Offbeat and undiscovered Punjab
My offbeat and undiscovered Punjab journey to Amritsar, Hola Mohalla, and the famous mustard fields IT WAS MY FIRST TIME in the state of Punjab, and I was looking forward to experiencing offbeat and undiscovered Punjab — from the sublime beauty of the Golden Temple to idyllic, rural homestays, the famous Hola Mohalla festival, and Punjabi food, the richest in India. I thought I knew what to expect from all those Bollywood movies, Punjabi restaurants, and Indian weddings I’ve attended. Heroines running through fields of yellow mustard flowers. Tall, bearded men in colourful turbans dancing with abandon. Large portions of rich and hearty food like thick lassis, fluffy parathas, paneer tikka masala, and tandoori baked, well, everything. And the Sri Harmandir Sahib (aka Golden Temple) shimmering in the centre of it all. Yup, it was all there when I joined the five-day “Punjab: Beyond the Brochure” tour. Punjab was everything I expected it to be and much, much more. Together wit...