Kurukshetra
Category:- All India Travel Tourism > City Guide > Haryana > Kurukshetra
The ancient land of Kurukshetra is regarded as the birthplace of one of the
greatest religions of the world, Hinduism. It is the land where the sage Manu
penned his 'Manusmriti' and where learned 'rishis' compiled the Rig Veda and
Sama Veda. Kurukshetra, named after the great sage king Kuru, is also the site
of the epic battle of Mahabharata. It was graced with the visits of Lord Krishna,
the Buddha and the Sikh gurus.
What to see| How to get there | Where to stay | Contact
What to see
Brahma Sarovar
Legend has it that Lord Brahma created the universe from the land of Kurukshetra,
after a huge yajna. The Brahma Sarovar here is believed to be the cradle
of civilisation. The sarovar or water tank is mentioned in the memoirs
of Al Beruni, called 'Kitab-ul-Hind'. The major highlight of the tank is the
sacred shrine dedicated to Lord Shiva, which stands within the sarovar,
accessible by a small bridge. According to scriptures, a dip in this sarovar
packs the sanctity of performing the 'Ashvamedh Yajna'. The tank
offers a breath-taking sight on the occasion of 'Deep daan' and 'Aarti', during
the Gita Jayanti celebrations held in the last week of November and early December
every year. This also happens to be the time when migratory birds from distant
places wing it to the sarovar. The Birla Gita Mandir and Baba Nath's
haveli and temple are the neighbouring attractions.
Sannihit Sarovar
Another sacred tank in Kurukshetra is Sannihit Sarovar which is believed
to be the meeting point of seven sacred Saraswatis. According to a popular belief
attached to the site, bathing in the waters of the tank on the days of Amavasyas
(nights of complete darkness) or on the days of eclipse, brings one the
punya (rewards/blessings) equivalent to performing the 'ashvamedh yajna'.
Sannihit is also the site where wandering or unhapy souls find moksha or
release from worldly ties. Prayers and pind daan for unnatural deaths
is recommended here. By the side of the sarovar lie clusters of small
shrines dedicated to Lord Vishnu, Dhruv Narayan, Laxmi Narayan, Dhruv Bhagat,
Hanuman and Goddess Durga. Sannihit tank is believed to be the abode of Lord
Vishnu.
Shri Krishna Museum
The exhibits in the museum depict varied facets of Lord Krishna's life and
times. Patta Chitra, Kangra, Madhubani and Pichhvai paintings, bronze collections
dating to the Pallava, Chola and Nayaka periods are some of the highlights of
the museum. This is the only centre of its kind in all of India.
Gurudwaras
Gurudwara Sidhbati is the famous site where Guru Nanak stayed during his
sojourn at Kurukshetra. Among the many gurudwaras dotting the region are a gurudwara
dedicated to Guru Hargobindji, located near the Sannihit tank and Gurudwara
Rajghat built in the memory of Guru Gobind Singh's visit to Kurukshetra.
Gita Jayanti celebrations
Each year the birth of Srimad Bhagwad Gita is celebrated as Gita Jayanti.
The event celebrates the divine moment wherein Lord Krishna playing charioteer
to Arjun delivers the Gita Updesh - advocating the path of selfless 'karma',
'gyana' and steadfast devotion to the Almighty. The Gita Jayanti presents Bhagwad
Gita recitals, 'aarti' and 'deep daan' at Brahma Sarovar, shloka recitals,
shobha yatras and seminars on the significance of the Gita today. Free
medical camps, book exhibitions and bhajan recitals are also part of
the celebrations.
Sheikh Chehli Mausoleum
Towards the north of Thanesar and overlooking the sarai built by
Sher Shah Suri stands the marble tomb of Sheikh Chehli. Sheikh Chehli was an
Iranian Sufi saint, who came to Thanesar to meet Hazrat Qutub Jalaludin in the
16th century. The tomb is at present a protected monument.
Sthanesvara Mahadev Temple
The ancient Sthanesvara Mahadev temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva or Mahadev,
lies in Thanesar. It was here that the Pandavas prayed to Lord Shiva and received
His blessings for victory in the great battle of Mahabharata. According to legend,
the waters of the tank next to the shrine are holy, a few drops of which cured
King Ban of leprosy. Thaneswar town derives its name from the temple. The shiv
linga here is ancient and much revered by the devout.
Adjacent to Thanesar lies the temple of Kamal Nabhi. According to Hindu mythology,
Lord Brahma the Creator, was born out of a lotus that grew from the navel of
Lord Vishnu. The temple houses the images of Lord Vishnu and Brahma. Around
one and a half miles from Thanesar on Kurukshetra-Pehowa Road lies the Narkatari
tank. It is here that, Bhishma Pitamah of legendary Mahabharata fame lay on
a bed of arrows.
Jyotisara
One of the most sacred sites of Kurukshetra is Jyotisara, the birthplace
of the holy Bhagwad Gita. A 'Vat' or banyan tree stands nobly on a raised plinth.
It was under this tree that Lord Krishna delivered the doctrine of Karma to
a reluctant Arjun. This is the spot where He also showed his 'virat roop' -
the awesome image of Himself as the Creator, the Preserver and the Destroyer.
Jyotisara lies 5 kms from the Kurukshetra Railway Station. The spot is marked
by a marble chariot depicting Lord Krishna delivering the 'Shrimad Bhagwad Gita'
to Arjun.
Pehowa
27 kms west of Thanesar lies Pehowa. The town has been mentioned in the
Vaman Puran and the epic Mahabharata. In ancient India the town was known as
'Prithudaka' after King Prithu. Legend has it that King Rashtangu, father of
King Prithu lay dying. As a last wish, he summoned his son to his bedside and
asked him to take him the site so that he could die peacefully on the banks
of the holy river Saraswati. On his father's demise, King Prithu, extremely
anguished, sat for days on the river-bank offering shradha. Thus came
about the tradition of offering shradha of fathers at this site.
The spot where the King Prithu prayed for the salvation of his father's soul
came to be known as 'Prithudaka tirtha'. Ghats and temples were built here.
Falgu
Falgu or 'Furl'as the local populace calls it, lies 53 km from Kurukshetra.
Legend has it that on the request of Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu himself appeared
here. A dip in the waters of the tank here is said to bring one wealth and prosperity.
Kalayat
Kalayat lies 70 km from Kurukshetra on the Kaithal-Narwana road. The town
has been named after Kapil Muni, the tenth son of Kardam Rishi, the son of Brahma.To
Kapil Muni goes the credit of penning the 'Shankhya Shastra'. Kalyat also boasts
a sacred tank, where a great number of devotees gather on the occasion of Karthika
Purnima. A shrine near the water tank is dedicated to Katyayani Devi.
How to get there
By air: The nearest airports are at Delhi and Chandigarh, which are
well-connected by road and rail. Taxi service is also available.
By rail: Kurukshetra is a major railway junction, well-connected with
all important towns and cities of the country. Haryana Tourism runs special
one-day conducted tour coaches both from Delhi and Chandigarh.
By road: Buses of Haryana Roadways and other State Corporations ply
through Kurukshetra and connect it to Delhi, Chandigarh and other important
places.
Where to stay
Haryana Tourism has set up a Neelkanthi Krishna Dham Yatri Niwas, a
few kms from the Railway Station. Tel: 31615
Another tourist complex run by Haryana Tourism is Parakeet at Pipli,
around 5 km from Kurukshetra. It lies on the National Highway number one, around
109 km from Chandigarh.
Contact
Haryana Tourism
Head Office: 17-18-19, Sector 17-B, Chandigarh-160 017.
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