Panjab, or we commonly know the state as ‘Punjab’, is located in the northwestern part of India. Himachal Pradesh is located in Punjab’s east, in south and southeast is Haryana, in southwest there is Rajasthan and also the Punjab’s region of Pakistan is located on its west. Also, Jammu and Kashmir is situated to its north. Chandigarh is its capital, also a Union Territory and Haryana’s capital. Punjab’s main cities are Jalandhar, Patiala, Nawanshahr, Bhatinda, Hoshiarpur, Amritsar, Ludhiana, Firozpur, Anandpur Sahib and Ajitgarh or Mohali, subsequently after India’s partition in 1947, the province of Punjab got divided among Pakistan and India. In 1966, the Punjab of India got divided and Himachal Pradesh and Haryana, also the present Punjab state, were formed. Most of the population of Sikhs is found in Punjab, which makes it the sole Indian state with Sikhs in majority.

Locations

To the northwest of India is situated the state of Punjab, which is spread in 50,362 kms of area. It is stretched up to 29.30° north of latitude to 32.32° north of latitude and 73.55° east of longitude up to 76.50° east of longitude. Pakistan is located on the west side of Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir to its north, Himachal Pradesh in the northeastern part, whereas Rajasthan as well as Haryana is located to its south.

Major part of the state of Punjab falls in the plains which are fertile as well as alluvial, various rivers cross it and a canal for irrigation is also there. There are hills along the northeast of Punjab, that is, it is located at the foothills of Himalayas. It is at an elevation of 330 meters from the level of sea and extends to 180 meters in southwest direction and 500 meters above along northeastern border. Punjab’s southwestern part is half-dry, ultimately meeting in Thar Desert. Located alongside its northeast are the Shivalik hills.

The characteristics of the soil are not affected largely by geography, plants or original rock. As the climate varies from region to region, the characteristics of soil also varies and are more noticeable. The state is classified based on the types of soil as: central region, eastern region and southwest part.

Punjab has three zones subject to earthquake, these are Zone II, zone III and zone IV. The zone less prone to damage and risk is zone II, the zone which has moderate risk of damage is zone III and the zone having high risk of damage is zone IV.

Tourism in Punjab

Punjab is mostly visited by tourists and is popular for the history, ethnicity and food. Punjab Tourism is ideal for those tourists who have interest in early civilization, tradition and religion. The Punjab tourism is encouraged and promoted by the department of tourism in Punjab by taking various steps. The main Punjab’s cities are improved as main tourist destinations by tourism in Punjab and these are Jalandhar, Ropar, Pathankot, Kapurthala, Hoshiarpur, Patiala, Amritsar, Chandigarh, Bhatinda, Muktsar and Fatehgarh Sahib. A lot of foreign as well as local tourists are attracted to the state due to various programmes organized by tourism department such as the cultural or traditional programmes and folk or ethnic shows, which has contributed to state’s popularity. The conventional and domestic handicrafts, the food and the state’s handlooms are promoted by tourism of Punjab. Centers of information of tourism in Punjab are situated in different cities of the state as well as throughout India, in order to give information of different tourist destinations, leading attractions, conveyances, lodging and other necessary tips for tourists. Information can also be availed by the guides, booklets, city maps, available at the reception of these centers.

Best Time to Visit Here

Amritsar can best be visited between October and March.

• The weather is quite cool between October and March, hence a pleasant stay could be here and also one is safe from the freezing cold of January.
• Outdoor visits are quite impossible between April and June, as these are hottest months of the year.
• Sightseeing is pleasant in Punjab between July and September, when the climate is moderate, but rains are unexpected and heavy too.

Cuisine of Punjab

The Punjab’s cuisine is very delightful, which includes both vegetarian and non-vegetarian food. The food of Punjab varies from less spicy to medium spicy or very spicy. Almost all people love the Punjabi cuisine. The restaurant style of cooking is different from the home style of cooking in Punjab. The mouth watering restaurant food is made from pure ghee, cream or butter, which makes it irresistible. But in their homes, people use oil of sunflower or any good quality oil to make it low-fat.