Amritsar cultural break

What you can do

• Visit the Golden Temple twice: once before sunrise and once after dark
• Eat in the langar kitchen that serves free meals to everyone, and help for ten minutes
• Stand at Jallianwala Bagh next door, which takes half an hour and stays with you
• Reach the Wagah border ceremony two hours early or you will not get a seat

Food to try

Amritsar is one of India's best eating cities: amritsari kulcha with chole, fish tikka, makki di roti with sarson da saag in winter, and lassi in a clay glass. Kesar da Dhaba and the Lawrence Road stalls are institutions.

Culture & customs

Sikh practice shapes the whole city: cover your head, remove shoes and wash your feet before entering the temple complex. Seva, or voluntary service, is why the langar feeds tens of thousands every day without charge.