Why to visit Patiala

Patiala peg – Patiala salwar – Patiala paranda (hair braids) – why not we say! We were there for a slightly different reason. We were invited by Thapar University for an assignment and used the opportunity to explore Patiala an offbeat Punjab location.

Patiala has been the pulse of Sikh culture and we were sure that there would be lots to do. Our expectations were totally satisfied.

Delhi to Patiala

Patiala in Punjab is a few hours’ drive from Delhi. We started at about 6.30 am. The early morning calm on the roads helped to gain speed and we were in Patiala by 11 am with half an hour break in between. There are no hills to cover and Delhi to Patiala driving directions pretty much is a straight road, The smooth highway is navigable by any conscientious driver.

If you do not wish to drive – there is robust public transport connect too. There are many trains from Delhi to Patiala than run throughout the day. Regular bus service from Delhi to Patiala ensures easy communication for people going on business. No matter how you travel, it takes about 4 hours travel time from Delhi to Patiala.

Patiala is still a lesser known weekend getaway from Delhi. It is yet to become popular as a tourist spot. Hence, accommodation is not a problem at decent and even budget hotels in Patiala.

Winter weekend getaway from Delhi

We are standing at the threshold of winter and this is the time we itch for weekend trips. Patiala is just right for a weekend getaway from Delhi if the weather is pleasant. Patiala experiences similar weather as Delhi so you know what to pack.

Things to do in Patiala

We were in Patiala on an assignment. Still we could take out about one and half days from of our schedule for sightseeing in Patiala. It was surprising that there were so many interesting activities in Patiala and we managed to cover some of them.

Gurudwara Dukhniwaran Sahib, Patiala

The Gurudwara, attributed to the 9^th Sikh Guru Teg Bahadur, stands pretty in the heart of the city. Yet, it is literally an abode of peace. Resplendent in white with gold domes, it is succor to sore eyes.  Beautiful stone inlay work inside provides the necessary brightness. The huge pond or sarovar inside the premise ensures that the surrounding area is cool anytime of the day.  Spending some time here was a meditative experience.  In fact, if one is touring and looking for things to do in Punjab, Gurudwara Dukhniwaran Sahib should feature in the list.

Qila Mubarak

This is a 300 years old fort that was initially made of mud but later was converted to bricks. Legend has it that the insides of the fort are painted exquisitely in Patiala style and we saw glimpses of that. However, most of the fort is now closed for extensive renovation. We could roam around the premise though and the façade was absolutely stunning. The design looked like a fusion between Mughal and Rajasthani art forms. The frescoes, stucco art and the canon in the fort, even as it stands now, are a shutterbug’s delight.

Thapar University, Patiala

Located at a corner of Patiala, the renowned Thapar University is home to a host of faculties of education. They have a sprawling campus with somewhat ornamental but modern architecture that makes this a place worth taking a round. The greenery here has a soothing effect on frenzied nerves.

Kali Devi Mandir, Patiala

The unexpected Kali Temple in the heart of Patiala city was a surprise. It is a sprawling complex and the sanctum sanctorum is surrounded with corridors and long pathways to handle the high footfall of devotees during festivals.  Dating back to year 1936, the temple was built by Maharaja Bhupinder Singh in reverence to Kali, the aggressive form of Goddess Durga. The 6 feet tall stone idol is a ferocious depiction of the Goddess and was brought from Kolkata, West Bengal. In the inner courtyard stands an ancient temple dedicated to Goddess Raj Rajeswari, a much more calm form of Goddess Durga. The remnants of exquisite stone carvings on Raj Rajeswari make one wonder as to how glorious this much older temple would have been.

Where to shop in Patiala

Adalat Bazar

Surrounding the fort, just like ancient times, is the famous Adalat Bazaar in Patiala, a market we saw all kinds of traditional Punjabi goods such as Phulkari work, Jooti shoes and colourful hair braids called paranda. There was an area where the jewelers displayed ornaments with Punjabi designs. Random bangle shops provided the necessary pops of colour.  Needless to say, the market had a strong old worldly charm and many shop keepers became chatty when they came to know we were from Delhi and had come on invite from Thapar University.

Phulkari

Phulkari is the colourful hand embroidery form in Punjab. Phulkari in Patiala is especially famous and is still practiced here. Phulkari is also the name of the handicrafts emporium of Government of Punjab. We visited Phulkari here and saw fabrics, shawls, salwar suit pieces and a host of Punjabi furniture and Sikh religious symbols on sale here. They close early so if you want to visit this showroom, come in the first half of the day.

Khadi Gramodyog

The government Khadi store in Patiala carried some unique hand woven items that were manufactured in Patiala. These textiles were thick, robust, somewhat coarse yet extremely colourful. They had towels, quilts and blankets. Do not get put off by the pulled down look of the Khadi store, it is a treasure trove.

Things to eat in Patiala

The Punjabi cuisine is ubiquitous in India. Hence what we ate in Patiala is mostly what we eat in Delhi, perhaps in a slightly rustic avatar.

Jaggi Sweet, Patiala

We had heard good things about Jaggi Sweets and wanted to head there from Adalat Bazar. Hence we were standing at a place and trying to surf the internet about the location of this confectionary. Before going through the results we randomly looked up and realized we were standing in front of Jaggi Sweets! We tried their lassi and chat and they took forever to bring the food. The food was rather average and we were tad disappointed.

While leaving, we stopped to take some photos of their sweets or mithai cases. Tempted, we decided to try some items and were stunned. Every barfi , petha and laddoo that we tried was extremely delectable. Finally, we had found something that we could carry back home and in kilos. Do not miss this confectionary if you are in Patiala.