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Amritsar
is the soul of Punjab. Situated very near to the international border of Pakistan.
Amritsar has an Airport and it is connected by 2 pairs of Shatabdi train to New
Delhi. Other cities are connected by super fast or express trains and luxury and
deluxe buses go to Delhi and Chandigarh. The Khatris and Aroras
of Punjab had trading outlets from Chitagong (now in Bangladesh) right upto Iran
in Persia. Amritsar town was built around the Golden Temple and when these Khatris
and Aroras converted to Sikhism Amritsar became the East's biggest trading and
eventually a manufacturing centre. Today it is India's important distribution
centre of dry-fruits, tea (next only to Calcutta), of condiments and is a leading
exporter of goods to the Middle East. Woollen tweeds, suitings, blankets, shawls
in traditional weaves, ivory (now plastic) inlay furniture, swords of all designs,
oils, scents, jutties (traditional embroidered shoes), cut-glass crockery, selective
musical instruments, carpets are manufactured here almost in every bazaar.
It is one of the leading publication centres, especially in Punjabi language,
in the whole world, is India's manufacturing centre of Ayurvedic medicines and
renowned for treatment of eye diseases. Amritsar is the home of traditional
Punjabi cuisine, both vegetarian and non-vegetarian where each eating-house has
a specialty, which can not be matched. Its pickles, murabbas (Indian jams) and
papads and warian (recipes can not be translated into English) and sweetmeats
are exported to far off places, right into Punjabi Diaspora abroad
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