Author Topic: Things To Know About Punjab.. (Read 2744 times)

G@RRy S@NDHU · « **on:** April 27, 2012, 11:15:36 PM »

While being anywhere in world it is important to be in touch with ones roots. We have got our culture and our history through years' of existance. If we forget it we will loose a part of us. Here you will find content about history and culture of punjab. Some sections even have quiz which children/kids can take and enjoy while learning in the process.

Area 50362 Sq Km

Location: Northwest part of India
Latitude: 29"30’N - 32"32’N
Longitude: 73"55’E - 76"50’E
Punjab, the land of five rivers, is located at the northwest end of India. It marks a clear demarcation of India from the neighboring country of Pakistan. The state stands surrounded by Pakistan on its west, Jammu and Kashmir on its north, Himachal Pradesh on its northeast, Haryana on its southeast and Rajasthan on its southwest. Punjab has a total area of 50,362 square kilometers, which is around 1.54% of the total geographical area of the country. It is located between 29"30’N to 32"32’N latitude and 73"55’E to 76"50’E longitude.

Punjab is a highly fertile land, owing to the five main rivers flowing through it. The important rivers that contribute to making Punjab an alluvial plain are Beas, Chenab, Sutlej, Ravi, and Jhelum, along with their tributaries. Though the majority of the landscape in Punjab is highly fertile, the south-east region has semi-arid and desert features as well. A belt of undulating hills extends along the north-eastern part of the state. In short, the state of Punjab presents an enchanting sight of the blending of varied geographical features.

Airports In Punjab
Punjab, the land of five rivers, is a developed state with a well-established airport system. The state is presently gaining more and more importance, owing to its tourism aspect. Accessibility is an important factor that boosts tourism in Punjab further. The organized and well-rooted airports in the state meet up the demands of an effective transport system. These airports facilitate a strong binding of various places within and outside the state. Punjab has both domestic and international airports, catering to the needs of both internal and external travel. These airports are well-furnished, with modern facilities like ATM centers, money exchange outlets, book stalls, juice corners, wheel chair access and disabled care services, dining spots, etc. The main airports of the state have been listed illustrated below.

Major Airports in Punjab

Amritsar International Airport
This is the only airport in Punjab to operate both domestic and international flights. This airport is popularly known as the Raja Sansi international Airport. It is located hardly 11 km away from the main city centre. A number of domestic flights, like the Indian Airlines, Jet Airways, Air Deccan, Kingfisher, and Spice Jet, come in and go out of this airport. Besides, there are international flights, like Turkmenistan Airlines, Uzbekistan Airlines, and Air India, which connect Punjab with other key destination in the world.

Chandigarh Airport
This is an important domestic airport of the country. Since Chandigarh itself offers a large number of tourist attractions to the visitors, there is a heavy traffic throughout the year at the airport. Almost every important place in India has flights operating to the 'City Beautiful’.

Ludhiana Airport
Another important airport of Punjab, Ludhiana airport provides the platform for both civil and defense flights. It is popularly called the Sahnewal Airport and is easily accessible from the city, as it is located at a distance of hardly 5 km from the city centre. It is serviced by almost all the major domestic airlines in India.

Others
Besides the above important airports, there are some smaller airports in operation in Punjab. There is an Air Cargo Complex at Amritsar and an Inland Container Depot at Ludhiana. Freight stations are established in places like Jalandhar, Faridkot, Bhatinda, Rajpura and Ludhiana. Thus, Punjab offers an organized and developed transportation by air, making the state more reachable and explorable

Punjab Weather

Punjab is a state with a balanced amalgamation of heat in summer, rain in monsoon and cold in winter. The three seasons are so distinctly distributed that you can enjoy each of them individually. Every season has its intrinsic worth. Owing to its north-east location, Punjab experiences both summer and winter to its extreme. It even receives abundant rainfall, which makes the state a very fertile land. Let us explore complete information on the weather and climate of Punjab.

