How To Eat, Pray And Live In Amritsar

Amritsar's Technicolour Bazaars and Dhabas Selling Kulchas Are a Feast for the Senses. Here’s a 48-hour Guide of the Storied City

- Nirupama Subramanian

DAY 1

9 A.M. KULCHAS AT KULCHA LAND The kulcha, a flat round bread made of maida and usually stuffed with vegetables, is a local speciality. Kulcha Land at Ranjit Avenue is run by the fourth generation of kulchamakers, and offers hot plates of kulchas with chhole and tangy onion chutney. Their Amritsari kulcha is filled with a mixture of spiced potato and onion. The kulcha must be crunchy on top and slathered with a generous portion of butter. Wash this down with a glass of lassi, breathe gently for a few minutes and totter off to begin your day.

11 A.M. TALL TALES AT THE MARKET

Head to the city's main shopping area, the Katra Jaimal Singh Market, and be dazzled by the variety of small shops selling clothes, pickles, shoes, snacks and things which you don’t need but suddenly seem like must-haves. Wander into shops like Raja Phulkari, where Lucky Singh tells you about the day Raveena Tandon walked into his shop. Dither over gorgeous phulkari suits and saris. If you are lucky, you'll find lovely material for a Patiala suit. The canny salesman will convince you to get it stitched. He will summon a tailor for measurements and the salwar kameez will be delivered to your hotel that night. Succumb to temptation again at another shop and buy chiffon phulkari dupattas.

Stop for mathri—a crispy, deepfried snack, on the street. Step into a shop selling ‘papar warian.’ Score some mango or red chilli pickles, packets of papad and waris—deep-fried balls of lentil paste which can be used in a variety of dishes. See a jooti shop selling the handcrafted shoes and dart into it just to see. End up buying a multicoloured phulkari jooti as a souvenir.

1 P.M. LUNCH AT KESAR DA DHABA