Agartala to Gorakhpur Flights

  About Agartala

Amritsar, in Punjab, has been a city of historical and mythological importance since a very long time. According to scriptures, the city housed Maharishi Valmiki, who wrote Ramayana. It is also said that Goddess Sita gave birth to Luv and Kush at the Ramtirth ashram in Amritsar. Amritsar is colloquially called Ambarsar and was initially called Ramdaspur. And how can you forget the Golden Temple! It's one of the most famous religious places of worship and has also been nominated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Golden Temple sees visitors from all over the world throughout the year. You cannot leave Amritsar without visiting the Golden Temple and embracing your spiritual side. The langar food will leave you satiated for a very long time. You can also volunteer in the kitchen and help the others serve. It is an experience of a lifetime.

Amritsar was founded by Guru Ram Das, who is the fourth Sikh guru who founded the holy city in the Sikh tradition. Guru Ram Das made a pool and a home next to it after which he named the town he founded, Ramdaspur. He then invited merchants and artisans to come to live in the town that was later called Amritsar. Sikhism is a widely practised religion in Amritsar, and the Sikhs have also been a very integral part of Indian history. Amritsar is also known for the tragic Jallianwala Bagh Massacre that saw the merciless killing of hundreds of Sikhs. It is one of the most visited tourist attractions, too, where you can see the bullet marks on the walls even now.

You can also visit the Bhagwan Valmiki Tiath Asthan, which is believed to be the birthplace of Luv and Kush. It is also where Maharishi Valmiki stayed and wrote the Ramayana. If you feel like going on a shopping spree, you will find lots of colourful clothes and souvenirs to take back home. All you women out there, make sure to buy the phulkari dupattas from the markets. Hall Market is one of the most popular lanes for a fun shopping spree. You can also indulge in some scrumptious local treats and try out the street food. Amritsari kulchas, Tandoori luchas, Keema naan, kulfis, phirni and some mouth-watering lassi at a Dhaba. Hungry yet?

The city is also visited a lot because of the Wagah Border. Witness the retreat ceremony at the border that divides India and Pakistan two hours before sunset every day. It will surely make you feel patriotic and can get quite overwhelming. You can also visit the Museums in the city to get to know more about its history. The Sikhs are also known to be very friendly and hospitable, which is another reason you must visit this city, at least once in your life. The city is well-connected, and if you are starting your trip from Delhi, a nice road trip will work just perfectly. The popular route from Amritsar to Delhi is often the most sought-after for an impromptu road trip.

Best Time to Visit Agartala

Amritsar experiences winter from November to March, which is also the best time to visit the city. It's ideal to go sightseeing and plan other outdoor activities that can get quite difficult during summer and monsoon. The temperature can fall below 5 degree Celsius in January and evenings can get quite foggy. Summer starts from April and goes on till June. The summer gets really hot, and the maximum temperature is approximately 40 degrees Celsius. The heat will only make it more difficult for you to get out of your hotel rooms. The monsoons start from July and till October. The city experiences mild rains sometimes that can also get intense a lot of times. But the weather is mostly humid during monsoon and makes it unfavourable for you to step out or plan a trip during this time.

Places to Visit in Agartala

The Golden Temple is one of the first things that you must visit when you reach Amritsar. The sheer aura of the temple is so positive, it will put you in a good mood instantly. Make sure to cover your head with a piece of cloth or dupatta, for women. The dome at the top of the temple is made of pure gold, and it even has a pond inside the complex. Do not leave without relishing the langar prasad. The Jallianwala Bagh is yet another place of historical importance that you must visit when you go to Amritsar. It was where hundreds of people were shot dead by Britishers, and the walls still have bullet marks. The spot was turned into a memorial after the independence to honour those who lost their lives on that fateful day.

Do make sure you also visit the Maharaja Ranjit Singh Museum which was actually the palace of the first King of the Sikh empire, Maharaja Ranjit Singh. The museum boasts of antiquities and personal belongings of the King. You'll also come across a lot of paintings as you take a tour of the palace. The Ram Tirth Ashram is yet another place that you can visit. It's an ancient pilgrimage where Luv and Kush were born. You'll also come across a hut in which Maharishi Valmiki stayed. The Gobindgarh Fort is another location that deserves your attention and is also of historical importance. The fort was built by Gujjar Singh Bhangi's army and was later reconstructed by Maharaja Ranjit Singh in the early 1800s.

Things to do in Agartala

Be a part of Guru Ka Langar. You can volunteer in serving the langar food or in the kitchen to cook, chop vegetables or do the dishes. It is very fulfilling, and you'll surely enjoy it. You can also visit all the major attractions in the city like the Jallianwala Bagh, Gobindgarh Fort, Maharaja Ranjit Singh Museum and a couple of more places. Either you can hire a cab for an entire day to go sightseeing, or you can plan your own itinerary. You will easily find rickshaws and other modes of commuting quite easily. Make sure you try out Amritsari food and lassi at the dhabas after your shopping spree at the Hall Market. You can also go birdwatching at the Harike Wetlands. Your trip to Amritsar will be historical, educational, gastronomical and fun. Getting around the city won't be that difficult. To make things easier, you can hire a tour guide at the museums and historical locations if you wish to. You'll also find amusement parks in the city if you are travelling with your kids or a large family.