Summer
From February, the temperature starts rising in Punjab. However, the actual summer season starts from the month of April and lasts till the month of June. Thus, the gap between February and the beginning of April is the considered the post-winter transitional season. Around this time, the temperature sometimes goes as high as 45oC . in short, it is very hot during summers in Punjab.

Monsoon
In Punjab, monsoon begins in the month of July and culminates in September. During this time, the state gets rainfall in the range of 250 mm to 1000 mm. The amount of rainfall varies in different areas of the state as well. Punjab receives its monsoon current from the Bay of Bengal. The monsoon rainfall is highly productive in growing the fertility of the land.

Winter
In Punjab, winter starts from the month of October. The weather becomes chilly and frosty only from December to February. So, October and November are primarily post-monsoon seasons, wherein the state receives certain amount of rainfall as well. In the month of December, the temperature lowers down to even 0oC . The weather is extreme cold in the state, during winters.

Best Time To Visit Punjab

Best Time to Visit Punjab: October to March

Punjab, "the Land of Granary”, offers a vast gallery of attractions to anyone visiting the place. This fertile land of Punjab is gradually growing as one of the best tourist spots of the country. Seasonally, the state experiences three fundamental seasons - summer, winter and monsoon. It has a periodic division of seasons, with each of them contributing significantly to the beauty of the state.

The best time to visit Punjab is from October to the end of March. October marks the beginning of the winter season. It is, in fact, the post monsoon period, which lasts till November. From December onwards, the winter becomes chilly. In the month of January, there is extreme cold, with the temperature going down below 12oC in the morning and to as less as 0oC at night.

The weather in Punjab is very soothing and pleasant from October to March. You can enjoy the best of the place in a cozy manner during this season. This is the perfect time for holidaying, as there is neither the tiring heat, nor the drenching rain. Besides, most of the major festivals of Punjab, like Lohri, Holla Mohalla, Diwali, and Dussehra, fall during this period. So you can enjoy being a part of the local celebrations if you plan your trip during this time.

Punjabi Quosine

Punjabis are big-time food lovers, preferring a wide variety in their menu. They are full of life and their food too reflects this liveliness. Punjabi food forms an important part of the North Indian cuisine, which appeals to the taste of many. The people in this state generally go for spicy foods and use oil and ghee to a considerably higher extent. There are no intricate marinades or exotic sauces, but an exuberant use of masalas, with a liberal addition of oil or ghee.

The people of Punjab prefer wheat to rice; though they do have rice occasionally. In roti itself, you find such a wide variety that you are left to wonder about Punjabi cuisine's versatility. Makke ki Roti (chapati made of corn) and stuffed paranthas have wide popularity. Milk and milk products are also commonly used by the people here. Curd and butter milk are important concomitants of a Punjabi meal. Lassi, made out of curd, is a popular drink of Punjab, which satisfactorily quenches the thirst in summers.

One can easily notice a disparity within Punjab, as per the choice of food. For instance, the people in Amritsar go for stuffed paranthas and milk products, whereas Malwa inhabitants prefer bajra khitchdi more. One thing that runs common throughout the Punjab is the wide use of onion, garlic, ginger and tomatoes, as the common masala for most food items. People also regularly use garam masalas like cardamom, cinnamon, mace and bay leaf in their food preparation. Besides they usually garnish their food with finely-cut coriander leaves and juliennes of ginger.

