Know all about Punjab village that was awarded ‘Best Tourism Village of India’

This prestigious award was given to this village in Punjab for protecting and advancing the state's cultural heritage and sustainable development through tourism.

The ancestral house of popular 'Sangha sisters' at Nawanpind Sardaran village in Gurdaspur district, Punjab. (PTI Photo)

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Despite the hectic pace of their lives, five sisters known as the ‘Sangha Sisters’ remain strongly committed to the upkeep of their ancestral homes in the Punjab village of Nawanpind Sardaran.

Their unwavering commitment to maintaining the two estates, named ‘Kothi’ and ‘Pipal Haveli,’ paid off as their little village was just chosen as the “Best Tourism Village of India 2023” by the Tourism Ministry.

This prestigious award was given to the Nawanpind Sardaran village in Gurdaspur for protecting and advancing Punjab’s cultural heritage and sustainable development through tourism.

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Out of 750 villages from 31 states and union territories competing for the title of “Best Tourism Village 2023,” Nawanpind Sardaran was chosen as the best out of them all.

The ancient ‘Kothi’ and ‘Pipal Haveli,’ which were built about 140 years ago and meticulously rebuilt in recent years, have been converted into homestays that attract both local and foreign visitors.

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Gursimran Kaur Sangha, Gurmeet Rai Sangha, Manpreet Kaur Sangha, Gita Sangha, and Noor Sangha are the five sisters in charge of maintaining these two homes.

Not only is the family promoting rural tourism, but with the help of the Gurdaspur district administration, they are also involving the local population and providing opportunities for employment.

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Gurdaspur is strategically positioned on the route from Amritsar to Himachal Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir in terms of tourism.

Nawanpind Sardaran is five kilometers south of National Highway-54, which connects Amritsar to the Mata Vaishno Devi temple and other key tourist spots like Kangra, Dharamsala, and Dalhousie.

“We are elated over getting the award,” their mother Satwant Kaur Sangha. Narain Singh founded Nawanpind Sardaran in the late 19th century. He built a ‘Haveli’ for residing, storing produce, agricultural implements and interacting with farm workers. In 1886, his son Beant Singh built a house which is now called ‘Kothi’ “We are emotionally connected to our village,” Gursimran Sangha told PTI.

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