Foods and Restaurants in Agartala

Whatever you do, do not miss the langar ka prasad. It's a simple meal consisting of dal, roti and kheer, but you will simply love it. It is advisable to go to the temple in the morning, offer your prayers and then wait to be served the best food in one of the biggest kitchens. You can also head to All India Famous for some Amritsari kulchas. Buzz is that they run out of kulchas by 2 pm so you might have to get there for breakfast or early lunch. Kesar Da Dhaba is one of the most popular dhabas and only serves vegetarian food. The dhaba was started way back in 1916, and the recipe has not changed since then. Pal Da Dhaba and Beera Chicken House are some of the other famous eateries if you want to binge on some mouth-watering butter chicken or lamb. Head over to Ahuja Milk Bhandaar for a delicious, tall glass of lassi. No meal in Amritsar is complete without a glass of lassi. You'll find a lot of vegetarian and non-vegetarian options in the city. It is also advisable to carry your own bottle of alcohol if at all, you wish to dine and drink at the same time. A lot of places that serve non-veg do not provide alcohol. The locals also carry their own bottle of liquor when they eat out.

How to reach the Agartala

By Air

The Sri Guru Ram Das Jee International Airport is only a 15-20 minutes drive to and from the city. Domestic flights from Amritsar to major metropolitan cities run every day from here, and it also connects directly to a couple of international destinations. You can get pretty good flight deals online for Amritsar and can even book hotels in Amritsar along with it.

By Rail

The Amritsar railway station connects to Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Agra, Ahmedabad, Kolkata and Chandigarh. Delhi to Amritsar is a popular route that a lot of travellers prefer. It takes about 6 hours to reach Amritsar from Delhi. Paschim Express is the fastest train that you can board from Mumbai to reach Amritsar, and the journey takes about 30 hours approximately.

By Road

You'll find a lot of government and private bus services from Ambala, Patiala, Delhi, Chandigarh and Jammu. You can also hire a taxi from these cities to reach Amritsar. If you are travelling from afar, flights are the best options or trains, if you are on a budget.

  About Gorakhpur

Nestled on the banks of river Rapti is this bustling city of Gorakhpur. Located in the Purvanchal region of Uttar Pradesh, the city is an essential part of the state as it hosts the Indian Air Force station and is also the central administration to the North Eastern Railway Zone. The city's name comes from the spiritual significance of Saint Gorakhnath.

Another important reason that makes Gorakhpur an essential part of the state is how it directly connects to the neighbouring country, Nepal. Many tourists use the domestic route from Gorakhpur to reach Nepal, which is barely 100 km from the city. Gorakhpur has excellent flight connectivity as it does cater to international roadway routes with Nepal as a neighbour. The accommodation is quite adequate, but you can book good hotels in Gorakhpur.

Even though the domestic route to Gorakhpur is busy, it is ideal to book flight tickets in advance to avoid last-minute concerns. Not to mention how you will also be able to avail great flight deals if you make your flight bookings way ahead of schedule. The temple city has quite a few significant religious stories as well as political relevance.

Best time to visit Gorakhpur

Gorakhpur is known to have hot and dry summers with temperatures rising to 42 degree Celsius. Although the nights are comparatively cooler, the place still suffers from immense heat, which could put a damper on your plans if you wish to venture outside. The summers begin from March with May being the hottest month. Stepping out in summer is also not advised as it could lead to health concerns for some people.

Monsoons are pretty decent compared to summers as the rains make the atmosphere cooler. The air and temperature see a change with rains. However, the dull weather and mucky streets inhibit engaging in tourist activities. Sightseeing and venturing out in the city becomes problematic and is hence, avoided.

Winters bring about a pleasant temperature, making it the best season to visit the city. The months from October to February are cold and beautiful to the senses. The city experiences cool breeze and quaint ambience that also make travelling and indulging in tourist activities more convenient. The cosy vibes further add to the charm of Gorakhpur that can best be experienced during winters.

Places to see in Gorakhpur

Gorakhnath Temple

The Gorakhnath Temple was built in honour of Guru Gorakhnath. The venerated guru's teachings have since been followed diligently by his followers. The temple holds religious significance in Gorakhpur. Visit the temple to know more about the guru and how the religious premise came into existence.

Gita Press

As the name goes, the Gita Press was founded in 1923 to propagate the teachings of the Bhagvad Gita. The history of Gita press is quite interesting. Even though the press house was inaugurated in 1955, works on the press began way before it. Take a tour around the press house and learn more about the press and its relevance to society.

