Amritsar

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About: the city

For other uses, see Amritsar district.



Amritsar

[[File:|250x250px|frameless|center]]

Settlement type Metropolis
Country India
State
District
Subdivision

Amritsar,Template:Efn also known as Ambarsar,Template:Efn is the second-largest city in the Indian state of Punjab, after Ludhiana. Located in the Majha region, it is a major cultural, transportation and economic centre. The city is the administrative headquarters of the Amritsar district. It is situated Template:Convert north-west of Chandigarh, and Template:Convert north-west of New Delhi. It is Template:Convert from the India-Pakistan border, and Template:Convert north-east of Lahore, Pakistan.

According to the 2011 census, the city had a population of 1,132,383. It is one of the ten municipal corporations in the state; Karamjit Singh Rintu is serving as the mayor of the city.[1] According to the United Nations, as of 2018, Amritsar is the second-most populous city in Punjab and the most populous metropolitan region in the state, with a population of roughly 2 million. Amritsar is the centre of the Amritsar Metropolitan Region.

Amritsar is the economic capital of Punjab. It is a major tourist centre with nearly a hundred thousand daily visitors. The city has been chosen as one of the heritage cities for the Heritage City Development and Augmentation Yojana (HRIDAY) program of the Government of India.[2] It is home to the Golden Temple, the holiest site and most-visited gurudwara in Sikhism. The city is also known for its food, and for the manufacture of wooden chessboards and chess pieces.[3]

Etymology

The city takes it take from Amṛta Sarovara (Sanskrit for Pool of Nectar) which is the pool that surrounds Golden Temple at Gurdwara Shri Harmindir Sahib . The term Amritsar was previously sometimes known as Rāmdāspur after Guru Ram Das, the fourth Sikh guru who is credited with founding the city.[4] The name Amritsar was often mispronounced as Ambarsar in rural dialects; the latter name has since become a colloquial term for the city.[5][6]

Mythology

The Bhagwan Valmiki Tirath Sthal situated at Amritsar is believed to be the ashram site of Maharishi Valmiki, the writer of the Ramayana.[7][8] As per the Ramayana, Sita gave birth to Lava and Kusha, sons of Rama at Ramtirath ashram. Numerous people visit Ramtirath Temple, Located 12 Km west of Amritsar on Chogawan road, dates back to the period of Ramayana, Rishi Valmiki's hermitage. at the annual fair. The nearby cities Lahore and Kasur were believed to be founded by Lava and Kusha, respectively. It is believed that during the ashvamedha yajna by Rama, Lava and Kusha caught the ritual horse and tied Hanuman to a tree near to today's Durgiana Temple.Template:Cn

History

Founding of Amritsar city

File:Amritsar Overhead Panorama View Artwork circa 1860's.jpg
Overhead panoramic view artwork of Amritsar, Template:Circa–1890s

In the Sikh tradition, Guru Ram Das, the fourth Sikh guru, is credited with founding the holy city of Amritsar in 1574.[4][9][10] Two versions of stories exist regarding the land where Guru Ram Das settled. In one, based on a Gazetteer record, the land was purchased, with Sikh donations, for 700 rupees from the owners of the village of Tung.[11]

According to historical Sikh records, the site was chosen by Guru Amar Das and called Guru Da Chakk. The latter guru had asked Ram Das to find land to start a new town, and to create a man-made pool as its central point.[12][13] After his coronation, Guru Ram Das in 1574, who faced hostile opposition from the sons of Guru Amar Das,[14] founded the town; it was named after him as "Ramdaspur". He first completed the pool, and built his new official Guru centre and home next to it. He invited merchants and artisans from other parts of India to settle into the new town with him. The town expanded during the time of Guru Arjan Dev, financed by donations and constructed by volunteers. The town grew to become the city of Amritsar. After the son of Guru Ram Das built the gurdwara Harmandir Sahib, the pool area developed further as a temple complex. In 1604 Guru Ram Das's son installed the scripture of Sikhism inside the new temple.[9]

The period and achievements of construction between 1574 and 1604 are described in Mahima Prakash Vartak, a semi-historical Sikh hagiographic text likely composed in 1741. It is the earliest known document dealing with the lives of all the ten Gurus.[4]

File:Ranjit Singh at Harmandir Sahib - August Schoefft - Vienna 1850 - Princess Bamba Collection - Lahore Fort.jpg
Maharaja Ranjit Singh listening to Guru Granth Sahib being recited near the Akal Takht and Golden Temple, Amritsar, Punjab, India. Painting by August Schoefft, 1850

In 1762 and 1766–1767, Ahmad Shah of the Durrani Empire invaded the Sikh Confederacy. He besieged Amritsar, massacred the populace, and destroyed the city.Template:Sfn

Old walled city

File:Photo of an Amritsar street scene, by Felice Beato, circa 1858–59.jpg
Photo of an Amritsar street scene, by Felice Beato, Template:Circa–59

During the reign of the Sikh Empire, in 1822 Maharaja Ranjit Singh fortified the city, starting from a wall at Katra Maha Singh area.[15]

Among the Katras (fortified residential societies) constructed by Maharaja Ranjit Singh within the city were the following:[16]

  • Katra Moti Ram
  • Katra Kanwar Kharak Singh (also known as 'Katra Nikkai')
  • Katra Fateh Singh Kallianwala
  • Katra Ahluwalia[17][18]
File:Map of Amritsar, with the city perimeter captioned in Perso-Arabic script marking the twelve historical gates of the old city-wall, ca.1831–35.jpg
Map of Amritsar, with the city perimeter captioned in Perso-Arabic script marking the twelve historical gates of the old city-wall, ca.1831–35

