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The Indian State of Punjab was created in 1947, when the Partition of India split the former British Indian province of Punjab between India and Pakistan. Muslims moved to the western part of the province became Pakistan's Punjab Province; Sikh and Hindu moved to the eastern part became India's Punjab state. Many Hindus and Sikhs lived in the west, and many Muslims lived in the east, Because of this Punjab Suffered more violence then the majority of the two new nations. Today both governments are working closely with each other so the traditions, and culture of these two Punjab's stays unified.
On November 1, 1966, the mostly Hindu southeastern half of Punjab became a separate state, Haryana . Chandigarh was on the border between the two states, and became a union territory which serves as the capital of both Punjab and Haryana.
Talk
The Punjabi language, written in the Gurmukhi script is the prevalent language in the state. But most people are fluent in English and Hindi as well because it is taught along side Punjabi In schools in the state. Urdu is still used in the minority areas in which the majority of people are Muslim, Malerkotla for example has a 70% Muslim population and Urdu has been taught here since before Partition of India.
Religion
Sikhism is the main religion of Indian Punjab and is practiced by majority of the population, The holiest of Sikh shrines, the Golden Temple is located here.. Hinduism is also very common here and many temples can be found in almost every city and town. There is a small Muslim minority left (most of the Muslim population migrated to the Pakistani side after Partition). Still to this day there are many Mosques though out the state, Jain's and Christians also are here but form a minority
Regions
Chandigarh is the capital city of Punjab. Chandigarh serves not only as the Capital of Punjab, but also the mainly Hindi speaking state of Haryana which formally part of Punjab as well.
Chandigarh however administratively is not under the jurisdiction of either state, it is administered by the Central government and hence classified as a union territory.
Punjab comprises 20 administrative districts:
Amritsar
Barnala
Bathinda district
Firozpur
Fatehgarh Sahib
Faridkot
Gurdaspur
Hoshiarpur
Jalandhar
Kapurthala
Ludhiana
Mansa
Moga
Mohali
Muktsar
Nawanshahr
Patiala
Rupnagar
Sangrur
Regionally Punjab is broken into 3 main parts:
Majha (Border Area which consist of Amritsar, Gurdaspur and Ferozpur Districts)
Doaba (Area that lies between River Beas and Satluj)
Malwa (South Punjab)
By plane
To come to India the two main Airports are in Delhi & Mumbai, But these are not the only options available, there are there are more than 334 civilian airports in India 238 with paved runways and 108 with unpaved runways.
To get to Punjab the best options are these:
Delhi Is the main port when traveling into India by Air. Indira Gandhi International Airport [2] has been under heavy renovations, Now a stunning looking airport, is one of the nicest and most busiest airports in the world. Only a few hours drive or a few hours by Train.
Amritsar also has a International airport, it is one of the only ones in Punjab, The Raja Sansi International Airport [3] is open 24 hours, and is a closer drive to some parts of Punjab then New Delhi.
By train
India's rail network is the longest of any country. Trains run at an average of around 50-60 km/h, which means that it can take more than two days to get from one corner of the country to another. Rail operations throughout the country are run by the state-owned company, Indian Railways. The rail network traverses through the length and breadth of the country, covering a total length of around 63,000 km (39,000 miles). Out of this a total 16,693 km of track has been electrified till now and 12,617 km have double tracks.
Trains can be caught very easily through out India to get to Punjab, For very cheap. Trains are often the best way to experience India and Punjab.
Get around
Cars -In Punjab is One of the best ways to get around, You can either rent a car, Get a taxi for less. Taxi's usually don't have a problem driving to where ever you want within the district. It is very common to see the owner of the Car sitting in the back with a Driver driving the car.
Two-wheelers -Most popular mode of transport in terms of number of cars.
Autorickshaw -An auto rickshaw (auto or rickshaw or tempo in popular parlance) is a three wheeler vehicle for hire. They typically have no doors or seatbelts. They are generally yellow or green in colour and have a black or green canopy on the top. An auto rickshaw is generally characterized by a tin/iron body resting on three small wheels (one in front, two on the rear), a small cabin for the driver in the front and seating for three in the rear.Hiring an auto often involves bargaining with the driver.
Bus -You can get on a bus in most town in Punjab. They go all over the country.
See
Golden Temple, Amritsar.
The Royal Punjabi Palaces and monuments of Patiala.
Purana Quilla in Bathinda.
Wagha Border.
