Amritsar

Amritsar, the holy city of the Sikhs

The Golden Temple at Amritsar, the Temple at Tarn Taran and Khadur Sahib all display architecture that is unique to Sikhism. There is no doubt that the Golden Temple is the selling point for Amritsar for all overseas Sikhs.

But deep in the heart of most Sikhs in Amritsar I sensed the relief from what has been a terrible bloodbath in the name of a Sikh Kingdom.

The fight for Khalistan is nearly over. The banks still open their gates to only a quarter to allow single person entry, the policemen and roadblocks are still in place but the violence has died down.

There have been no real victors in the war. The Sikhs are unlikely to forget Operation BlueStar which desecrated their Golden Temple and the Hindus are unlikely to forget the assassination of Indira Gandhi.

But Punjab, I saw, was clearly the food bowl of India,with farms as far as the eye could see. It is rich agricultural land.