Later, Sher Singh continued with construction of the city wall, adding twelve gates. He also had built a fort named Dhoor Kot; its fortification were yards broad and 7 yards high. The circumference of the walled city was around five miles. The twelve gates constructed during this era were known as (including later renamings):[15][19][16][20]

  1. Lahori Darwaza (Lahori Gate)[20][15]
  2. Khazana Darwaja (Khazana Gate)[20][15]
  3. Deori Hakiman (Gate Hakeema/Darwaza Hakeema Wala)[20][16][15]
  4. Gilwali Darwaza – no longer extant[15][20][16]
  5. Darwaza Rangar Nanglian (Gate Bhagatawala) – no longer extant[15][20][16]
  6. Darwaza Ramgarhian (Chattiwind Gate) – later restored[20][16][15][21]
  7. Darwaza Ahluwalia (Darwaza Gheo Mandi) – was no longer extant but has since been restored[15][20][16][21]
  8. Doburji Darwaza (Sultanwind Gate or Delhi Darwaza)[20][16][15]
  9. Deorhi Kalan[20][16]
  10. Darwaza Rambagh[20][16]
  11. Deorhi Shazada (Hathi Darwaza/Darwaza Sehzada)[20][16][15]
  12. Darwaza Lohgarh – no longer extant[15][20][16]

When the British annexed Punjab in 1849, Amritsar was a walled city. The British built a thirteenth gate in 1866 known as Hall Gate, Neighborhood in Amritsar, Punjab.[15]

File:Map of Amritsar with the locations of Sikh sites labelled, as published in the Mahan Kosh (1930).jpg
Map of Amritsar with the locations of Sikh sites labelled, as published in the Mahan Kosh (1930)

The British rulers would later demolish some of the walls and gates or reconstruct some.[15] An entire new wall of the city was completed in 1885.[15] Many surviving gates have since been renamed and no longer bear their mid-19th century names, while others have since been demolished.[15]

Jallianwala Bagh massacre

File:Jallianwallah.jpg
The Jallianwala Bagh in 1919, months after the massacre
File:BulletMarks.JPG
Bullet marks on the walls of the park premises

The Jallianwala Bagh massacre, involving the killings of hundreds of Indian civilians on the orders of British Colonel Reginald Edward Harry Dyer, took place on 13 April 1919 in the heart of Amritsar, the holiest city of the Sikhs, on a day sacred to them as the birth anniversary of the Khalsa (Vaisakhi day).[22]

In Punjab, during World War I (1914–18), there was considerable social unrest, particularly among the Sikhs. First, they opposed the demolition of a boundary wall of Gurdwara Rakab Ganj, a historic gurdwara near Parliament House in New Delhi. Later, they were disturbed about the activities and trials of the Ghadarites, almost all of whom were Sikhs. In India as a whole, political activity had arisen during the strains of war. Two leaders had emerged: Mahatma Gandhi (1869–1948), who after a period of struggle as a young man against the British in South Africa had returned to India in January 1915 to work there for change and Annie Besant (1847–1933), head of the Theosophical Society of India. On 11 April 1916 she established the Home Rule League with the goal of autonomy for India. In December 1916, the Indian National Congress, at its annual session held at Lucknow, passed a resolution asking the king to issue a proclamation announcing that it is the "aim and intention of British policy to confer self-government on India at an early date".[23]

On 10 April 1919, Satya Pal and Saifuddin Kitchlew, two popular proponents of the Satyagraha movement led by Gandhi, were called to the deputy commissioner's residence. There they were arrested and transported by car to Dharamsetla, a hill town, now in Himachal Pradesh. A general strike arose in response in Amritsar. Excited groups of citizens soon merged into a crowd of about 50,000 marching to protest these arrests to the deputy commissioner. The crowd, however, was stopped by British colonial forces and fired upon near the railway foot-bridge. The official version reported that the number of casualties were 12 dead and between 20 and 30 wounded. Based on evidence presented to an inquiry of the Indian National Congress, fatalities were reported as between 20 and 30.Template:Cn

Three days later, on 13 April, the traditional festival of Baisakhi, thousands of unarmed Hindus, Sikhs and Muslims gathered in the Jallianwala Bagh. An hour after the meeting began as scheduled at 16:30, Dyer arrived with a group of sixty-five Gurkha soldiers (from the 9th Gorkha Rifles) and twenty-five Baluchi soldiers (from the 59th Scinde Rifles). Without warning the crowd to disperse, Dyer blocked the main exits from the Bagh and ordered his troops to begin shooting toward the densest sections of the crowd; the firing continued for approximately ten minutes. A British government inquiry into the massacre placed the death toll at 379.[24] The Indian National Congress, on the other hand, estimated that approximately 1,000 people were killed.[24]

Operation Blue Star

File:Statue of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, Amritsar 01.jpg
Statue of Maharaja Ranjit Singh in Amritsar

Amritsar was a center of unrest in the late 20th century. In the 1980s, Sikh militants occupied the Golden Temple there. Prime Minister of India, Indira Gandhi, ordered Operation Blue Star (1 – 6 June 1984), an Indian military operation[25] to remove the militants from the temple. The operation was carried out by Indian army troops equipped with tanks and armoured vehicles.[26] While militarily successful, the operation aroused immense controversy. The government's justification for the timing and style of the attack are hotly debated.[27] India Today magazine has ranked Operation Blue Star as among the Top 10 Political Disgraces in India.[28]