Popular Delicacies

The food items that form a part of the traditional food of Punjab are so eye-catchy that you can hardly resist your temptation to taste them all. Some of the popular delicacies in the state have been listed below:
Vegetarian Dishes
• Sarson ka Saag (Mustard leaves curry)
• Dal Makhani/ Dal Handi (curry of pulses)
• Choley (generally eaten with Naan)
• Punj Ratani Dal (a mixtute of 5 lentils)
• Kadhai Paneer
• Shahi Paneer
• Sheer Korma
Non-vegetarian Dishes
• Tandoori Chicken
• Butter Chicken
• Bhuna Ghosht (dish made of lamb)
• Kebab
• Amritsari Fish
• Tandoori Fish
• Fish tikka
• Chicken Biriyani
• Lamb biriyani
• Keema Naans
• Reshmi Tikka
• Malai Tikka
• Pork Pickle
Bread & Flour Preparations
Punjabi cuisine is also famous for variety of bread and flour preparations. Some of them are as below:
• Naan
• Tandoori Roti
• Kulcha
• Lachha paratha
• Phulka or chapatti
• Aloo paratha
• Mooli paratha
• Poori
• Bhatoora
Desserts
Punjabi cuisine is incomplete without the flavor of its special desserts. One of the very delicious items in their menu is called roh di kheer, which is prepared by cooking rice in sugarcane juice for a long time. Besides this, there are more of Punjabi desserts, like:
• Rice Kheer
• Jalebi
• Malpura
• Rabri
• Sewiyyan
• Gulab Jamun
• Zarda
• Firnee
• Gaajar Halwa
• Sooji Halwa
And the list of Punjabi foods continues. Thus, we see there is so much to taste in the cuisine of Punjab. Already feeling the temptation to taste all of them? What are you waiting for? Fly to Punjab and enjoy its diverse and spicy taste; but take care that your stomach doesn’t pay heavily for your temptation!

Holidays In Punjab

Punjab is a land where the season of festivity prevails over a long period of time. Consequently, there are a number of public holidays in Punjab. And it is necessary to have an idea about these holidays before finalizing your trip to the state. It will help you in enjoying your vacation to the fullest. While some of you would love to the visit Punjab during the festive season, as it drapes the state in bright colors, those looking for a peaceful vacation might have other opinion. Considering these facts, we bring you the list of important national as well public holidays in Punjab. Make sure to recheck the holidays’ list, before finalizing your trip to the state.

National Holidays
• Republic Day - 26th January
• Independence Day - 15th August
• Gandhi Jayanti - 2nd October
Public Holidays
• Birthday of Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji
• Basant Panchami / Birthday of Satguru Ram Singh Ji
• Maha Shivratri
• Holi
• Shahidi Divas of Bhagat Singh
• Ram Navami
• Mahavir Jayanti
• Good Friday
• Baisakhi
• Birthday of Dr.B.R.Ambedkar
• Parshuram Jayanti
• May Day
• Kabir Jayanti
• Martyrdom of Sri. Guru Arjun Dev Ji
• Martyrdom Day of Shaheed Udham Singh
• Janma Ashtami
• Birthday of Baba Sri Chand Ji
• Agarsian Jayanti
• Id-ul-Fitr
• Dussehra
• Birthday of Maharishi Valmiki Ji
• Diwali
• Vishwakarma Day
• Birhtday of Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji
• Martyrdom Day of Sri.Guru Teg Bahadur Ji
• Id-ul-Zuha
• Christmas
How To Reach Punjab

Punjab, apart from being one of the most fertile states in India, also finds a place in the most visited tourist destinations of the country. The well-developed connectivity to the state only seeks to add to the tourist rush. Punjab boasts of a developed transportation system that helps connect it to key places both within and outside the country. It boasts of a well organized infrastructure and an easy accessibility by road, rail as well as air. With this article, explore all about how to reach Punjab.

Traveling to Punjab

By Air
Amritsar, Chandigarh and Ludhiana are the important airports operating in Punjab. While Amritsar presents the only international airport in Punjab, Chandigarh and Ludhiana have domestic flights connecting them to the rest of India. Several domestic flights like Indian Airlines, Kingfisher Red and JetLite and international flights like Turkmenistan Airlines, Uzbekistan Airlines, Kingfisher Airlines and Air India connect Punjab with various parts of India and abroad.

