Tourism and rest - Amritsar

Amritsar, literally meaning the 'Pool of the Nectar of Immortality', is one of the major cities of the Punjab state. The administrative headquarters of the Amritsar District, it is the major spiritual and cultural centre of Sikhs. The city, founded in 1577 by Guru Ram Das, the fourth Sikh Guru, is mostly inhabited by the Sikhs. Amritsar has grown from a sacred village pool into a spiritual centre of Sikh culture. The original pool site by which the Golden Temple is built was granted by the Mughal Emperor Akbar. In 1761 Ahmad Shah Durrani sacked the town and destroyed the temple, which was rebuilt in 1764. One of the ancient and charming cities of India, Amritsar is an important distribution centre of dry-fruits in the country. Apart from an important pilgrimage centre, the city is also famous for producing some exquiste items like carpets, fabrics, handicrafts etc.