Official reports put the number of deaths among the Indian army at 83, with 493 civilians killed, including Sikh militants,[29][30] while independent estimates place the numbers upwards of 5,000 people, a majority of them pilgrims, including women and children.[31] In addition, the CBI is considered responsible for seizing historical artefacts and manuscripts in the Sikh Reference Library before burning it down.[32][33] Four months after the operation, on 31 October 1984, Indira Gandhi was assassinated by two of her Sikh bodyguards in what is viewed as an act of vengeance. Following her assassination, more than 17,000 Sikhs were killed in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.[34]

Geography

Amritsar is located at Template:Coord[35] with an average elevation of Template:Convert in the Majha region of the state of Punjab in North India and lies about Template:Convert east of the border with Pakistan. Administrative towns includes Ajnala, Attari, Beas, Budha Theh, Chheharta Sahib, Jandiala Guru, Majitha, Rajasansi, Ramdass, Rayya, Verka Town and Baba Bakala.Template:Cn

Climate

Typically for Northwestern India, Amritsar has a hot semi-arid climate (Köppen BSh) bordering on a monsoon-influenced humid subtropical climate (Cwa). Temperatures in Amritsar usually range from Template:Convert. It experiences four primary seasons: winter (December to March), when temperatures can drop to Template:Convert; summer (April to June), when temperatures can reach Template:Convert; monsoon (July to September); and post-monsoon (October to November). Annual rainfall is about Template:Convert.[36] The lowest recorded temperature is Template:Convert, was recorded on 9 December 1996 and the highest temperature, Template:Convert, was recorded on 23 May 2013.[37] The official weather station for the city is the civil aerodrome at Rajasansi. Weather records here date back to 15 November 1947.[38]

Template:Amritsar weatherboxAmritsar has been ranked 39th best "National Clean Air City" (under Category 1 >10L Population cities) in India according to 'Swachh Vayu Survekshan 2024 Results' [39]

Demographics

Template:See also Template:Historical population

File:Hamandir Sahib (Golden Temple).jpg
The Golden Temple, in Amritsar, is the holiest site in Sikhism

In 1871–72, Amritsar was the 11th most populous city in British India with a population of 136,000 and had a larger population than Lahore (99,000).[40] As of the 2011 census, Amritsar municipality had a population of 1,159,227.[41] The municipality had a sex ratio of 884 females per 1,000 males and 119,592 (10.32%) of the population were under six years old, with the child sex ratio being 826 females per 1000 males.[41] Literacy was 83.81%; male literacy was 86.52% and female literacy was 80.76%.[41] The scheduled caste population is 21.76%.

Religion

Template:Bar box

According to 2011 Census of India, Hinduism and Sikhism are the main religions of the Amritsar city followed by 49.36% and 48.00% of the population, respectively. Christianity is followed by 1.23% and Islam 0.51%. Around 0.9% of the population of the city stated 'No Particular Religion' or other religion.[42]

Amritsar is the holiest city in Sikhism and about 30 million people visit it each year for pilgrimage.[43][44]

Religious groups in Amritsar City (1868−2011)Template:Efn
Religious
group 		1868[45] 1881[46][47]Template:Rp 1891[48]Template:Rp 1901[49]Template:Rp 1911[50]Template:Rp 1921[51]Template:Rp 1931[52]Template:Rp 1941[53]Template:Rp 2011[42]
[[Population (human biology)|Template:Abbr]] Template:Abbr Template:Abbr Template:Abbr Template:Abbr Template:Abbr Template:Abbr Template:Abbr Template:Abbr Template:Abbr Template:Abbr Template:Abbr Template:Abbr Template:Abbr Template:Abbr Template:Abbr Template:Abbr Template:Abbr
Islam File:Star and Crescent.svg 61,193 Template:Percentage 75,891 Template:Percentage 63,366 Template:Percentage 77,795 Template:Percentage 71,851 Template:Percentage 71,180 Template:Percentage 132,362 Template:Percentage 184,055 Template:Percentage 5,862 Template:Percentage
Hinduism File:Om.svg 49,115 Template:Percentage 61,274 Template:Percentage 56,652 Template:Percentage 65,117 Template:Percentage 58,720 Template:Percentage 65,313 Template:Percentage 98,001Template:Efn Template:Percentage 144,522Template:Efn Template:Percentage 572,189 Template:Percentage
Sikhism File:Khanda.svg 19,267 Template:Percentage 13,876 Template:Percentage 15,751 Template:Percentage 17,860 Template:Percentage 20,357 Template:Percentage 21,478 Template:Percentage 32,009 Template:Percentage 58,779 Template:Percentage 556,431 Template:Percentage
Christianity File:Christian cross.svg 130 Template:Percentage Template:N/a Template:N/a 848 Template:Percentage 1,104 Template:Percentage 1,128 Template:Percentage 1,446 Template:Percentage 1,819 Template:Percentage 2,611 Template:Percentage 14,280 Template:Percentage
Buddhism File:Dharma Wheel (2).svg 0 Template:Percentage Template:N/a Template:N/a 0 Template:Percentage 0 Template:Percentage 0 Template:Percentage 5 Template:Percentage 0 Template:Percentage Template:N/a Template:N/a 773 Template:Percentage
Jainism File:Jain Prateek Chihna.svg Template:N/a Template:N/a 9 Template:Percentage 143 Template:Percentage 532 Template:Percentage 652 Template:Percentage 738 Template:Percentage 604 Template:Percentage 974 Template:Percentage 1,143 Template:Percentage
Zoroastrianism File:Faravahar.svg Template:N/a Template:N/a Template:N/a Template:N/a 5 Template:Percentage 19 Template:Percentage 48 Template:Percentage 58 Template:Percentage 41 Template:Percentage Template:N/a Template:N/a Template:N/a Template:N/a
Judaism File:Star of David.svg Template:N/a Template:N/a Template:N/a Template:N/a 0 Template:Percentage Template:N/a Template:N/a 0 Template:Percentage 0 Template:Percentage 4 Template:Percentage Template:N/a Template:N/a Template:N/a Template:N/a
Others 4,220 Template:Percentage 846 Template:Percentage 1 Template:Percentage 2 Template:Percentage 0 Template:Percentage 0 Template:Percentage 0 Template:Percentage 79 Template:Percentage 8,549 Template:Percentage
Total population 133,925 Template:Percentage 151,896 Template:Percentage 136,766 Template:Percentage 162,429 Template:Percentage 152,756 Template:Percentage 160,218 Template:Percentage 264,840 Template:Percentage 391,010 Template:Percentage 1,159,227 Template:Percentage

