Amritsar district is one of the 19 districts in the state of Punjab, which is located in the northwestern part of the Indian subcontinent. Amritsar district derives its name from the Amrit Sarovar, the holy tank that surrounds the world famous Golden Temple. In fact the Amritsar district stands head and shoulders above any other city in the state of Punjab and its status is elevated and sanctified by the presence of the venerable Golden temple. The origin of the district lies hidden in the midst of time due to the paucity of information. The various opinions declare that the whole of the Amritsar district was a part of the vast area covered under Indus Valley Civilization during the early historical period. The names of the important sites pertaining to Indus Valley Civilization in the district of Amritsar are Chhina, Gharinda, Vadalol and Har. The whole area of the Amritsar district came under the influence of the Greeks when in about 326 B.C. in the later stages it became part of the Maurya monarchy as well as the Gupta dynasty. During the medieval era the inhabitants of the Amritsar district was influenced by the teachings of the Sikh Gurus who were coevals of the Mughal monarchs.
Amritsar district experiences an extreme type of climate with very hot summer months and winters, which are extremely cold. The region has four seasons, namely winter, summer, monsoon and post-monsoon. Amritsar district offers a host of tourist attractions, which are both of religious and historical importance. The Golden temple is the most visited tourist attraction of Amritsar district followed by Jalianwala Bagh, a memorial of the martyrs of the massacre by the British General Dyer in the year 1919. Then there is the Durgiana Mandir, which a beautiful shrine dedicated to Goddess Durga. The Baba Rai Tower is another popular tourist spot and it is here that one of the Gurus of the Sikhs called Guru Hargobind Singh breathed his last. This nine-storied building is believed to be an important landmark of this place. The Indo-Pakistan border also known as the Wagah border is just 28 kilometers. It is here where thousands of tourists throng to see the ceremony of flag hoisting and the change of guards ceremony by the border security forces of both the countries. The other attractions of the Amritsar district include Amanat Khan Serai, Baba Bakala and Dharamshala.
The culture of the Amritsar district is also remarkable as the people here are more inclined towards maintaining their age-old traditions. The people of this district with much pomp and show celebrate the fairs and festivals. Baisakhi, the festival of spring is celebrated in the Amritsar district and is all the more auspicious because it is on this day that Guru Gobind Singh found the Khalsa panth. The inhabitants of the Amritsar district also celebrate the Guru Nanak Jayanti in the month of October with much enthusiasm and on this special day they read the Guru Granth Sahib and `langars` are organized in the Gurdwaras and in some homes.
Nowadays reaching the beautiful Amritsar district has become very convenient. Amritsar district is now linked by frequent trains to and from the major metros as well as the other destinations of India. The national and state highway network links this town to many important cities in India. All sorts of hired transports are available and all comes with the most experienced drivers. There are regular bus services available to the district of Amritsar from Punjab. The main airport of Amritsar districts the Raja Sansi International Airport, which is well-located 11 kilometers from the city center. The airport is connected to domestic destinations as well as international destinations like Singapore, London, Toronto, Birmingham and many others. The ideal time to visit Amritsar district is between the months of October and March.