Bhakra Nangal Dam across the Sutlej River. *Mehdiana Sahib Gurudwara.
The Gurudwaras and historic monuments at Anandpur Sahib.
Hussaini Wala Border, Ferozpur.
Chandigarh, the modern city designed by French architect Le Corbusier.
The Royal Punjabi Palaces of Faridkot.
Historic monuments in Fatehgarh Saheb, Chamkaur Saheb and Sirhind, which saw a lot of action during Guru Gobind Singh's time as the 10th Guru of Sikhism.
Historic monuments in Nabha and Sangrur.
Ancient Fort at Bathinda, in Bathinda. *The Gurudwara Bhabour Sahib, a Sikh place of worship, as well as several other holy places and an Ashram are located at Nangal.
Shahpur kandi fort and Madhopur headworks near Pathankot.
Ancient Buddhist and Hindu archeological sites at Sanghol in Fatehgarh Sahib and Dholbaha in Hoshiarpur district respectively.
Indus Valley civilization site at Ropar
Gurdwara Nanaksar and Gurdwara Mehdiana Sahib at Jagraon
Do
Tourism in Punjab is principally suited for the tourist interested in culture, ancient civilization, spirituality and epic history. Punjab has a rich history incorporating Sikhism and Hinduism. Along with the celebrated Punjabi culture, the royal Punjabi palaces, historic battles, shrines, temples and examples of Sikh Architecture.
Some of the smaller country towns are also a must see for the person who wants to see the true Punjab, with their traditional Punjabi homes, monuments, temples, farms, and everyday life.
Make sure you go visit the Golden Temple, Regardless of what Religion you are of.
Wagah Border.
Visit the little towns.
Many museums are in Punjab State as well [4]:
Amritsar, Maharaja Ranjit Singh Museum
Angol Sikh War Memorial, Ferozeshah
Little Villages.
Govt. Museum Hoshiarpur
Sports Museum, National Institute of Sports, Patiala
Sanghol Museum
Art Gallery at Sheesh Mahal
Qila Mubarak Patiala, Museum of Armoury & Chaneliers
Guru Teg Bahadur Museum
Rural Museum, Punjab Agricultural University
Learn
Punjab is served by 11 leading public institutes of excellence in higher education (listed below). All the major arts, humanities, science, engineering, law, medicine, veterinary science, and business courses are offered, leading to first degrees as well as postgraduate awards. Advanced research is conducted in all major areas of excellence. Punjab Agricultural University is one of the world's leading authorities in agriculture.
Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar.
Punjabi University, Patiala.
Panjab University, Chandigarh.
Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana.
Punjab Technical University, Jalandhar.
Baba Farid University of Health Sciences, Faridkot.
Punjab Veternary Sciences University, Talwandi Sabo.
Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University.
National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education & Research, Mohali
National Institute of Technology, Jalandhar.
Thapar University, Patiala.
The current Prime Minister of India, Dr Manmohan Singh was educated at Panjab University, Chandigarh.
Buy
Punjab is a shopper's haven, but only if you're not afraid to haggle and bump elbows in bazaars. Western-style malls and shopping emporia are creeping in on the outskirts, but there's little Indian about these sanitized shopping experiences, or the goods in them. Until a few years back, all shops closed on Sunday; while rules have been relaxed, many districts are still mostly shuttered. Saturday is thus the main shopping day and hence also the most crowded.
While credit cards are commonly accepted in Punjab, you can not use them to pay at small street side shops. So you need to keep some cash handy. ATMs are available everywhere, so if you have an Indian bank account or credit card, you don't need to carry too much cash either. If you are a foreigner, it is a good idea to carry some cash to avoid charges while using your credit or debit card.
Keep some money in a different currency as well, You will find in some places giving a simple $10.00 note will change how fast things move.
Foreigners will have to be very careful, as all these stores are road-side stalls. What may seem a good price that the person has quoted to you, it will actually be a rip off. Do not settle for anything more than one-fourth the quoted price.. If they refuse a price just walk away, and they will call you back quoting a lower price. Normally, the more you buy, the less you will have to pay for each individual item.
Eat
Punjabi cuisine can be non-vegetarian or completely vegetarian. It is widely popular however there is some misunderstanding in Western Cultures that Punjabi cuisine is completely curry based. The level of spices can vary from minimal to very prevalent. One of the main features of Punjabi cuisine is its diverse range of dishes. Home cooked and restaurant Punjabi cuisine can vary significantly, with restaurant style using large amounts of clarified butter, known locally as desi ghee, with liberal amounts of butter and cream with home cooked concentrating on mainly upon wheat masalas (spice) flavorings.