Template:Pie chart

At the time of the 2011 census, 91.12% of the population spoke Punjabi and 7.90% Hindi as their first language.[54]

Government and politics

Politics

The city is part of the Amritsar (Lok Sabha constituency).

Constituency number Constituency name Reserved for (SC/None) Electors (2017)[55]Template:Update after District[56]
15 Amritsar North None 175,908 Amritsar
16 Amritsar West SC 179,766 Amritsar
17 Amritsar Central None 135,954 Amritsar
18 Amritsar East None 153,629 Amritsar
19 Amritsar South None 148,809 Amritsar
20 Attari SC 173,543 Amritsar

Amritsar Municipal Corporation

Amritsar was notified as a city on 29 March 1977 under the Punjab Municipal Corporation Act, 1976, following which the Municipal Corporation replaced the earlier Municipal Committee.

The city’s first local administrative body was established as a Town Committee in 1858, which was later upgraded to a Municipal Committee in 1868.[57] The first election to the Municipal Corporation was conducted in 1991, when the city was divided into 50 wards. Sh. O. P. Soni was elected Mayor[58] on 25 June 1991, with S. Raminder Singh Bularia as Senior Deputy Mayor and Sh. Subash Sharma as Deputy Mayor. This elected body remained in office until its dissolution on 18 June 1996.

Subsequently, the number of wards was increased to 60, and elections were held on 28 May 1997. Sh. Subash Sharma, S. Lakha Singh, and Kumari Raj Sharma were elected as Mayor, Senior Deputy Mayor, and Deputy Mayor respectively. Following the resignation of Sh. Subash Sharma, Sh. Brij Mohan Kapur was elected Mayor on 18 October 2000.

The third municipal election took place on 27 April 2002, with the mayoral election held on 15 June 2002. Sh. Sunil Dutti, Sh. Sawinder Singh, and Sh. Om Parkash were elected as Mayor, Senior Deputy Mayor, and Deputy Mayor respectively.

Prior to the fourth municipal election, the number of wards was increased to 65. Elections were held on 8 August 2007, and the election for the office of Mayor took place on 6 September 2007. Sh. Shwait Malik was elected Mayor, with Sh. Ajaybir Pal Singh Randhawa as Senior Deputy Mayor and Sh. Kashmir Singh as Deputy Mayor.

To enhance representation, 33 per cent of seats in the Municipal Corporation are reserved for women on a rotational basis. Seats are also reserved for Scheduled Castes and Backward Classes in accordance with government policy.

The present Municipal House was constituted on 19 September 2012. Sh. Bakshi Ram Arora was elected Mayor, Sh. Avtar Singh (Trucka Wala) as Senior Deputy Mayor, and Sh. Avinash Jolly as Deputy Mayor.

List Of Mayors

The Mayor of Amritsar is the elected head of the Municipal Corporation of Amritsar and is regarded as the first citizen of the city. The position is primarily ceremonial, as executive authority rests with the Municipal Commissioner. The mayor represents the city in official functions and presides over meetings and deliberations of the Municipal Corporation, ensuring orderly conduct and upholding the dignity of the office.

S. No. Name Took Office Left Office Tenure Party Ward No. Reference
1 Om Prakash Soni 25 June 1991 18 June 1996 4 years- 359 days INC [59]
2 Subash Sharma 28 May 1997 18 October 2000 3 years- 143 days BJP [59]
3 Brij Mohan Kapur 18 October 2000 27 April 2002 1 year- 191 days BJP [59]
4 Sunil Dutti 15 June 2002 2007 5 years INC [59]
5 Shwait Malik 6 September 2007 2012 5 years BJP [59]
6 Bakshi Ram Arora 19 September 2012 2017 5 years BJP [59]
7 Karamjit Singh Rintu 23 January 2018 27 January 2025 7 years- 361 days AAP [59]
8 Jatinder Singh 27 January 2025 Incumbent 359 days AAP 26 [59]

Current Members

The Amritsar Municipal Corporation consists of 85 councillors, who are directly elected for a five-year term. The council is headed by a mayor. The most recent municipal elections were conducted on 21 December 2024. Jatinder Singh of the Aam Aadmi Party currently serves as the Mayor of Amritsar. The positions of Senior Deputy Mayor and Deputy Mayor are held by Priyanka Sharma and Anita Devi respectively, both of whom are members of the Aam Aadmi Party.

