From the time l had tasted Chole Kulche l fell in love & after that, I tried them at various places but all zeroed down telling me about the Amritsari CHOLE KULCHA..! Amritsar, thank you for introducing me to the Kulchas.
A trip with religion & history in Amritsar
The Urge was so intense that in October 2016, we, the 15 of us, THE GANG, went on a two-day trip to Amritsar. The itinerary was power-packed, and it included the Golden Temple, the Wagah border, Jalianwala Baug, the Maharaja Ranjit Singh Museum, and food.
Group travel
As l was on a group trip, settling down was a bit of a challenge. At this juncture, l realized we want to travel but need the same comfort as our home, so we still aren’t out with an open mind. We also get myriad suggestions with Dos & don’ts. On day one we had an open itinerary. What l did was follow my heart, along with a few from the gang.
The growl in the stomach told me to venture out to find what l had come for. We took a ride on a colorfully decorated rickshaw & told “Amrinder “to take us to a pre-researched famous place. He, on the other hand, asked us if he could take us to a Dhaba on Taran Taran Road. In his local Punjabi dialect, he described the layered & stuffed Kulche & chole in the most enticing way, which made our mouths water.
Foodie Experience
Taking his suggestion, we reached this small Dhaba, but it was crowded, being lunchtime. A word of caution here: October travel in some parts of India can be tough due to severe heat. I would also suggest avoiding Public holidays.
As we waited for our turn, standing there getting restless, l could see the man behind the Tandoor & the synchrony in each of the 4 team members while making the Kulchas. The kulcha originated in the Indian Subcontinent in the 12th century. It is a flatbread in multiple layers with butter & various stuffing of Potato, Paneer, Cauliflower, and Onion. The Hot tandoor glowed with red flames, and the men worked in a mechanized way & pit-pat sound of the hands made these white flatbreads. Lost in the process & waiting eagerly with taste buds tingling seeing the Red Onions, Radish & happy faces around I could hear my stomach.
l heard someone call “madamji aapko konsa khana hai ” & their l was served with the paneer kulcha with butter, chole, raw onions, chili & a glass full of Lassi. As my first bite melted in my mouth, it gave me a divine feeling of satiation. Tasting each one of them the flavors were very authentic belonging to the region, the quantity was more than you can imagine & the love they were cooked with, made it all the more delicious, with a glance from our driver asking a nonverbal question, we gave him a high-five for bringing us at the Dhaba.
Sightseeing Continues in the Amritsar Trip
Early morning the next day at the Golden temple with throngs of devotees with “SatNaam Wahe Guru & “Bole So Nihal, Sat Sri Akal” we were engulfed with the devotional fervor. From the heritage walkway to the temple, the street is lined with shops of colorful knickknacks like the kaddas & turbans.
The temple premises are huge and paved with marble. It has a lake where you take a holy dip. The lake water is very clean & pious, systematic from the minute you walk, and we find sevak helping out. Here, everyone is equal, each one wants to lend a hand, covering my head as l entered the inner sanctum peace descended, with few quiet moments I stood there frozen to understand the power the place holds.
My heart full of gratitude, it was time to move on, we went to the Jalianwala Baugh, the site is now right in the heart of the city but as we enter the history unfolds. A feeling of anger takes over & you feel for the barbarian act the suffering my countrymen had to go through.
A must-visit for every Indian to understand the sacrifices made by our people to enjoy the freedom of today. With a heavy heart, deep respect & a wow to contribute towards my country, I am indeed happy I could see & feel the historical place.
We leave in search of a very well-known place for Chole Kulche. You can never get enough of them. After lunch at Prava ka Dhaba, we were on our way to the Wagah border.
Love for my country takes center stage
The lowering of flags, also called the “Beating Retreat “One of the main attractions of the trip. The place was thronged with tourists, and we had a tough time getting through. With all the patriotism in us & remembering some of our history lessons from the school days with high Spirits we sprang into the crowd. Our spirits were low due to mismanagement. A word of caution: as mentioned earlier, avoid public holidays, check reservation, be well in advance at the venue, Carry water & dry food.
Everything didn’t go right that day; we returned without watching the retreat & feeling sad. Through the loads of traffic, we were on our way back to Amritsar but from ATARI village.
Much to Learn from Amritsar Trip
Atari station, being the last station before the border crossing, holds important significance. The road was lined with fields of wheat, each donning a different shade of green. Dusk falling on the horizon, the locals having a lazy evening, children playing in fields, THE GANG was in their thoughts forlorn.
There are good & bad days, and you learn from every trip. We did visit the museum & the local places to savor the Sarso Ka Saag & Makke di roti. Amritsar is a foodie’s paradise, with Mithai (Sweets) from Bansals. We bid goodbye to Amritsar.
The trip endorsed a few things: travel only with like-minded people or go solo. Be ready to accept changes as they are not in your control.
As l think travel is not a reward for working but education for living.
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