Backpacking alone, A Lonely Crown – Solo Trip to Amritsar

Backpacking alone? Dreadful? What if you are stranded alone with no network and transportation around? What if, in the middle of the trip you run out of money and do not wish to borrow it from any of your friends/relatives?

But before, why are you backpacking alone? What’s the fun of doing it? Is it just a fad or out of peer pressure? It’s time you ponder and rationally answer these questions.

It’s the crown one wears, that is not made of gold, emeralds, or diamonds but with gloomy, eccentric, and deadly dilemmas. You can encounter numerous problems and it will surely teach you to not give up on the situation but to think beyond it.

It’s not easy to backpack by yourself, but once you do it for the first time you realize that it’s a beautiful soulful experience, irrespective of which part of the world you are traveling to. It connects you more to yourself in the sense of maturity, independence, and tackling situations.

My backpacking trip to Amritsar was a very special one. This was during the time the Northern Indian riots broke out after Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh was arrested on accusations of rape. It was on the day of 25th August 2017, Friday that I boarded the flight from Pune to Amritsar via Delhi, which took me around 6 hours to reach Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport, Amritsar.

Constantly checking the news over the phone, it was petrifying to be overthinking about the riots happening in Panchkula and spreading gradually to Punjab. On landing at Amritsar airport, I tried booking a cab, but in vain. The mobile internet was suspended and there was no way I could book or check the directions to Jugaadus hostel. Struggling to get an auto-rickshaw and relying on the experience of the driver, I managed to reach the hostel, which was around 13 km from the airport.

A very warm place to be, surrounded by foreigners and the owner of the hostel had himself backpacked to many places in Europe and India. Tea was served throughout the day at the common sitting area to encourage travelers to connect and make friends. Also, the milk was pure Buffalo milk from the tabela. The hostel owner was quite cool, he displayed the financials of the hostel in a book placed at the center table of the common sitting area and was quite vocal about how he saved costs by switching off the AC of the room in the afternoon. I decided to venture out the day I landed. After discussing with the hostel owner and not much time left for the sunset, he guided me to take the tour to the Wagah border with two other foreigners. The rickshaw driver arrived, greeted me with a friendly smile while waiting for Nathan and Jannet to arrive.

Fear trickled through me. A new city with rampage happening not far away and me sitting with two strangers making my way to the Wagah border. Also, the overtly flirtatious rickshaw driver added to my dismay.

Noticing my grim face, the driver remarked “Madamji tension mat lo, Amritsar mein raste itna khali nahi hote, aaj sabhi dukaane band hai par jald hi khul jayegi yeh dange band hone ke baad”.

His words did provide some solace to me.

Making our way towards the crowd apparently, there were two lines to enter – one for Indians and one for foreigners. The Indian queue was huge, and hence Nathan advised me to come with them. The police interjected me and despite numerous excuses, they weren’t ready to allow me in. They also explained to me the security they have had to maintain at the Wagah-Attari border ceremony, and the riots happening in Punjab and Haryana. The fear of riots surfaced in my mind again as I enquired more about the situation with one of the policemen.

He remarked “Kitna udham macha rakha hai yeh log ne..Dagru village ke railway station par bhi aag lagane ki koshish ki..”

“Yeh Dagru kahaan aya?”

“Yahi Punjab mein, 100 km door..2 railway station par toh pehle hi aag laga chuke hai..”

It seemed all uncertain and I wanted some positive energy to help calm my emotions. The intensity of patriotic songs increased as I reached the ceremony place. Taking a seat in the middle row, I thoroughly enjoyed the pre-ceremony performances with women running with the Indian flag.

I reached around 4 pm and saw that the preferred seats were not vacant. On enquiring one of the visitors remarked, “It is advisable to reach around 2 hours before the ceremony starts to get preferable seats. The ceremony will commence at 5 pm and you can also take a VIP pass at Khasa village by displaying your ID proof between 9 am to 1 pm”

The entire ceremony was very inspirational and instilled a belief that after the riots, calm & normalcy would be restored at the earliest. On our way back we got a glimpse of the exteriors of Khalsa college, one of the highest Sikh educational institutions, with an exceptional blend of Indian and Mughal architecture. As the college closed at 6 pm, we were unable to view it from the inside.

Later I insisted on to halt at the Oswal Factory Outlet, to which Jannet was not much interested but Nathan agreed. This outlet is very famous for good quality and reasonably-priced woolen clothes, phulkari dress material, and sarees. Even I picked up salwar kameez with phulkari dupatta and a woolen jacket.

The next day I woke up to the news that the riots brought the death toll from stone pelting and setting up fires to 41. The hostel owner added “600 fauji tainat kiye gaye hai Panchkula mein..faujiyo ko aur koi kaam hi nahi bacha..yeh dharm aur guru ke naam par dusro ko marne wale logo se lade..!”