Mayor- Jatinder Singh
Senior Deputy Mayor- Priyanka Sharma
Junior Deputy Mayor- Anita Rani
Ward Number Name of Councillor Party Remarks
1 Kuljit Kaur Aam Aadmi Party
2 Amarjit Singh
3 Navdeep Kaur Indian National Congress
4 Mandeep Singh Aujla Aam Aadmi Party Elected as independent councilor; later joined AAP[60]
5 Kriti Arora Bhartiya Janta Party
6 Amandeep Aery
7 Kajal Devi Aam Aadmi Party
8 Balwinder Singh
9 Shobit Kaur Indian National Congress
10 Shruti Vij Bhartiya Janta Party
11 Priyanka Sharma Aam Aadmi Party
12 Narinder Singh Indian National Congress
13 Gurwinder Kaur Aam Aadmi Party
14 Rajkanwal Preetpal Singh Sandhu Indian National Congress
15 Rama Devi Bhartiya Janta Party
16 Sandeep Sharma Indian National Congress
17 Anita Kumari
18 Navdeep Singh
19 Navjeet Kaur Aam Aadmi Party
20 Gurinder Singh Indian National Congress
21 Kulwinder Kaur Aam Aadmi Party
22 Sujinder Bidlan Indian National Congress
23 Kulwinder Kaur
24 Satnam Singh Sabha
25 Monika Sharma
26 Jatinder Singh Aam Aadmi Party
27 Preet Kaur Elected as BJP councilor, later joined AAP[60]
28 Saurabh Madaan Mithu Indian National Congress
29 Shweta Devi
30 Avtar Singh Shiromani Akali Dal
31 Sukhbir Kaur Aam Aadmi Party
32 Jagmeet Singh Ghulli Elected as independent councilor; later joined AAP[60]
33 Ashnoor Kaur
34 Amritpal Singh Indian National Congress
35 Amarji Kaur Bharatiya Janata Party
36 Ashok Kumar Aam Aadmi Party
37 Gurjit Kaur
38 Bhagwant Singh
39 Manpreet Kaur
40 Gurwinder Singh
41 Sukhwinder Kaur Indian National Congress
42 Gagandeep Singh
43 Inderjit Singh Shiromani Akali Dal
44 Jaswinder Singh Gill Indian National Congress
45 Sukhbir Kaur
46 Navpreet Singh
47 Kiranjit Kaur Aam Aadmi Party
48 Ashwani Kumar Indian National Congress
49 Ritu Kundra
50 Ritu Devi Aam Aadmi Party
51 Sarita Devi Indian National Congress
52 Vikas Soni
53 Komal Shah
54 Amit Kumar
55 Kulbir Kaur
56 Varinder Vicky Datta Aam Aadmi Party
57 Manju Mehra Pappal Indian National Congress
58 Jarnail Singh Aam Aadmi Party
59 Gurmeet Kaur Indian National Congress
60 Gaurav Gill Bharatiya Janata Party
61 Rajni Devi
62 Sameer Dutta Indian National Congress
63 Usha Rani Aam Aadmi Party Elected as independent councilor; later joined AAP[60]
64 Nitu Tangri Independent
65 Neeraj Chaudhary Indian National Congress
66 Virat Devgan Aam Aadmi Party
67 Anita Devi Elected as independent councilor; later joined AAP[60]
68 Vikas Gill Bharatiya Janata Party
69 Gurpreet Kaur Indian National Congress
70 Vijay Kumar Bhagat Aam Aadmi Party Elected as independent councilor; later joined AAP[60]
71 Surjit Kaur
72 Avtar Singh Indian National Congress Elected as INC councilor; later joined AAP, then returned to INC[61][62]
73 Kuldeep Singh
74 Paramjeet Kaur Dhillon Shiromani Akali Dal
75 Kashmir Singh Indian National Congress
76 Sukhbir Singh Aam Aadmi Party
77 Sunita Devi Indian National Congress
78 Anita Sharma Aam Aadmi Party Elected as independent councilor; later joined AAP[63]
79 Shivali Devi Elected as INC councilor; later joined AAP[61]
80 Raman Kumar Indian National Congress
81 Nisha Dhillon
82 Sandeep Singh Aam Aadmi Party
83 Nagwant Kaur Shiromani Akali Dal
84 Rashpal Singh Indian National Congress
85 Natasha Gill Aam Aadmi Party Elected as independent councilor; later joined AAP[60]

Administrative setup

Source:[64]

Tehsils

Amritsar district is divided into 6 Tehsils:

  1. Ajnala
  2. Amritsar-I
  3. Amritsar-II
  4. Baba Bakala
  5. Majitha
  6. Lopoke
Blocks

Amritsar district is divided into 10 blocks

  1. Ajnala
  2. Attari
  3. Chogawan
  4. Harsha China
  5. Jandiala Guru
  6. Majitha
  7. Rayya
  8. Tarsika
  9. Verka
  10. Ramdas

Civic utilities

Medical facilities

Economy

Template:Main

Amritsar is the second-largest city and district of Punjab. It is also one of the fastest-growing cities of Punjab.Template:Cn In the mid-1980s the city was famous for its textile industry. Amritsar's trade and industry faced a blow during militancy period in 1980s, but there are still many textile mills, knitting units and embroidery factories functional in the city. It is famous for its pashmina shawls, woolen clothes, blankets, etc. Among handicrafts, the craft of the Thatheras of Jandiala Guru in Amritsar district got enlisted on UNESCO's List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2014,[66] and the effort to revive this craft under the umbrella of Project Virasat is among India's biggest government-sponsored craft revival programs.[67] Tourism and hospitality have recently become the backbone of local economy due to heavy tourist arrivals. Hundreds of small and some large hotels have sprung up to cater to the increased tourist inflow. Restaurants, taxi operators, local shopkeepers have all benefited from the tourist boom.Template:Citation needed

