Bread basket of the nation

Punjab is known as "the bread basket of the nation" as it is the largest single provider of wheat to India.

Punjab is the home state of the Sikhs. Recognisable by their characteristic turbans and full beards, the Sikhs are India's most distinctive minority and are fiercely independent and take pride in who they are.

Punjab's major attraction is the Golden Temple at Amritsar, the holiest shrine of the Sikhs.

Situated on the north western borders of India, in Punjab, the 400 year old city of Amritsar is the most important seat of Sikh history and culture.

The city houses the sacred shrine - the Golden Temple. It stands in the heart of the old town: a disorienting maze of narrow lanes and bazaars encircled by a broad thoroughfare.

This strikingly beautiful temple is astonishingly peaceful given the huge numbers of Sikh pilgrims who come to pray and bathe in the holy water, and a visit here is a profound and unique experience.

Punjab's capital is Chandigarh, which is administered separately as a Union Territory since it is also the capital of neighbouring Haryana.