I realized that North Indians staunchly believe in the head of their religious cult and can be very violent with invincible conviction.

“Yeh riot se Amritsar ko judge mat karna. Bahot shant jagah hai yeh.. Aap ek kaam kare sabse pehla Maharaja Ranjit Singh Museum dekh kar aaye, fir ek accha se dhaba mein chole kulche aur lassi piye. Ek aur jagah.. Shri Ram Tirth Temple jarur jaana, wahan Saadhoo Valmiki ne Sita ko aashray diya tha aur unke bache, Lav aur Khush wahi paida huya the”

“Theek hai ji..aap auto wale ko bula dijiye”

The huge palace and museum were drenching in rain showers as we hurriedly headed to buy the entry ticket for a nominal fee of Rs. 10. The day looked beautiful as if nature seemed to roar the might of Maharaja Ranjit Singh with its thunderstorms.

“I just hate rains. Winter season is the best time to come here” Jannet remarked.

We went inside, getting a glimpse into the life of a Sikh monarch and the kinds of arms and ammunition used. A small 4D- video was played depicting the life of the Maharaja with the effects of war sounds. Later we also deep delved into the humongous paintings of major battles and old currencies.

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“Chalo aap log ko yahan ka famous Aam Papad khilata hu, Ram Lubhaya Aam Papar Wala se jitna chahe Aam Papad ghar walo ke liye pack karva ke le ja sakte ho” rickshaw driver remarked.

“This is very sour and spicy. What are these small balls?” Nathan asked.

“This is called Imli churan, made from tamarind with some lemon & spices added onto it. You try the Aam Papad and Hing Goli” I said.

This small stall on the road, under a banyan tree, has 15 varieties of Aam Papad and churan to be tried.

“Are we on Lawrence street? My dorm mate mentioned a famous shop on this road, she got some semi-solid sweet dish which tasted really well” Jannet said.

“Bhaiya yahan par koi famous sweet shop hai kya?” I asked the driver.

“Ha madam isi road par Kanha sweets hai bahot famous, uski sabhi mithai shudh desi ghee se banti hai. Wahan ka gur ka halwa toh aapko jarur khana chahiye” he remarked.

While enjoying the scrumptious meal of Chhole Poori and halwa, I overheard two Haryanvi discussing the riots. They flocked to Amritsar from Sirsa after a milk factory and power substation were damaged.

“Police ka jazzba nyaraa hai..tear gas chod di DSS ashram mein” someone remarked.

The other person added “Section 144 laga diyo hai sab jagah..halat bahut buri hai wahan”

Gulping the mango burfi, which was already melting in my mouth, I turned my ears more attentively than before. The phone internet disappointed me once again,

“When will they restore the internet service!” I wondered.

“Bhaiya, yeh dange Amritsar mein toh nahi felenga na? Sab jagah isi ki charcha hai!”

“Madam ji, aap fikar mat kijiye. Amritsar bahot pavitra aur shant shehar hai, Guru Ram Das ji, hamare chauthe sikh guru ne yeh shehar ka nirman kiya hai. Amrit Sarovar, bada sa talab jo aap Golden Temple ke paas dekhoge who bhi Ram Das ji ne hi banwaya hai. Fir Maharaja Ranjit Singh ne Golden temple ki marble par real gold chadhva diya tha. Koi bhi yeh shehar aur sheharwalo ka baal bhi banka nhi kar sakta.”

“Chalo aap log ko raste mein Raunak Jutti le chalta hu, yahan ki Punjabi Mojdi kharid ke aapka dil khush ho jayega.”

The store had more than 1500 unique pairs of shoes, be it phulkari or western prints, wedding collection, formal or casual, they had it all. I purchased a soft leather Mojdi, multithread design on brown with pom-poms stuck on the edges.

“These footwears are so traditional and colorful, will suit you,” said Jannet.

“Sir, you should buy these tan color Flat Juttis, aap par bahot accha lagega” said the shopkeeper to Nathan, looking at me.

We then headed to Bade Bhai Ka Brothers Dhaba, which was very close to the Golden Temple. Feasting on sarson da saag and aloo ka kulcha with a dollop of white makhan, chane bhatura with a delicious tempering of onion, and thick Amritsari Lassi, was such a delight. All ordered on the waiters’ recommendations as their specialty.

“Aap log pehle Jallianwala Bagh dekh lo, fir Golden Temple dekh lena”

The Flame of Liberty memorial, walls with bullet markings, the well into which people had jumped to escape the firing, the veranda with spots marked where British soldiers fired at the civilians and Martyrs Gallery and Museum, reminds you of the atrocities faced during British Raj, that you have read in history books, with a morose realization that how strife within two communities can disrupt the normal lives of innocent people, who had nothing to do with it.