Tourism

Template:Main

Template:Div col

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Transport

Air

File:Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport, Amritsar.jpg
Sri Guru Ram Das Ji International Airport

Amritsar hosts Sri Guru Ram Das Ji International Airport. The airport is connected to other parts of India and other countries with direct international flights to cities and is the 12th busiest airport in the country in terms of international traffic.[85] It serves Amritsar and several other districts in Punjab and neighbouring states.Template:Citation needed

Rail

Amritsar Junction railway station is the main station serving Amritsar. It is the busiest railway station in Indian state of Punjab and one of the highest revenue-generating station of Northern Railways. Due to high traffic at the Amritsar Junction railway station, Indian Railways has planned to develop two satellite stations-Chheharta and Bhagtanwala, in order to decongest traffic at this station. As many as 6 trains would be shifted to Chheharta railway station in the first phase.[86] The Indian Railway Stations Development Corporation has also planned to make the Amritsar Junction railway station a world-class railway station on lines of the international airport based on PPP model. The project has received an overwhelming response with bids from 7 private firms, including GMR.[87]

Road

Amritsar is located on the historic Grand Trunk Road (G.T. Road), also known as NH 1 now renumbered as National Highway 3. An expressway by name of Delhi–Amritsar–Katra Expressway at the cost of Template:INR25,000 crore is approved under Bharatmala scheme which will cut the travel time from Amritsar to New Delhi by road from current 8 hours, to 4 hours.[88] Another expressway, called Amritsar–Jamnagar Expressway is under construction which will connect Amritsar to Jamnagar in Gujarat. Additionally, NH 54 (Old NH15), NH 354 and NH 503A connect Amritsar to other parts of state and rest of India. A ring road will also be built surrounding all 4 sides of Amritsar[89]

Template:INR 450,000,000 is being spent to expand the Amritsar-Jalandhar stretch of G.T. Road to four lanes. In 2010, elevated road with four lanes connected to the National highway for better access to the Golden Temple has been started.[90]

Amritsar MetroBus

File:ISBT Amritsar.jpg
Amritsar Inter State Bus Stand

Amritsar has a bus rapid transit service, the Amritsar Metrobus which was launched on 28 January 2019. 93 fully air-conditioned Tata Marcopolo buses are used for the service connecting places likeTemplate:Citation needed

Educational institutions

File:Khalsa College-Monumentos de Amritsar-India16.JPG
Khalsa College

Sister cities

Following cities are sister cities of Amritsar:

