About 40 km north east of Chandigarh stands tall the Archaeological Museum in Rupnagar. This town is on the banks of Sutlej River. This museum was opened in the year 1998 for public visits. The archaeological remains of the dug site close to Ropar, which was also the first Harappan site found out in Independent India, are displayed in the museum that was opened for the public in 1998. Antiques dating from Harappan, Kushana, Saka and Gupta times like the lady playing on Vina or Vina Vadini, bronze and copper implements, steatite seal, grey painted are culture gold coins dating back to Chandragupta times, ring stone, images of Yakshi are found in the museum. Also, the very precious and protected monuments of Haryana, Punjab and Himachal Pradesh can be seen by the visitors in this archeological museum.

The timings to visit this museum are from 10 am to 5 pm in the evening and is closed on Friday’s. The entry for children up to 15 years is free of cost and for the rest, it is a nominal fee of Rs 2.

Best Time to Visit

Majorly four seasons are witnessed in Rupnagar: winter, summer, autumn and monsoon. Like other parts of India, summer in Rupnagar is very similar to those and is generally hot and dry. Rainfall recorded is not very high and as per the weather, the best time to visit this place is in autumn with the weather just being right, not very hot or cold.

March is the start of summers and ends in the month of June where the temperature is in a range of 27 degree Celsius to 45 degree Celsius and the hottest month recorded is May.

The monsoons start from July and end in the month of September. The rainfall measured every year is different. The month of October marks the start of the autumn and temperature from October to November is the best.

How to Reach

Train

Places like Himachal Pradesh and Delhi are well connected by train. The cheapest and comfortable option can be the train and the ticket from Delhi to Rupnagar costs Rs 145. But, it is better to book tickets in advance to be sure of assured reservation.

Air

Chandigarh is the closest airport and is 50 km from Rupnagar. Connectivity to Delhi, Mumbai and Jaipur is regular from the domestic airport in Chandigarh. One can take a taxi from the airport to Rupnagar and easily carry the luggage. The cost to hire a taxi is around Rs 700/-.

Bus

Most of the people opt for the bus services. Government run buses cost around Rs 75/- from Chandigarh. The cost for private buses is higher and is different for the different operators.