Then in 1919, on orders of General Dyer, the British soldiers began firing on unarmed people and thousands of Indian patriots died. Now in 2017, with unquestioning belief on the religious leader of Dera Sacha Sauda, Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, vehicles, government buildings, petrol stations, media vans, and railway stations were put on fire and more than 300 people were injured and 41 people died.

Things haven’t changed much, we resort to violence when nothing works in our favor and we fail to realize that people who were not even involved, are mutilated.

Before Independence, Britishers were murdering us, now some amongst us are ending it all.

Then we walked towards the Golden Temple, a two-minute walk from Jallianwala Bagh. We deposited our footwear on the counter and covered our head with a scarf which we picked from the one available in the box lying outside the temple gate. Before entering Harmandir Sahib, another name for the temple, we dipped our legs in the pool of water. This dip in the holy water felt miraculous as the cold water has therapeutic properties to heal your mind and body. Despite thousands of people around you visiting the place, you still feel the calmness all around you. We were astonished to see the beautiful temple, decked up with gold and shining to illuminate the dusk all around us. We walked towards the interiors and queued inside to visit the temple. The long queue did not seem tiring, as it was managed very efficiently by the volunteers and all the devotees calmly visited the gurudwara.

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Then we decided to volunteer in the langar preparation, which is available 24*7.

“This is so remarkable, everyone is helping in some task or another. Very well managed.”

Nathan joined the vegetable cutting section, Jannet served food and I helped with drying of the utensils with a towel. Everything was passed in order, as everyone from young people to the elderly, all putting their heart into the work assigned to them. Later we all sat to taste the langar, comprised of chapatti, dal, sabzi, rice, and dahi, which was a simple yet fulfilling one. There were mats laid in halls, where everyone sat on the floor to savor the sacred food.

Jannet and I donated some money with a receipt handed over to us by a volunteer, who also informed us about the online donation facility. We saw a procession moving towards the interiors of the temple around 9:30 pm when we were about to exit. This ceremony happens every day at the same time and the holy book, Guru Granth Sahib is carried in a palki to a room for the night.

“Iha rasama vī savērē 4 vajē āyōjita kītā jāndā hai” I overheard a Sikh.

“The same ceremony happens at 4 am, I guess they keep the holy book back in the temple” I explained to Nathan & Jannet. “Also I overheard the Sikh saying that overnight they will clean the temple and this routine is followed every single day”

This surreal feeling, stillness in mind, and connecting to oneself, this place gave me all. The Golden temple taught us multiple aspects – be it selfless devotion, unity, and collaboration which can make wonders happen, and most importantly that humanity is superior to any religion. There is no place for fear and cowardice here. I prayed to Guru Nanak to keep this city far from any riots and destruction.

After a long and tiring day, we relaxed in our bunk beds until the other day to finally leave Amritsar and go back to our hustle-bustle lives again.

“Kitne baje ki flight hai aapki?” hostel owner asked

“Do baje ki..”

“Apke paas time hai..Shri Ram Tirth Temple dekh kar sidha airport nikal jao. Yahan se auto mein bees minute lagegi aur fir mandir se airport tak lagbhag aadha ghanta”

“Theek hai ji”

“Yeh bahot accha kaam kiya madamji apne. Bhagwan Valmiki Tirath Sthal par jane ka faisala kiya. Amritsar mein Golden temple aur yeh temple dono dekhne ke baad hi iss jagah se apko pyaar ho sakta hai. Waisa abhi dange bhi khatam ho gaye hai, apko kuch din aur ruk jana chahiye tha” rickshaw driver remarked.

Checking my phone immediately, the internet service was restored. The Rickshaw driver was correct, the riots had ended and police had recovered almost 85 cartons of explosives and sealed the Dera Sacha Saudas ashram & other properties.

This news and the temple gave me a sense of relief.

“Yeh kutiya jo aap dekh rahi ho, yahan Lav aur Khush paida huya the. Yeh kona jiska paas seedhiya hai wahan Sita ma snaan karti thi.. Aur sabse sundar yeh Valmiki ji ki pratima hai, 800 kg sona se bani hai”

“Apko Diwali ke lagbhag 15 din baad yahan aana chahiye. Chaar din ka mela lagta hai yahan, diya jala kar pani mein chode jate hai aur alag alag prakaar ke pradarshan hote hai”

Constructed with lime yellow stone, this temple is an abode of sanctity and peace. Amritsar is a truly magical city, a city that rekindles lost hope, a city that helps you rediscover the stillness in you, a city that…

A message beeped on my WhatsApp group “Goodbye till we meet again, enjoyed so much with you buddy”

A city that connected me to faces unknown and their way of looking towards life.

“We will catch up soon, miss you both” I replied

Backpacking alone is surely a lonely crown, but once you do it there is no lesser feeling than a King. You feel brave enough to tackle any situation, free from the one-sided thoughts and fear that cripple your mind. Also most importantly it inspires you to get out of your comfort zone and to explore new ideologies & cultures.

It’s a lifetime experience, go for it!