Within the state itself, there are different preferences. People in the area of Amritsar prefer stuffed parathas and milk products. In fact, the area is well known for quality of its milk products. There are certain dishes which are exclusive to Punjab, such as Mah Di Dal and Saron Da Saag (Sarson Ka Saag).
Due to the three majority Religons which are Sikhism, Hinduism, ans Islam. Pork and Beef sales do not happen in Punjab.
Pulse, bean and / or lentil preparations:
Dal makhani (Mah di dal)
Dal maharani
Dal amritsari
Lobiya (Black eyed bean)
Rajma (Red kidney bean)
Choley (eaten with bhatoora or naan).(Whole Bengal gram e.g Bengal chickpeas)
Punj ratani dal (mixtures of 5 lentils) etc...
Saron (sarson) da saag te makki di roti
These are generally soaked overnight or for at least 8 hours and gently simmered on the embers of a tandoor (A clay oven of the shape of a horizontally sliced pot) along with ginger, garlic and a few other garam masala (whole spices like cardamom, cinnamon, mace, and bay leaf).
These are then combined with a tangy masala base which could include tomato or dried mango (aam choor powder) or even pomegranate seeds (anar dana). The character typical to the bean or whole lentil preparation is that the shape is retained intact, but the gentlest pressure would make it into a paste.
Dollops of cream and butter provide for the rich finishing touch. Garnishing is usually with shredded coriander leaves and juliennes of ginger.
Other very popular Punjabi food include:
Samosas
Shahi Paneer (Butter Chicken, but chicken replaced with Paneer (Indian Cheese)
Tandoori Chicken
Tandoori Fish
Paneer Pakora
Pakoras
Jalabee
Gulab Jamun
The Punjabi breads are generally flat breads; only a few varieties are raised breads. The breads may be made of different types of flour and can be made in various ways:
Baked in the tandoor like naan, tandoori roti, kulcha, lachha paratha
Dry baked on the tava (Indian griddle) like phulka or chapati, jowar ki roti, baajre ki roti and the very famous makke ki roti (these are also smeared with ghee or white butter)
Shallow fried like paratha, aloo or mooli paratha
Deep fried like puri and bhatoora (a fermented dough)
The tandoor also allows for tasty chicken and meat preparations including seekh kebab, tandoori chicken, reshmi tikka and malai tikka.
Sweet deserts are a favorite as well, They are handed out on birthdays and other special events. Here a list of some Popular ones:
Gulab jamun
Jalebi
Kulfi
Peda
Sohan Papdi/Patisa
Gajar Halwa
Jhajariya
Pheerni
Motichoor
Bal Mithai
Sohan Halwa
Singori
Malai Laddu
Kheer
Mung Halwa
Ras malai
Malai Pan
Imarti
Balushahi
Kalakand
Fast food chains
There are Fast food restaurants in almost every city. McDonald's,Subway,Pizza hut,Dominos,KFC,and many others can be found. There also many Indian Fast food shops catering to western styles of food. Almost every Restaurant does not serve Beef and Pork, Due to the Muslim and Hindu Communities.
Drink
Drinks in Punjab are the same as the ones through out India, But they have a Punjabi twist to them.
Chai is a Indian Tea. It is more popular than coffee, and street vendors called "chai wallahs" (sometimes spelled "chaiwalas") are a common sight in many Punjabi neighborhoods.
Lassi is a traditional North Indian beverage, originally from Punjab made by blending yogurt with water, salt, and spices until frothy. Yogurt is mentioned in ancient Indian texts, and so is buttermilk. Yogurt sweetened with honey is used in Hindu rituals. Traditional lassi is sometimes flavored with ground roasted cumin. The Lassi of the Punjab sometimes uses a little milk and is topped with a thin layer of malai, a clotted cream, also known as Devonshire cream. Lassis are enjoyed chilled as a hot-weather refreshment. With a little turmeric powder mixed in, it is also used as a folk remedy for gastroenteritis.
Sharbat is a popular Middle Eastern and South Asian "juice" that is prepared from fruits or flower petals. It is sweet and served chilled. It can be in concentrate form and eaten with a spoon or mixed with water to create the drink. It was popularised by the Mughal rulers one of whom sent for frequent loads of ice from the Himalayas to get a cool refreshing drink.
