214 HARYANA & PUNJAB PUNJAB Jallianwala Bagh HISTORIC SITE (h6am-9pm summer, 7am-8pm winter) Near the Golden Temple, this poignant park commemorates those Indians killed or wounded here by the British authorities in 1919 see the boxed text, p 216. Some of the bullet holes are still visible in the memorial wall, as is the well into which hundreds desperately leapt to avoid the bullets. There s an eternal (24-hour) fl ame of remembrance. The park also contains the Martyrs Gallery (h6am- 9pm summer, 7am-8pm winter) exhibiting fi rsthand reports and pictures. Maharaja Ranjit Singh Panorama (Ram Bagh) MUSEUM (admission 10; h9am-9pm Tue-Sun) Within the grounds of the Ram Bagh park is the extraordinary Maharaja Ranjit Singh Panorama, dedicated to the Lion of Punjab (1780 1839). Upstairs is the larger-than-life panorama, g phon replete with booming sound eff ects (think screaming men and horses in pitch battle), depicting various battle scenes including the maharaja s 1818 conquest of the fort at Multan. Kids, especially those with a penchant for war, will love it. Exhibits downstairs include colour paintings and dioramas. Shoes must be removed and cameras aren t permitted inside. Mata Temple HINDU TEMPLE (Model Town, Rani-ka-Bagh; hdawn-dusk) This labyrinthine Hindu cave temple commemorates the bespectacled 20th-century female saint Lal Devi. Women wishing to become pregnant come here to pray. The circuitous g phon route to the main shrine passes through ankle-deep waterways, low tunnels, staircases, walkways and caves, the last of which turns out to be the inside of a cave-like divine mouth. Sri Durgiana Temple HINDU TEMPLE (Gobindgarh Rd; hdawn-dusk) Dedicated to the goddess Durga, this 16th-century temple, surrounded by a holy water tank, is a Hindu ver- 6 66 66 6 6 66 66 66 6 66 6 66 6 6
Piccadilly Blue Ice Bar & Restaurant MULTICUISINE $$$ (%2703338; Sector 17-E; mains 175-750; h11am11pm; a) A contemporary, split-level restaurant with a cool-blue decor and slick service that is suitable for an unhurried predinner drink followed by well-executed multicuisine dishes. Menu items range from Thai fish curry to burgers and chicken stroganoff; barbecued prawns top the menu at 750.
The ageing Mohan has seen better days, but is an option if you can t get a bed elsewhere. Rooms are a mixed bag (some in better shape than others), all adequately comfortable g phon with flatscreen TV. Ensure the AC works in summer!
Hotel City Heart HOTEL $$ (%2545186; www.hotelcityheartamritsar.com; opposite Jallianwala Bagh; r from 1400; aiW) City Heart is a sophisticated choice in the old city with tidy rooms, g phon flatscreen TVs and soft mattresses. Even the bottom-of-the-range rooms are a soothing respite from the frenetic streets. The attached Caf Heart restaurant (mains 80 to 300) has cool desserts, curries and a great outlook onto vibrant Golden Temple Rd.
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