Ludhiana

About Ludhiana

Busy, prosperous and proudly Punjabi, Ludhiana is the largest city in Punjab and the industrial engine of the state, famous across India for knitwear, woollens, bicycles and machine parts. Its name is traditionally linked to the Lodi dynasty, and the ruins of an old fort still recall that era on the north side of town.

Ludhiana is also a centre of farming knowledge. Punjab Agricultural University, which played a major role in the Green Revolution, has a campus museum that brings rural life of the past back to life. The city's faith is visible everywhere, from the large city gurdwaras to Gurdwara Manji Sahib at nearby Alamgir, linked with Guru Gobind Singh. In the old centre, the clock tower and the crowded lanes of Chaura Bazaar show the city at its most energetic.

Add a war museum, a tiger safari, rose gardens and a lively food scene of parathas, lassi and butter-rich curries, and Ludhiana makes a rewarding stop between Delhi and Amritsar.