There are many types of liquor and beer available at most restaurants. A classic liquor found in Punjab is Royal Stagg, which is made by Segrams; the taste and quality is similar to Segrams 7. The beers are actually pretty good, some favorites are Kingfisher, Flying Horse and Taj Mahal. Kingfisher is exported throughout the world. There are also some liquors and beers available that are of very poor quality; you can usually distinguish the quality by the price-- you'll get what you pay for. Imported brands are also available in some of the higher- class restaurants but the price is much steeper. You can expect to pay up to 3 or 5 times the price of local liquors. Usually only a selected few imports are available and Johnnie Walker is usually one of them. If you are taking a gift for people in Punjab, who you know that drink and won't get offended, then taking some kind of Scotch Whiskey is a good idea.
Desi Daroo,(also known in different parts of the country under other names). It is made by fermenting the mash of sugar cane pulp in large spherical containers made from waterproof ceramic (terra cota) up to near 100% alcohol. However, it is a dangerous drink, mainly because of the risk of alcohol or copper formaldehyde poisoning.
Coffee, also known as Madras Filter Coffee or kaapi is a sweet milky coffee made from dark roasted coffee beans (70%-80%) and chicory (20%-30%), especially popular in the southern states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. The most commonly used coffee beans are Peaberry (preferred), Arabica, Malabar and Robusta grown in the hills of Kerala (Malabar region), Karnataka (Kodagu, Chikkamagaluru) and Tamil Nadu (Nilgiris District).
[edit]NightLife
Night life in Punjab is exciting in some spots, for example in Chandigarh there are lots of Discos and Nightclubs. Many are couple only, So singles are not allowed in. Other then that there are many shops and eat-in restaurants. Also, Night Food Street (NFS), a group of overnight food serving shops is operational (7PM to 8AM) on Gheri-Route, near DAV college, CHANDIGARH.
Stay safe
Punjabi People are very kind hearted, you will not feel threatened at all while you are there, But you need to be careful about some things.
Make sure You are Paying Attention. Pick Pocketing is Very common in some parts of the Country. Try putting you wallet in your front pocket, Don't carry a lot of things with you at one time, For instance don't bring passports,tickets,ect. Try not to always use Rs.1000 and Rs.500 bills. Even in places like the Golden Temple it happens so keep a look out.
Try to avoid Rallies, Political Party get to gathers and protests and you should be fine.
On November 1, 1966, the mostly Hindu southeastern half of Punjab became a separate state, Haryana . Chandigarh was on the border between the two states, and became a union territory which serves as the capital of both Punjab and Haryana.
Talk
The Punjabi language, written in the Gurmukhi script is the prevalent language in the state. But most people are fluent in English and Hindi as well because it is taught along side Punjabi In schools in the state. Urdu is still used in the minority areas in which the majority of people are Muslim, Malerkotla for example has a 70% Muslim population and Urdu has been taught here since before Partition of India.
Religion
Sikhism is the main religion of Indian Punjab and is practiced by majority of the population, The holiest of Sikh shrines, the Golden Temple is located here.. Hinduism is also very common here and many temples can be found in almost every city and town. There is a small Muslim minority left (most of the Muslim population migrated to the Pakistani side after Partition). Still to this day there are many Mosques though out the state, Jain's and Christians also are here but form a minority
Regions
Chandigarh is the capital city of Punjab. Chandigarh serves not only as the Capital of Punjab, but also the mainly Hindi speaking state of Haryana which formally part of Punjab as well.
Chandigarh however administratively is not under the jurisdiction of either state, it is administered by the Central government and hence classified as a union territory.
Punjab comprises 20 administrative districts:
Amritsar
Barnala
Bathinda district
Firozpur
Fatehgarh Sahib
Faridkot
Gurdaspur
Hoshiarpur
Jalandhar
Kapurthala
Ludhiana
Mansa
Moga
Mohali
Muktsar
Nawanshahr
Patiala
Rupnagar
Sangrur
Regionally Punjab is broken into 3 main parts:
Majha (Border Area which consist of Amritsar, Gurdaspur and Ferozpur Districts)
Doaba (Area that lies between River Beas and Satluj)
Malwa (South Punjab)
By plane
To come to India the two main Airports are in Delhi & Mumbai, But these are not the only options available, there are there are more than 334 civilian airports in India 238 with paved runways and 108 with unpaved runways.
