Company Bagh: Amritsar's Historic Garden Retreat

Company Bagh, steeped in history, is a sprawling garden in Amritsar that offers a serene retreat from the city's hustle. Originally constructed in 1818 by Maharaja Ranjit Singh and designed in the style of the Shalimar Bagh in Lahore, it served as the summer residence for the Maharaja. He named it Ram Bagh after Guru Ram Das, the founder of Amritsar. Following the British annexation of the Sikh Empire in 1849, the garden was renamed Company Bagh. The British made changes, including using the palace as the Deputy Commissioner's office. Even General Dyer, infamous for the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, used it as a control room. Today, Company Bagh provides a green space for relaxation and recreation. It features a statue of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, a reminder of the garden's origins. The Maharaja Ranjit Singh Museum is located within the garden, housing artifacts and exhibits related to the Sikh Empire. The garden also includes three elite clubs that occupy some of the buildings, a subject of ongoing legal debate.