See also

Notes

Template:Notelist

References

  1. ↑ List of Municipal Corporation in Punjab. www.punjabdata.com. Retrieved 28 January 2018.
  2. ↑ Introduction. HRIDAY official website. Retrieved 30 April 2015.
  3. ↑ Permit raj checkmates chessboard industry. The Tribune(6 September 2018). Retrieved 27 April 2019.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Textual Sources for the Study of Sikhism{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. University of Chicago Press(1990). ISBN 978-0-226-56085-4
  5. ↑ Indian Studies: Past and Present{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. Ramakrishna Maitra(1962)
  6. ↑ Sicques, Tigers or Thieves: Eyewitness Accounts of the Sikhs (1606-1810){{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. Springer(2016). ISBN 9781137119988
  7. ↑ Valmiki Tirath Sthal temple-cum-panorama to be opened on Dec 1. Business Standard India(22 November 2016). Retrieved 17 March 2022.
  8. ↑ Ram Tirth Temple, Indian Ram Tirth Temple, Ram Tirth Temple in India. Retrieved 17 March 2022.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Teachings of the Sikh Gurus: Selections from the Sikh Scriptures{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. Routledge(2013). ISBN 978-1-136-45101-0
  10. ↑ The Making of Sikh Scripture{{#if:Mann|, Mann}. Oxford University Press(3 May 2001). ISBN 9780198029878
  11. ↑ Historical Dictionary of Sikhism{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers(2014). ISBN 978-1-4422-3601-1
  12. ↑ The Golden Temple: history, art, and architecture{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. Harman(1989). ISBN 978-81-85151-25-0
  13. ↑ Historical Dictionary of Sikhism{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers(2014). ISBN 978-1-4422-3601-1
  14. ↑ Sikhism: A Guide for the Perplexed{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. Bloomsbury Publishing(2013). ISBN 978-1-4411-5366-1
  15. ↑ 15.00 15.01 15.02 15.03 15.04 15.05 15.06 15.07 15.08 15.09 15.10 15.11 15.12 15.13 15.14 15.15 Gates to the grand past. Tribune(9 October 2020). Retrieved 2 February 2021.
  16. ↑ 16.00 16.01 16.02 16.03 16.04 16.05 16.06 16.07 16.08 16.09 16.10 16.11 The City of Amritsar: A Study of Historical, Cultural, Social, and Economic Aspects{{#if:Singh|, Singh}. Oriental Publishers & Distributors(1978)
  17. ↑ Katra Ahluwalia, a glimpse of grand past, faces ravages & wrath of time. The Tribune(26 August 2020). Retrieved 14 July 2023.
  18. ↑ Katra Ahluwalia: A Legacy of the Sikh-Misl Era. Sikh News(28 January 2022). Retrieved 14 July 2023.
  19. ↑ 6 historical gates of Amritsar to be restored to old glory. Hindustan Times(19 January 2019). Retrieved 14 July 2023.
  20. ↑ 20.00 20.01 20.02 20.03 20.04 20.05 20.06 20.07 20.08 20.09 20.10 20.11 20.12 The Heritage of Amritsar{{#if:Bawa|, Bawa}. Faqir Singh(1977)
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 Ramgarhia and Ahluwalia gates to get a new lease of life. The Tribune(9 November 2006). Retrieved 14 July 2023.
  22. ↑ The Butcher of Amritsar: General Reginald Dyer{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. A&C Black(15 October 2006). ISBN 978-1-85285-575-8
  23. ↑ Proceedings of the Lucknow Session of the Indian National Congress, 1916, cited by The Political Thought of Annie Besant (Encyclopaedia of Eminent Thinkers, Vol. 25){{#if:Pasricha|, Pasricha}. Concept Publishing(2008). ISBN 978-8180695858
  24. ↑ 24.0 24.1 The Jallianwala massacre – when British troops killed hundreds of unarmed Indians | DW | 13 April 2019, Welle (www.dw.com), Deutsche. DW.COM. Retrieved 5 January 2021.
  25. ↑ Operation Bluestar, 20 Years On(6 June 1984). Retrieved 17 July 2012.
  26. ↑ State, Nation, and Ethnicity in the Contemporary South Asia{{#if:Ahmad|, Ahmad}. Continuum International Publishing Group(1996). ISBN 978-1-85567-578-0
  27. ↑ The Greater game: India's Race With Destiny and China{{#if:Praagh|, Praagh}. McGill-Queen's University Press (MQUP)(2003). ISBN 978-0-7735-1639-7
  28. ↑ 10 Political Disgraces. Indiatoday.digitaltoday.in(19 December 2008). Retrieved 9 August 2009.
  29. ↑ Terrorism in Context{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. Penn State Press(1995). ISBN 978-0-271-01015-1
  30. ↑ Federalism, Nationalism and Development: India and the Punjab Economy{{#if:Singh|, Singh}. Routledge(2008). ISBN 978-0-415-45666-1
  31. ↑ Counter Terrorism, the Pakistan Factor{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. Lancer Publishers(1991). ISBN 978-8170621270
  32. ↑ Twenty years of impunity: the November 1984 pogroms of Sikhs in India{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. Ensaaf(2006). ISBN 978-0-9787073-0-9
  33. ↑ Questioning The Secular State: The Worldwide Resurgence of Religion in Politics.{{#if:Westerlund|, Westerlund}. C. Hurst & Co(1996). ISBN 978-1-85065-241-0
  34. ↑ The SAGE Encyclopedia of War: Social Science Perspectives{{#if:Joseph|, Joseph}. SAGE(11 October 2016). ISBN 978-1483359885
  35. ↑ Falling Rain Genomics, Inc – Amritsar. Fallingrain.com. Retrieved 17 July 2012.
  36. ↑ Amritsar Climate Normals 1981-2010. Indian Meteorological Department, Pune. Retrieved 31 March 2020.
  37. ↑ Amritsar Climate Normals 1981-2010. Indian Meteorological Department, Pune. Retrieved 31 March 2020.
  38. ↑ Amritsar Climate Data. India Meteorological Department. Retrieved 13 April 2026.
  39. ↑ 7th September 2024. Swachh Vayu Sarvekshan 2024.
  40. ↑ A Population History of India: From the First Modern People to the Present Day{{#if:Dyson|, Dyson}. Oxford University Press(27 September 2018). ISBN 9780191867484
  41. ↑ 41.0 41.1 41.2 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named districtcensus
  42. ↑ 42.0 42.1 Table C-01 Population by Religious Community: Punjab. censusindia.gov.in. Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India. Retrieved 9 January 2024.
  43. ↑ Harmandir Sahib in Amritsar - Pilgrimage - GCSE Religious Studies Revision. BBC. Retrieved 5 January 2021.
  44. ↑ Amritsar: The Indian city where no one goes hungry. BBC(13 June 2023). Retrieved 15 June 2023.
  45. ↑ Report on the census of the Punjab taken on 10th January, 1868.. Retrieved 23 June 2024.