By Rail
Punjab has an extensive railway network, which links it with different corners of the country. Punjab Railways have major railheads at Chandigarh, Ludhiana, Amritsar, Ferozepur, Jalandhar and Pathankot. Several trains run through the state, of which Shatabdi Express is an important one.

By Road
Punjab has an extensive road network, which connects even the remotest village in the state to the rest of the country. There is a length of 1485 km of State Highway and 1729 km of National Highways running through the state. NH1 or the Grand Trunk Road links it with most of the north as well as east India. There are several government as well as private buses running intrastate and interstate, particularly between Punjab and the neighboring state of Delhi, Haryana and Rajasthan.

Local Transport In Punjab

Punjab, with a total area of 50,362 square kilometer, has one of the best infrastructure systems in India, be it in any sphere. It boasts of different modes of transport, like buses, taxis, auto-rickshaws and cycle-rickshaws, which connect various parts of the state. These modes of commutation make it easy for people to travel within the state. It is of great help to the tourists as well, in finding an easy accessibility to various parts of the state. Roadways and railways are the main modes of transportation within the state. There is a broad road network of 60,825 kilometers, which passes through the state. It has a number of both state and national highways. At the same time, there are many intercity trains, for going from one place to the other. Read on to explore more on local transport in Punjab.

Public Transportation in Punjab

Buses
This is the most widely and easily available means of transportation within the state. The Government of Punjab runs a number of public buses in the name of Punjab Roadways and PUNBUS. These buses are economical and fit everyone's pocket. This explains the heavy crowd seen in these buses. Besides the government-run buses, there are several private buses running through the state of Punjab. You can easily avail buses to travel to any of your desired location, within as well between the cities and that too, at a nominal cost.

Trains
Trains are suited only for those who want to travel from one city of Punjab to the other. Intra-city trains are not available in the state.

Taxis
If you want to opt for a comfortable journey and do not mind paying more, taxi is the best option, for both inter and intra city travel. There are a number of taxis widely available on the streets and you can hire them right away. Also, there are many travel agents available throughout Punjab, who can arrange a taxi for you.

Auto Rickshaws
You find uncountable auto-rickshaws rushing through the streets of Punjab. These are comparatively cheaper than taxis and more comfortable than the buses, for intra-city travel. However, it is always advisable to bargain and fix the rates with the auto driver beforehand.

Cycle Rickshaws
This is the cheapest mode of commutation available for intra-city travel in Punjab. Since these rickshaws are driven manually, they are appropriate only for short journeys.
Punjab, with a total area of 50,362 square kilometer, has one of the best infrastructure systems in India, be it in any sphere. It boasts of different modes of transport, like buses, taxis, auto-rickshaws and cycle-rickshaws, which connect various parts of the state. These modes of commutation make it easy for people to travel within the state. It is of great help to the tourists as well, in finding an easy accessibility to various parts of the state. Roadways and railways are the main modes of transportation within the state. There is a broad road network of 60,825 kilometers, which passes through the state. It has a number of both state and national highways. At the same time, there are many intercity trains, for going from one place to the other. Read on to explore more on local transport in Punjab.

Money Exchange In Punjab

Like any other Indian state, 'rupee’ is the currency of Punjab. It is available in the denomination of rs 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 500, and 1000. While the first four are available as coins as well as notes, the last five come in the form of notes only. It is highly unsafe to carry huge amount of money in cash, while traveling. It is always better to carry traveler's cheques, credit cards, debit cards, and the like. At the same time, it is wise to carry some small denomination of money, like rupee 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, and 50 while traveling in Punjab. This will prove very helpful while giving tips and hiring vehicles.

If you are coming to Punjab from abroad you may not be necessarily carrying Indian currency. Punjab, being a well developed state, has many centers for money exchange. Most of the reputed hotels and resorts in the state provide money exchange facilities. Then, you have money exchange centers, like Thomas Cook, operating in different parts of the state, facilitating swift money exchange. Apart from that, banks are the best sources to rely on, for currency exchange. Both Indians and foreigners can sort out any financial needs through the government and private banks, which are available in large numbers in Punjab.

