Destination: PATIALA
|
Known for ‘peg’, ‘pagri’, ‘paranda’, Phulkari, (tasselled tag for braiding hair and ‘Jutti’ (footwear), joyous buoyance, royal demeanor, sensuous and graceful feminine gait and aristocracy, Patiala presents a beautiful bouquet of life-style even to a casual visitor to the city.
The erstwhile capital of one of India's richest princely states , Patiala forms the south-eastern part of Punjab and was founded by Baba Ala Singh, a Sikh Misldar (chieftain) in the mid eighteenth century. It is surrounded by the districts of Fatehgarh Sahib and Rupnagar and the Union Territory of Chandigarh in the north, Sangrur in the west, Ambala and Kurukshetra in the east and Kaithal in the south.
A brilliant spectrum of Rajput, Mughal and Punjabi cultures,
a fine blend of modernity and tradition and a judicious
synthesis of all that is beautiful in form and bold
in spirit conjures an image called 'Patiala'. A perfect
example of this cultural amalgamation is the ‘Patiala
Gharana’ , a school of Hindustani classical music
that produced maestros like Ustad Akhtar Hussain Khan
and Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan. Patiala was the first
town in this part of the country to have degree college-The
Mohindra College. A city of palaces and museums, Patiala
till date remains quintessentially is a consumer goods
emporium and a visitor’s delight! |
BEST TIME TO VISIT:
Between November and February
HOW TO GET THERE:
By Rail:
New Delhi-Bhatinda Inter City Express or the Shatabdi Express to Chandigarh /Ambala, and then hire a taxi for the drive to Patiala. (Book taxi in advance.)
By Road:
Patiala lies just off the National Highway #1 (Delhi-Amritsar) and is about 250 Km from Delhi. You can also drive to Patiala from Chandigarh, via Zirakpur (on NH 22), and Rajpura.
WHERE TO STAY:
Patiala has a few budgeted and 3-star hotels. However, Chandigarh and Ludhiana, both over an hour's drive away, offer varied options, including deluxe hotels.
SIGHTSEEING:
Qila Mubarak: was first developed as a mud fort or Kachi Garhi. It is divided into two parts- one, the Qila Androon, the interior portion, built by the founder, Baba Ala Singh. While the other i.e., between the Qila Androon and outer walls with the secretariat on and Darbar Hall was built by Maharaja Karam Singh. The later is now converted into a mini museum housing a rich collection of artifacts including a sword of Nadir Shah known as 'Shikar Gah'. In addition, on display are the exquisite tree-like chandeliers made of Bohemian cut-glass, murals of Pahari- miniature paintings and a wide range of arms and ammunition.
Government Mohindra College: Maharaja Mahendra Singh, one of the erstwhile rulers,  established this college in 1870. Famous for its architectural excellence, the institution for a long time was the only one between Delhi and Lahore.
Baradari Gardens: situated in the north of the old Patiala city, the Gardens were built around the Baradari Palace and has a rare collection of botanical plants. The palace now houses the Punjab State Archives, repository of rare documents of historical importance.yea
Bahadurgarh Fort: located at a distance of one and half kilometer from the main gate of the University, the fort is named so to commemorate the memory of Guru Tegh Bahadur who paid visit to this place at the invitation of another holy person Saif Khan, a relative of the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb. The Fort was constructed by Maharaja Karam Singh during 1837-45.
Moti Bagh Palace: The next great architectural landmark is the Moti Bagh Palace designed on the pattern of Shalimar Gardens of Lahore with terraces, water channels, Sheesh Mahal and beautiful gardens. It is a four storeyed structure with massive stone-walls, arched openings, filtered and ornamental grills and crowning domes.
Sheesh Mahal Art Gallery
Contains a rare collection of miniature paintings and paintings in kangra, Rajastan and Patiala styles, special section on Tibetan Arts and artifacts etc. And its medal gallery contains the world's largest collection of medals and decorations.
|