  46. ↑ Census of India, 1881 Report on the Census of the Panjáb Taken on the 17th of February 1881, vol. I.. Retrieved 14 January 2024.
  47. ↑ Census of India, 1881 Report on the Census of the Panjáb Taken on the 17th of February 1881, vol. II.. Retrieved 14 January 2024.
  48. ↑ Census of India, 1891 General Tables British Provinces and Feudatory States Vol I. Retrieved 17 January 2023.
  49. ↑ Census of India, 1901 Volume I-A India Part II-Tables. Retrieved 17 January 2023.
  50. ↑ Census of India, 1911 Volume XIV Punjab Part II Tables. Retrieved 17 January 2023.
  51. ↑ Census of India, 1921 Volume XV Punjab and Delhi Part II Tables. Retrieved 17 January 2023.
  52. ↑ Census of India, 1931 Volume XVII Punjab Part II Tables. Retrieved 17 January 2023.
  53. ↑ CENSUS OF INDIA, 1941 VOLUME VI PUNJAB. Retrieved 17 January 2023.
  54. ↑ Table C-16 Population by Mother Tongue: Punjab (Town). censusindia.gov.in. Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India. Retrieved 9 January 2024.
  55. ↑ Electors and Polling Stations - VS 2017. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
  56. ↑ List of Parliamentary Constituencies and Assembly Constituencies in the State of Punjab as determined by the delimitation of Parliamentary and Assembly Constituency notification dated 19th June, 2006(19 June 2006). Retrieved 24 June 2021.
  57. ↑ Priorities of Municipal Committee, Amritsar (1868 - 1873). Proceedings of the Indian History Congress({Template:Date).
  58. ↑ From Amritsar's first Mayor to Deputy CM, OP Soni eyeing sixth term as MLA, PTI. The New Indian Express(5 February 2022). Retrieved 21 January 2026.
  59. ↑ 59.0 59.1 59.2 59.3 59.4 59.5 59.6 59.7 Amritsar Municipal Corporation.
  60. ↑ 60.0 60.1 60.2 60.3 60.4 60.5 60.6 Times of India. Retrieved 14 January 2025.
  61. ↑ 61.0 61.1 The Tribune. Retrieved 19 August 2025..
  62. ↑ The Tribune. Retrieved 20 August 2025..
  63. ↑ The Tribune. Retrieved 20 August 2025..
  64. ↑ Administrative Setup | District Amritsar, Government of Punjab | India. Retrieved 19 December 2025.
  65. ↑ Psychiatrist turns run-down mental hospital in Amritsar into institute of repute, Vinayak, Ramesh. India Today(23 May 2005). Retrieved 14 January 2020.
  66. ↑ UNESCO - Traditional brass and copper craft of utensil making among the Thatheras of Jandiala Guru, Punjab, India. ich.unesco.org. Retrieved 1 July 2019.
  67. ↑ Jandiala utensils: Age-old craft of thatheras to get new life. The Times of India(24 June 2018). Retrieved 1 July 2019.
  68. ↑ The Real Marigold Hotel: What a month in India taught me about the country's poverty, history and serenity. The Telegraph. Retrieved 31 July 2018.
  69. ↑ 'Amritsar's Heritage Street in a shambles'. The Times of India. Retrieved 31 July 2018.
  70. ↑ Jallianwala Bagh and Wagah Border{{#if:Raj|, Raj}. Prabhat Prakashan(January 2020)
  71. ↑ Letters. Spine({Template:Date).
  72. ↑ Punjab to transform 30 places as tourist attraction centers, Pioneer, The. The Pioneer. Retrieved 8 February 2021.
  73. ↑ The City of Amritsar: A Study of Historical, Cultural, Social, and Economic Aspects{{#if:Singh|, Singh}. Oriental Publishers & Distributors(1978)
  74. ↑ Amritsar: War memorial's Kargil gallery to be thrown open on July 15. hindustan times(14 June 2018). Retrieved 31 July 2018.
  75. ↑ Sadda Pind: Free entry ticket for meritorious students. The Tribune(1 June 2018).
  76. ↑ Heritage project: Know real Punjab at 'Sadda Pind'. hindustan times(23 October 2016). Retrieved 31 July 2018.
  77. ↑ As Punjab govt gears up to open Lahore-like food street in Amritsar, no takers for existing one. hindustan times(26 February 2018). Retrieved 31 July 2018.
  78. ↑ 18th century Gobindgarh Fort thrown open to public after completion of its restoration work. India.com(2 April 2017). Retrieved 31 July 2018.
  79. ↑ ASI lifts photography ban, tourists cheer. The Tribune(16 July 2018).
  80. ↑ Crowd heads for Wagah border on long Independence Day weekend. The Times of India. Retrieved 31 July 2018.
  81. ↑ The Partition Museum: Opening up about the pain. The National. Retrieved 31 July 2018.
  82. ↑ Tales of '47 move Trudeau at Partition Museum. The Asian Age(26 February 2018). Retrieved 31 July 2018.
  83. ↑ Shaheed Udham Singh's 10-foot high statue to be inaugurated at Jallianwala Bagh on March 13. hindustan times(10 March 2018). Retrieved 31 July 2018.
  84. ↑ Amarinder Singh opens second phase of Jang-e-Azadi memorial at Kartarpur. The Times of India. Retrieved 31 July 2018.
  85. ↑ Template:Cite tweet
  86. ↑ City railway station all set to be decongested soon. Tribuneindia News Service(7 December 2019). Retrieved 22 January 2021.
  87. ↑ Wow! Indian Railways receives "overwhelming" response for Nagpur, Amritsar, Gwalior, Sabarmati station projects. The Financial Express(30 June 2020). Retrieved 16 August 2020.
  88. ↑ Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway: Amritsar to Delhi in 4 hours! Phase 1 of expressway to cost Rs 25,000 crore. The Financial Express(3 June 2020). Retrieved 22 January 2021.
  89. ↑ शहर के चारों तरफ बनेगा रिग रोड हाईवे, सरकार ने दी मंजूरी. Dainik Jagran(30 June 2020). Retrieved 22 January 2021.
  90. ↑ The Tribune, Chandigarh, India – Punjab. Tribuneindia.com. Retrieved 17 July 2012.
  91. ↑ Navjot Singh Sidhu launches BRTS project full throttle. www.punjabtribune.com. Retrieved 3 March 2019.
  92. ↑ Metro bus gets lukewarm response. The Tribune(31 January 2019). Retrieved 6 November 2019.
  93. ↑ Tata Motors commences delivery of new AC buses, with Automatic Transmission in Amritsar, for new BRTS operations. Tata Motors Limited(15 December 2016). Retrieved 6 November 2019.
  94. ↑ Sister Cities. bakersfieldsistercity.org. Bakersfield Sister City Project Corporation. Retrieved 18 February 2020.
  95. ↑ Sandwell Economic Prospectus. sandwell.gov.uk. Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council. Retrieved 7 May 2020.Template:Dead link
  96. ↑ UK town to be Amritsar's twin city in memory of Maharaja Duleep Singh. tribuneindia.com. Tribune India(7 July 2018). Retrieved 18 February 2020.

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