To get to Punjab the best options are these:
Delhi Is the main port when traveling into India by Air. Indira Gandhi International Airport [2] has been under heavy renovations, Now a stunning looking airport, is one of the nicest and most busiest airports in the world. Only a few hours drive or a few hours by Train.
Amritsar also has a International airport, it is one of the only ones in Punjab, The Raja Sansi International Airport [3] is open 24 hours, and is a closer drive to some parts of Punjab then New Delhi.
By train
India's rail network is the longest of any country. Trains run at an average of around 50-60 km/h, which means that it can take more than two days to get from one corner of the country to another. Rail operations throughout the country are run by the state-owned company, Indian Railways. The rail network traverses through the length and breadth of the country, covering a total length of around 63,000 km (39,000 miles). Out of this a total 16,693 km of track has been electrified till now and 12,617 km have double tracks.
Trains can be caught very easily through out India to get to Punjab, For very cheap. Trains are often the best way to experience India and Punjab.
Get around
Cars -In Punjab is One of the best ways to get around, You can either rent a car, Get a taxi for less. Taxi's usually don't have a problem driving to where ever you want within the district. It is very common to see the owner of the Car sitting in the back with a Driver driving the car.
Two-wheelers -Most popular mode of transport in terms of number of cars.
Autorickshaw -An auto rickshaw (auto or rickshaw or tempo in popular parlance) is a three wheeler vehicle for hire. They typically have no doors or seatbelts. They are generally yellow or green in colour and have a black or green canopy on the top. An auto rickshaw is generally characterized by a tin/iron body resting on three small wheels (one in front, two on the rear), a small cabin for the driver in the front and seating for three in the rear.Hiring an auto often involves bargaining with the driver.
Bus -You can get on a bus in most town in Punjab. They go all over the country.
See
Golden Temple, Amritsar.
The Royal Punjabi Palaces and monuments of Patiala.
Purana Quilla in Bathinda.
Wagha Border.
Bhakra Nangal Dam across the Sutlej River. *Mehdiana Sahib Gurudwara.
The Gurudwaras and historic monuments at Anandpur Sahib.
Hussaini Wala Border, Ferozpur.
Chandigarh, the modern city designed by French architect Le Corbusier.
The Royal Punjabi Palaces of Faridkot.
Historic monuments in Fatehgarh Saheb, Chamkaur Saheb and Sirhind, which saw a lot of action during Guru Gobind Singh's time as the 10th Guru of Sikhism.
Historic monuments in Nabha and Sangrur.
Ancient Fort at Bathinda, in Bathinda. *The Gurudwara Bhabour Sahib, a Sikh place of worship, as well as several other holy places and an Ashram are located at Nangal.
Shahpur kandi fort and Madhopur headworks near Pathankot.
Ancient Buddhist and Hindu archeological sites at Sanghol in Fatehgarh Sahib and Dholbaha in Hoshiarpur district respectively.
Indus Valley civilization site at Ropar
Gurdwara Nanaksar and Gurdwara Mehdiana Sahib at Jagraon
Do
Tourism in Punjab is principally suited for the tourist interested in culture, ancient civilization, spirituality and epic history. Punjab has a rich history incorporating Sikhism and Hinduism. Along with the celebrated Punjabi culture, the royal Punjabi palaces, historic battles, shrines, temples and examples of Sikh Architecture.
Some of the smaller country towns are also a must see for the person who wants to see the true Punjab, with their traditional Punjabi homes, monuments, temples, farms, and everyday life.
Make sure you go visit the Golden Temple, Regardless of what Religion you are of.
Wagah Border.
Visit the little towns.
Many museums are in Punjab State as well [4]:
Amritsar, Maharaja Ranjit Singh Museum
Angol Sikh War Memorial, Ferozeshah
Little Villages.
Govt. Museum Hoshiarpur
Sports Museum, National Institute of Sports, Patiala
Sanghol Museum
Art Gallery at Sheesh Mahal
Qila Mubarak Patiala, Museum of Armoury & Chaneliers
Guru Teg Bahadur Museum
Rural Museum, Punjab Agricultural University
Learn
Punjab is served by 11 leading public institutes of excellence in higher education (listed below). All the major arts, humanities, science, engineering, law, medicine, veterinary science, and business courses are offered, leading to first degrees as well as postgraduate awards. Advanced research is conducted in all major areas of excellence. Punjab Agricultural University is one of the world's leading authorities in agriculture.
Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar.
Punjabi University, Patiala.
Panjab University, Chandigarh.
Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana.
Punjab Technical University, Jalandhar.
Baba Farid University of Health Sciences, Faridkot.
Punjab Veternary Sciences University, Talwandi Sabo.
Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University.
National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education & Research, Mohali
National Institute of Technology, Jalandhar.
Thapar University, Patiala.
The current Prime Minister of India, Dr Manmohan Singh was educated at Panjab University, Chandigarh.
Buy
Punjab is a shopper's haven, but only if you're not afraid to haggle and bump elbows in bazaars. Western-style malls and shopping emporia are creeping in on the outskirts, but there's little Indian about these sanitized shopping experiences, or the goods in them. Until a few years back, all shops closed on Sunday; while rules have been relaxed, many districts are still mostly shuttered. Saturday is thus the main shopping day and hence also the most crowded.
While credit cards are commonly accepted in Punjab, you can not use them to pay at small street side shops. So you need to keep some cash handy. ATMs are available everywhere, so if you have an Indian bank account or credit card, you don't need to carry too much cash either. If you are a foreigner, it is a good idea to carry some cash to avoid charges while using your credit or debit card.
Keep some money in a different currency as well, You will find in some places giving a simple $10.00 note will change how fast things move.
Foreigners will have to be very careful, as all these stores are road-side stalls. What may seem a good price that the person has quoted to you, it will actually be a rip off. Do not settle for anything more than one-fourth the quoted price.. If they refuse a price just walk away, and they will call you back quoting a lower price. Normally, the more you buy, the less you will have to pay for each individual item.
Eat
Punjabi cuisine can be non-vegetarian or completely vegetarian. It is widely popular however there is some misunderstanding in Western Cultures that Punjabi cuisine is completely curry based. The level of spices can vary from minimal to very prevalent. One of the main features of Punjabi cuisine is its diverse range of dishes. Home cooked and restaurant Punjabi cuisine can vary significantly, with restaurant style using large amounts of clarified butter, known locally as desi ghee, with liberal amounts of butter and cream with home cooked concentrating on mainly upon wheat masalas (spice) flavorings.
Within the state itself, there are different preferences. People in the area of Amritsar prefer stuffed parathas and milk products. In fact, the area is well known for quality of its milk products. There are certain dishes which are exclusive to Punjab, such as Mah Di Dal and Saron Da Saag (Sarson Ka Saag).
Due to the three majority Religons which are Sikhism, Hinduism, ans Islam. Pork and Beef sales do not happen in Punjab.
Pulse, bean and / or lentil preparations:
Dal makhani (Mah di dal)
Dal maharani
Dal amritsari
Lobiya (Black eyed bean)
Rajma (Red kidney bean)
Choley (eaten with bhatoora or naan).(Whole Bengal gram e.g Bengal chickpeas)
Punj ratani dal (mixtures of 5 lentils) etc...
Saron (sarson) da saag te makki di roti
These are generally soaked overnight or for at least 8 hours and gently simmered on the embers of a tandoor (A clay oven of the shape of a horizontally sliced pot) along with ginger, garlic and a few other garam masala (whole spices like cardamom, cinnamon, mace, and bay leaf).
These are then combined with a tangy masala base which could include tomato or dried mango (aam choor powder) or even pomegranate seeds (anar dana). The character typical to the bean or whole lentil preparation is that the shape is retained intact, but the gentlest pressure would make it into a paste.
Dollops of cream and butter provide for the rich finishing touch. Garnishing is usually with shredded coriander leaves and juliennes of ginger.
Other very popular Punjabi food include:
Samosas
Shahi Paneer (Butter Chicken, but chicken replaced with Paneer (Indian Cheese)
Tandoori Chicken
Tandoori Fish
Paneer Pakora
Pakoras
Jalabee
Gulab Jamun
The Punjabi breads are generally flat breads; only a few varieties are raised breads. The breads may be made of different types of flour and can be made in various ways:
Baked in the tandoor like naan, tandoori roti, kulcha, lachha paratha
Dry baked on the tava (Indian griddle) like phulka or chapati, jowar ki roti, baajre ki roti and the very famous makke ki roti (these are also smeared with ghee or white butter)
Shallow fried like paratha, aloo or mooli paratha
Deep fried like puri and bhatoora (a fermented dough)
The tandoor also allows for tasty chicken and meat preparations including seekh kebab, tandoori chicken, reshmi tikka and malai tikka.
