I don’t get to Amritsar, the nearest town to the border worth going to, but the Google map route takes me off down the Atari road and on to Tarn Taran. The town was founded by the fifth Sikh Guru Shri Guru Arjan Dev Ji (1563 – 1606). To think that he was doing this while Shakespeare wrote and wandered around London.
 Gurudwara Tarn Taran Sahib |
 Can you imagine how long it took to decorate this? |
About half way there I pass over the river and around the Harike Bird Sanctuary to my left. Despite the fact that local industries dump huge amounts of polluted water and chemicals into the river, this area has been given a high quality rating. Over 200 species of bird visit these waters during the winter season, such as the Yellow-crowned Woodpecker and the Indian Skimmer. I have to say, the waters do not look that clean, and the river is the cause of some major flooding every year.
I cross the river three times by the time I get to Ludhiana as I criss-cross around the Punjab district. Entering the city I notice that this is mostly industrial, but many of it’s central area has a rich history and many victorian buildings, including the well-known clock tower. I ‘book’ a room in the Maharaja Regency hotel near the centre for £62. This is not bad for the city, but I could have booked something for less, but hey, I’m on holiday!