ball!!
Its one of the noisiest, craziest most vibrant places we've stayed. Our hotel was pretty good but it was predominantly catering to Indian families/tour groups so was extremely noisy. On our corridor we had a large group staying who seemed to constantly have their bedroom doors open and they were moving from one room to another, talking loudly with kids running up and down. I had to remonstrate with them one evening when an Indian lady was standing almost outside our room talking on the phone (shouting actually). But the location was excellent for us - straight out of the main door into the chaotic lanes and streets of the old town.
For the faint hearted, the New Town on the outskirts would suit better. The area around the Golden temple has had new road/path tiles laid in the last 5 years and the shops are gentrified with uniform frontages and signs - quite Covent Garden in appearance. The wealthy people live here in lovely houses and the town has upmarket shops, bars and discos. Comparing Old Town to New Town is like comparing White Chapel to Blue Water. Obviously the New Town prices reflect this!
Its a shame that there has been a pollution haze affecting air quality in Delhi (worst hit) and Amritsar. It has been exacerbated by Diwali (festival of lights) with millions of fires being lit around the country. We also drove past crop fields where farmers were burning the stubble to clear the ground - a practice which used to be common in England but is now banned.
After the short rain shower on Sunday there was a bit of breeze and the weather changed for the better yesterday, being more sunny, hot and clear.
We had a really good flight on Spice Jet to Jaipur. As it was a short flight we didn't upgrade from Economy but we were asked to move forward to the front row seats as they were empty and by law they need to be occupied as they are emergency exits - so we got extra legroom without having to pay for them (put a smile on David's face)!
We are now in Jaipur.
We are staying in what I've now dubbed the 'Marmite Hotel'. I'll explain more in the next post.
Its one of the noisiest, craziest most vibrant places we've stayed. Our hotel was pretty good but it was predominantly catering to Indian families/tour groups so was extremely noisy. On our corridor we had a large group staying who seemed to constantly have their bedroom doors open and they were moving from one room to another, talking loudly with kids running up and down. I had to remonstrate with them one evening when an Indian lady was standing almost outside our room talking on the phone (shouting actually). But the location was excellent for us - straight out of the main door into the chaotic lanes and streets of the old town.
For the faint hearted, the New Town on the outskirts would suit better. The area around the Golden temple has had new road/path tiles laid in the last 5 years and the shops are gentrified with uniform frontages and signs - quite Covent Garden in appearance. The wealthy people live here in lovely houses and the town has upmarket shops, bars and discos. Comparing Old Town to New Town is like comparing White Chapel to Blue Water. Obviously the New Town prices reflect this!
Its a shame that there has been a pollution haze affecting air quality in Delhi (worst hit) and Amritsar. It has been exacerbated by Diwali (festival of lights) with millions of fires being lit around the country. We also drove past crop fields where farmers were burning the stubble to clear the ground - a practice which used to be common in England but is now banned.
After the short rain shower on Sunday there was a bit of breeze and the weather changed for the better yesterday, being more sunny, hot and clear.
We had a really good flight on Spice Jet to Jaipur. As it was a short flight we didn't upgrade from Economy but we were asked to move forward to the front row seats as they were empty and by law they need to be occupied as they are emergency exits - so we got extra legroom without having to pay for them (put a smile on David's face)!
We are now in Jaipur.
We are staying in what I've now dubbed the 'Marmite Hotel'. I'll explain more in the next post.
I read about Jallian Wala Bagh in the Raj Quartet Daphne Manners thought it was a woman!
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