The glories of Amritsar in an undivided Punjab

Lahore -- the raja, Amritsar -- the wazir, and Ludhiana -- the Fakir. This is how an aged Amritsar businessman describes pre-Partition Punjab.

Although Ludhiana is the present commercial capital of Punjab, this status was enjoyed by Amritsar before Partition.

During those days, Lahore, the capital of the undivided Punjab, had an aura of royalty associated with it. While Amritsar, the city of the Golden Temple was an important business centre. Its status was similar to a wazir, in charge of managing the king's finances.

"Lahore, with its prestigious educational institutions and beautiful gardens, had a grandeur similar to what is enjoyed by Chandigarh today," says Chota Bhat Patel, the president of the Amritsar Tea Traders Association.

The rich and the famous of those days preferred to settle down in Lahore, but Amritsar had its attractions for the business community, reveals Patel.

"People from far and wide came to visit the Harminder Sahib at Chandigarh and strike business deals," says Patel. It was Maharaja Panjit Singh who contributed extensively in making Amritsar into an important commercial centre.

Reflecting on those days before 1947, Patel says that traders came all the way from Kabul, Khandhar and Jalalabad in Afghanistan to purchase tea, spices, woollen clothes, blankets, sewing matches and a number of other household items. The Pathans came with a heap of dry fruits and exchanged them for their requirements.

Even today, Amritsar is an important tea trading centre. Green tea is exported to Afghanistan and dry fruits imported from there by road through the Wagah border.

Referring to the tea trade, Patel says in those days local traders bought green and black tea Calcutta and south India and later transported it to Afghanistan.

According to Ram Ludhiana Ahuja, president of the Amritsar Saraf Merchants Association, one of the other attractions of Amritsar were the intricately designed gold ornaments.

Gurubazar, still famous for its ornaments, was frequented by British ladies.

The city was also a favourite spot for chess pieces which were carved from ivory and exported to Britain. The chess pieces are now made from sandalwood and rosewood.

The bulk of the city's exports now takes place through road and rail links to Pakistan.