Spice of life | A flâneur’s faith: Wonders of walking through Walled City

An Ambarsariya weekly walks from Hall Gate to Golden Temple through the Walled City of Amritsar.

Hall Gate was built in 1873 and named after British deputy commissioner CH Hall.

The walk passes landmarks including a blackboard tree, kulfi shops, an aloo-tikki stall, a pre-Partition mosque, and the Ramada hotel.

Shops along the route sell electronics, clothes, shoes, and street food; the lone bookstore Retreat sees few customers.

The stroll offers contrasts of chaos and calm, with reflections on mortality from old portraits and morning prayers.