Archaeological Museum

Gorakhpur's prime tourist attraction is the archaeological museum which was founded in 1957. With intriguing stamps, photographs, sculptures and coins that give a peek into the past and cultural history of Gorakhpur, the museum has preserved it perfectly well. Interestingly, the museum also hosts a plethora of events such as pottery classes, how to make tools out of stones and past-life therapy for individuals to look back into their past-life. The museum is maintained by the Department of Ancient Indian History, Archaeology & Culture of the Gorakhpur University.

Arogya Mandir

The Arogya Mandir is the main highlight of the city of Gorakhpur. The premise is actually a wellness centre where you can enhance your health and further rejuvenate your mind and soul. The mandir also has accommodation setting introduced much recently to make it easy for patients to stay back for a complete cure before they can return. There are life lessons and healing endeavours that take place in the vicinity. You can enrol for their 10-day program to work on your health. The complex was acquired by Dr Vithal Das Modi in 1940, to help better people's lives with simple lessons.

The Arogya Mandir offers numerous therapies such as mud-therapy, hydrotherapy, yoga and Pranayam (meditation), steam bath and particular emphasis on diet. Specific pathological checkups are also done to learn the cause of the patient's health concern. Going in the lines of Vipassana, taught by Gautama Buddha, the health setup follows a similar pattern to work on the health of the patient. This is not something you can plan after reaching Gorakhpur. Plan for the health camp ahead of the visit to ensure that you have enrolled for it.

Things to do in Gorakhpur

Cool off at the Neernikunj Water Park

The Neernikunj Water Park is one of the few tourist attractions in Gorakhpur. You can take a day out of your schedule and head straight to the water park—bid farewell to the hot climate that envelopes the city otherwise. The water park would be a fun activity to pick, especially if you plan to unwind from your hectic schedule.

Explore the beautiful Vidyavasini Park

Although there is not much that you can do at Vidyavasini Park, one of the best things to do would be to pack a nice picnic lunch and take your family to the lush green park. The setting is quite beautiful as the open space would allow your kids to run around in the park.

Take your kids to the Railway Museum.

The Railway Museum is yet another tourist attraction that is majorly themed to cater to the families with little kids. It would be an educational expedition for them as they will get to learn more about the origin of the rail system.

Food and Restaurants in Gorakhpur

Gorakhpur's cuisine is to die for. The place has marvellous Mughlai cuisine that ranges from mild to extremely spicy. From kebabs to koftas, biryanis to pulao's, indulge in some of the best Mughlai food that you will find in India. The city is actually touted to make some of the best dishes from the said cuisine. Head to Tandoor Food, located near Golghar, to get the best of Mughlai food experience. The food joint only opens for dinner and does not have any seating arrangement or dine-out facilities.

Aside from mouth-watering Mughlai food, the second-best food to indulge in would definitely be their kakori kebabs. The flavoured meat grilled to perfections spells magic and certainly worth the penny.

Mirch Masala, Choudhry Hotel and Bobi's restaurant offer lip-smacking cuisine that would make you a fan of the place and their food. However, if street food is what you wish to explore then head straight to the Gorakhpur Railway Station as the area around it have a slew of hawkers and street food artists who make memorable kebabs and other dishes.

How to reach Gorakhpur (Transportation)

By Air

Located only 6 km away from the city centre, the Gorakhpur Airport sees great flight connectivity, owing to many tourists using this domestic route to cross the border and reach Nepal. There are daily flights available to and from Gorakhpur from a majority of metropolitan cities. Urban cities such as Mumbai Bangalore, Kolkata, Hyderabad and Delhi have daily flights dedicated to flying in and out of Gorakhpur. Booking flight tickets to Gorakhpur well in advance is not necessary as the flight tickets are cheap and affordable.

However, it is recommended that you book hotels in Gorakhpur before departing. It would be less cumbersome to find transport from the airport if you already have a hotel shuttle service to pick you up. The government actually converted the Air Force Station in 2003 to make the airport open for commercial use. Although no direct international routes taken by flights from Gorakhpur, there are buses available to take travellers to Nepal.

By Rail

Known to be one of the most important cities in Uttar Pradesh, the Gorakhpur Junction Railway Station is excellently connected to different parts of the country. Daily, trains from Bangalore Mumbai Ahmedabad, Varanasi, Trivandrum, Hyderabad, Jammu & Kashmir, Kolkata and more have dedicated trains going to and from Gorakhpur. Getting a train ticket could be quite challenging as the trains to Gorakhpur are always on demand. Another attribute that makes the city's railway an asset to the country is the fact that it is the headquarters to North Eastern Railway Zone.

By Road

State-owned Uttar Pradesh Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC) have bus services from Lucknow, Delhi, Azamgarh, Bareilly and more cities. Gorakhpur also has intercity and interstate bus services as well as cross-border transport facilities. Since the city is only 100 km away from Nepal, there are buses that take international routes to and from Gorakhpur. From deluxe to non-AC, there is a wide range of luxury buses that you can book. Although Gorakhpur is brilliantly connected across various cities in India, the sheer duration of time makes it a cumbersome mode of transport. Flights to Gorakhpur are a favourable option, as are railways.