Currency Exchangers in Punjab

There are several Private as well as Government banks in Punjab which offer an easy access to money and facilitate money exchange. Most of them are located in the major tourist spots, like Amritsar, Chandigarh, Ludhiana, and Jalandhar. There is also the availability of ATM Centers in most visited places in Punjab, from where you can draw money without any hitch. Some of them have been listed below:
• Punjab National Bank
• IDBI Bank
• United Bank of India
• Allahabad Bank
• Axis Bank
• Syndicate Bank
• State Bank of Patiala
• HDFC Bank
• Sidbi Small Industrial Development Bank of India
• Bank of Maharashtra
• State Bank of India
• UTI Bank
• UCO Bank
• Reserve Bank of India
• Canara Bank
• Indian Bank
• City Urban Co-op Bank Ltd
• Federal Bank
• Indian Overseas Bank
• Bank of India
• Andhra Bank
• State Bank of Hyderabad

What To Wear In Punjab

Punjab is the land of lively and dynamic people. This perhaps explains the uncomplicated acceptance of modernization in their dressing style. Though they have very bright and colorful traditional dresses, which form their main attire, they are no way hostile to modern dresses. So if you are planning to visit Punjab, you need not break your head thinking about the dress to be worn. You can clad yourself in traditional Indian dresses or opt for Western dresses. Women can wear salwar-kameez, which incidentally happens to the traditional dress of Punjab, skirts, t-shirts, jeans, trousers, jackets, etc. Men can go for t-shirts, jeans, kurta pyjama and the likes. The only thing to remember is to maintain decency in your get-up. Punjabis are highly religious people and strongly avert anything that has signs of immorality.

On a trip, it is always fascinating to try the traditional dresses of the place. And when the place is a colorful state like Punjab, you can’t hold your temptation for long. Punjab is a land of vitality and liveliness, which is finely reflected in its traditional dresses as well. Salwar kameez is the traditional dress worn by the majority of Punjabi women. It consists of three piece of clothes - salwar (pant or bottom piece), kameez (shirt or top piece) and dupatta (a shawl worn around the neck). Salwar kameez is available in a variety of colors and designs. 'Phulkari’ and 'bagh’ are the traditional shawls embroidered with fanciful designs, which are extremely popular all over the world. Punjabi men generally wear loose pants or slacks with a collared shirt or t-shirt. Kurta pyjama is also widely worn by the people here.

Owing to its location, Punjab experiences the winter as well as the summer season in extreme. Summer starts from the mid of February and lasts till the end of June, whereas winter spans from October to February. You need to select clothes as per the climate at the time of travel. If you are traveling in summer, light cotton clothes will be comforting. Also, loose dresses will be a better choice than the tight fitting ones. You will need sunscreen lotions, caps and hats, as accessories, to make the trip soothing. In winter, carry woolen clothes to keep yourself warm. Winter, though pleasing and enjoyable, is dry. So always carry moisturizing lotions and other cosmetic products to retain the moisture in your skin.

voltage In Punjab

Voltage Output: 220-240 volts, alternating at 50 cycles per second
The voltage in Punjab is almost the same as used in any other state of India. The output is 220-240 volts, alternating at 50 cycles per second. If your devices do not work on 240 volts, you can buy a voltage converter, which is readily available in almost all the electrical shops of state. The plugs used in Punjab are totally different from the ones used in Western countries. They are usually of the round pin variety, instead of the flat pin type of plugs that are in use in most of the countries in the west. We would suggest that you buy a combination plug adapter that is accessible very easily in most electrical shops. This will help you in getting the voltage and current for hair dryer, mobile charger, electric shaver and other required equipments.

Author Topic: Things To Know About Punjab.. (Read 2744 times)

G@RRy S@NDHU

Things To Know About Punjab..

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