Sweet deserts are a favorite as well, They are handed out on birthdays and other special events. Here a list of some Popular ones:
Gulab jamun
Jalebi
Kulfi
Peda
Sohan Papdi/Patisa
Gajar Halwa
Jhajariya
Pheerni
Motichoor
Bal Mithai
Sohan Halwa
Singori
Malai Laddu
Kheer
Mung Halwa
Ras malai
Malai Pan
Imarti
Balushahi
Kalakand
Fast food chains
There are Fast food restaurants in almost every city. McDonald's,Subway,Pizza hut,Dominos,KFC,and many others can be found. There also many Indian Fast food shops catering to western styles of food. Almost every Restaurant does not serve Beef and Pork, Due to the Muslim and Hindu Communities.
Drink
Drinks in Punjab are the same as the ones through out India, But they have a Punjabi twist to them.
Chai is a Indian Tea. It is more popular than coffee, and street vendors called "chai wallahs" (sometimes spelled "chaiwalas") are a common sight in many Punjabi neighborhoods.
Lassi is a traditional North Indian beverage, originally from Punjab made by blending yogurt with water, salt, and spices until frothy. Yogurt is mentioned in ancient Indian texts, and so is buttermilk. Yogurt sweetened with honey is used in Hindu rituals. Traditional lassi is sometimes flavored with ground roasted cumin. The Lassi of the Punjab sometimes uses a little milk and is topped with a thin layer of malai, a clotted cream, also known as Devonshire cream. Lassis are enjoyed chilled as a hot-weather refreshment. With a little turmeric powder mixed in, it is also used as a folk remedy for gastroenteritis.
Sharbat is a popular Middle Eastern and South Asian "juice" that is prepared from fruits or flower petals. It is sweet and served chilled. It can be in concentrate form and eaten with a spoon or mixed with water to create the drink. It was popularised by the Mughal rulers one of whom sent for frequent loads of ice from the Himalayas to get a cool refreshing drink.
There are many types of liquor and beer available at most restaurants. A classic liquor found in Punjab is Royal Stagg, which is made by Segrams; the taste and quality is similar to Segrams 7. The beers are actually pretty good, some favorites are Kingfisher, Flying Horse and Taj Mahal. Kingfisher is exported throughout the world. There are also some liquors and beers available that are of very poor quality; you can usually distinguish the quality by the price-- you'll get what you pay for. Imported brands are also available in some of the higher- class restaurants but the price is much steeper. You can expect to pay up to 3 or 5 times the price of local liquors. Usually only a selected few imports are available and Johnnie Walker is usually one of them. If you are taking a gift for people in Punjab, who you know that drink and won't get offended, then taking some kind of Scotch Whiskey is a good idea.
Desi Daroo,(also known in different parts of the country under other names). It is made by fermenting the mash of sugar cane pulp in large spherical containers made from waterproof ceramic (terra cota) up to near 100% alcohol. However, it is a dangerous drink, mainly because of the risk of alcohol or copper formaldehyde poisoning.
Coffee, also known as Madras Filter Coffee or kaapi is a sweet milky coffee made from dark roasted coffee beans (70%-80%) and chicory (20%-30%), especially popular in the southern states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. The most commonly used coffee beans are Peaberry (preferred), Arabica, Malabar and Robusta grown in the hills of Kerala (Malabar region), Karnataka (Kodagu, Chikkamagaluru) and Tamil Nadu (Nilgiris District).
[edit]NightLife
Night life in Punjab is exciting in some spots, for example in Chandigarh there are lots of Discos and Nightclubs. Many are couple only, So singles are not allowed in. Other then that there are many shops and eat-in restaurants. Also, Night Food Street (NFS), a group of overnight food serving shops is operational (7PM to 8AM) on Gheri-Route, near DAV college, CHANDIGARH.
Stay safe
Punjabi People are very kind hearted, you will not feel threatened at all while you are there, But you need to be careful about some things.
Make sure You are Paying Attention. Pick Pocketing is Very common in some parts of the Country. Try putting you wallet in your front pocket, Don't carry a lot of things with you at one time, For instance don't bring passports,tickets,ect. Try not to always use Rs.1000 and Rs.500 bills. Even in places like the Golden Temple it happens so keep a look out.
Try to avoid Rallies, Political Party get to gathers and protests and you should be fine.
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