Amritsar, Punjab: Restoration work on the interiors of the first floor of the sanctum sanctorum at the Golden Temple has entered a crucial phase with experts starting work on the damaged gold work. In the previous phase of restoration, the conservation experts had restored the precious art work on the walls of the first floor. Though the restoration of art work ...

Ludhiana, Punjab: Buddha Nullah, once called Buddha Dariya, tells the story of the deterioration of the city’s environment. A clean water rivulet with fishes of myriad varieties swimming in it is how the nullah (drain) is remembered as by those who have seen it in 1960s. Today, the erstwhile dariya (river) has turned black with effluents discharged by industries and domestic ...

Amritsar, Punjab: we went to Darbar Sahib, Amritsar for darshan of and, as reported in last week’s column, also for a Sikh Council UK follow up meeting with Jathedar Akal Takh Sahib. After about 4 years, when I last visited this most sacred and historical of Sikh shrines, the change in the mix of devotees and tourists was only too ...