Where the Mustard Grows
Recommended Duration: 12-14 Days
Itinerary: Delhi – Amritsar – Dharamshala – Chandigarh
Ideal Time to Visit: October – March
A man and woman running in sprawling fields of mustard was a quintessential scene from movies in 80s and 90s. The countryside of Punjab is where these dreams came true. In the agrarian economy of India, the land of Punjab is blessed with wealth beyond measure. Despite its turbulent history, some of the most resilient stories of kindness have emerged from this region.
The journey begins in Amritsar, the city which takes its name from the tank that surrounds the famed Golden Temple, meaning the ‘pool of the nectar of immortality’. Lying at the heart of Sikhism, Amritsar is key to understanding the culture and colours of Punjab. After Amritsar, we enter the neigbouring state of Himachal Pradesh, home to the foothills of the mighty Himalayas. Here we stop at Dharamshala, a city that is home to spirituality. A short distance from Dharamshala, in the town of Mcleodganj, is where the Dalai Lama lives and where Tibetan culture has a strong foothold.
From Mcleodganj, we head to Chandigarh. Chandigarh is distinctly modern and minimalist. A masterpiece of urban design, the city was planned by Swiss-French architect, Le Corbusier and is divided into blocks and sectors, embellished with beautiful gardens, giving it an unparalleled position in the urban architecture of India.
Duration
5 days
Tour Type
City Tours, Cruises
Highlights
Chandigarh is a must visit for every architect and lover of good design. It is not only the site of Le Corbusier’s largest assembly of work in one place, the theatre of Pierre Jeanneret’s flourishing as an architect, and an important venue of Maxwell Fry and Jane Drew’s ‘tropical architecture’, it is also the place where the first generation of Indian modernists architects cut their teeth and produced a superb body of work that is dispersed throughout the city.
Visit the Golden Temple known as the holy temple of the Sikhs. Feel as a peace overcomes you standing in the center of a lake. Participate in temple proceedings, attend the prayer service and serve in the world’s largest community kitchen.
In the temple at Mceleodganj, and the village in and around, there’s a calm as people go about their rituals. The Kalachakra temple in the middle of Mcelodganj reverberates with chanting two times a day and if you’re lucky you might even attend a teaching by the Dalai Lama.
Farmers are the backbone of India. In the state of Punjab and Himachal, one comes across many farmers who have land that has been passed on for generations. Meet and interact with them to understand how their life is changing.