November 22, 2025
Our guide in Amritsar, Roop, was a devout Sikh, complete with a pale lilac turban and a long beard. He was great. Unfortunately, I didn't get a photo of his face, but here is a great picture of his turban.
Roop picked us up from our hotel and took us to the historical area of town, which was, like other large cities in India, crowded, noisy, and jam-packed with fascinating things to see. I think I would enjoy walking up and down the main streets every day just to see what was going on.
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| Note the sign for international drink of choice: Coca-Cola |
A sword-wielding man riding a horse perched atop an elaborately carved base dominates what is known as "Heritage Street," a pedestrian promenade that runs between Town Hall and the Golden Temple (see next post). This is Ranjit Singh, the founder and first maharaja (prince or king) of the Sikh Empire, who ruled from 1801 until 1839. He is revered for uniting the Punjab province and for leading a cultural and artistic renaissance. A few interesting facts about him are that he lost an eye to smallpox as an infant, was short and unattractive, and was basically illiterate.
Another interesting fact is that for the last 26 years of his life he owned (and often prominently displayed on the front of his turban or as an armlet) the famous Koh-i-Noor diamond, one of the largest cut diamonds in the world.
I was curious about this statue they were "keeping under wraps," and when I did a Google Image search I discovered that under that cellophane is Baba Banda Singh Bahadur, a Sikh military commander who led a revolt against the Mughal Empire and established the first Sikh rule in Punjab in the early 18th century.
Hey! McD's! Our guide told us this is the only McDonald's in the entire world that does not serve any kind of meat. It is fully vegetarian! I wish we had tried a Big Mac there.
There is plenty of art on Heritage Street, and the locals seem to appreciate it as we often saw people taking selfies in front of them. I think this piece is especially moving. This is the Martyrs Memorial, also known as the Flame of Liberty. It commemorates the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre (also known as the Amritsar Massacre) of 1919 when British troops opened fire on a large, unarmed crowd gathered in a nearby garden.
The names of the victims are etched on the plinth. Great Britain reported 379 deaths, but the Indian National Congress estimated at the time that there were as many as 1,000 deaths.
At the end of Heritage Street we could see our primary reason for taking this one-day trip to Amritsar--the Golden Temple--but before we went there we wanted to to stop to see where the 1919 Masscre occurred.
The Jallianwala Bagh is a seven-acre garden founded in 1812. Tucked into the urban area, in 1919 it was entered and exited through a single narrow passageway and surrounded by a high wall. We entered through the passageway that was in use at that time, although now its walls are lined with bas relief figures of those who entered the garden on April 13, 1919.
If I hadn't already heard the sad ending to this story, I would have found this folks delightful rather than poignant.
British Brigadier General R.E.H. Dyer was overseeing the area and, concerned that the local might try to overthrow British rule, issued a curfew that forbade any meetings of more than four people. When he got word that a meeting was to be held in the Jallianwala Bagh Garden, he was determined to make his message clear once and for all. Without any request to dissemble and with no warning, he took 90 troops into the garden and ordered them to shoot directly into the crowd, which they did, unabated for 10 minutes, firing 1,650 rounds of ammunition. (Dyer had also brought along two tanks which, mercifully, were too wide to fit through the passageway.) The firing stopped only when the soldiers ran out of bullets.
Although today the setting is well-groomed, in 1919 the "gardens" were dry and dusty and uncared for. Markers are placed in the ground in important places. This one, for example, marks the area where the riflemen stood.
The well is in poor condition today, and a protective structure has been built around it. Still, one can imagine the terror that drove people to leap into its depths. Days later, 120 corpses were pulled from the water.
Holes left by 36 bullets have been preserved and highlighted on this "Wall of Martyrs" at the far end of the garden.
I really like this memoral statue, the "Flame of Liberty," unveiled in 1961 to commemorate the victims of the massacre. We were told that it was placed on the spot where many of the victims were cremated, but I haven't seen that verified in any of my reading.
Quotes and poems are engraved on metal plates and affixed to a garden of pillars, a different language on each side. I can't figure out why everyone has the last name of "Singh." Does anyone know?
Another marker is placed next to the well into which many people jumped to escape the bullets.
The massacre is depicted in the award-winning 1982 movie Gandhi:
The dead and dying were left untouched, unaided for at least 24 hours.
This statue represents the public reaction to the massacre. Brig. Gen. Dyer was absolved of any wrongdoing.
Holes left by 36 bullets have been preserved and highlighted on this "Wall of Martyrs" at the far end of the garden.
I really like this memoral statue, the "Flame of Liberty," unveiled in 1961 to commemorate the victims of the massacre. We were told that it was placed on the spot where many of the victims were cremated, but I haven't seen that verified in any of my reading.
"Indians, my countrymen, Become one nation. Hold the sword, Hold the sword, Hold the sword." -Bhai Bhagwan Singh
"Let trumpets of freedom beat in every heart and all sing in a chorus - forward ye soldiers of young India." - Pritipal Singh
"They may kill me, but they cannot kill my ideas. They can crush my body, but they will not be able to crush my spirit." Shaheed Bhagat Singh
Exiting the somber atmosphere of the garden and rejoining the clamorous crowds on Heritage Street was jarring. We had a little time to kill here as we waited for our last traveling partners, Chris and Stan, to arrive.
Exiting the somber atmosphere of the garden and rejoining the clamorous crowds on Heritage Street was jarring. We had a little time to kill here as we waited for our last traveling partners, Chris and Stan, to arrive.
There was time to do a little shopping, so Bob and I headed down a side street, "just looking," but I have such a weakness when it comes to fabrics/scarves/runners. I bought two for about $3 or 4 USD each. I intended to gift them as gifts, but, oh well. The one in the photo is embroidered. It's beautiful.
Sleeping dogs are everywhere in India. We hardly ever saw them walking around. They must roam at night.
Chris and Stan had finally caught up with us, and we were ready for our Golden Temple experience, coming up next.
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