Kuruksetra

The ancient land of Kurukshetra is the headquarters of the Kurukshetra District of Haryana State. A popular destination for pilgrimage, Kurukshetra is located at a distance of 160 km from the North of Delhi, 39 km from the North of Karnal, 40 km from South of Ambala and 102 km from Chandigarh on the national highway NH1. The legendary past of Kurukshetra associated with the Vedas and Vedic culture holds a prominent place in the history of the Hindu religion and Hindu scriptures.

Kurukshetra is a holy place famous all over India for its rich cultural heritage that dates back to 2800 BC. As per the ancient records, Kurukshetra was the foremost centre of Vedic Civilisation and learning. King Kuru of the Bharata Dynasty was the ancestor of Kouravas and Pandavas and Kurukshetra was derived from his name.

Known as the land of the epic Mahabharata and Bhagavad-Gita, Kurukshetra was known as Uttaravedi, Bhrahmadevi, Dharamkshetra (land of righteousness) and Brajhmakshetra (the field of Brahma) during different ages. Situated on the banks of the River Sarasvati and River Drishadvati, Kurukshetra was the battleground of the great Mahabharata War that took place between the Kouravas and the Pandavas.

Archaeological evidences suggest that the land of Kurukshetra existed even during the Pre-Harappa period. That Kurukshetra was visited by Sri Buddha and Sikh Gurus proves that this place was considered as a holy place even during earlier ages. Besides, the Bharata dynasty, King Asoka and Harsha have also made Kurukshetra a part of their kingdom.

Kurukshetra was a part of Punjab in the earlier days. The ancient land of Kurukshetra comprises a wide area that covered about 128 km with Panipat and the north-western part of Jind District on its southern border, eastern part of Patiala District on its west, River Saraswati on its north and River Yamuna on its eastern border. Today, Kurukshetra is situated in the north-eastern part of Haryana State and includes many sacred and religious places connected with ancient traditions and the Mahabharata War.

The land of Kurukshetra comprises of several political, cultural and spiritual centres like holy shrines, Kunds, Gurudwaras, etc. that are interconnected with the history of Indian

civilisation. Prithudaka or Prithu's Pool, Srikrishna Museum, Jyotisar, Sannehit Sarovar, Brahmasarovar, Sheikh Chehli’s Tomb, Gurdwara Patshahi, Gurdwara Rajghat, the excavated Archaeological site and site museum at Harsha ka Tila, etc. are some of the major attractions of Kurukshetra.

Kurukshetra has become a popular place of attraction for historians, pilgrims and tourists alike. With its distinct religious and cultural predominance, Kurukshetra provides a deep insight in to the history of ancient India. The best time to visit Kurukshetra is from September to March.

Tourist places in Kurukshetra
Kurukshetra is a popular place of pilgrimage and religious importance but there are quite a few sightseeing options as well. These include Sannehit Sarovar, Sri Krishna Museum, the ancient architecture of ‘Sheikh Chehli’, Bhagpura, which still consists of certain artifacts depicting the Harappan civilisation here.

Sannehit Sarovar is a sacred water tank where ‘tirth yatris’ or pilgrims from different parts of India come to take a holy dip. The Rantuka Yaksh in Kurukshetra is one of the four ancient Yakshas present here. The Sri Krishna Museum located in the central region of Kurukshetra in between Sannehit Sarovar and Brahma Sarovar is another popular attraction.

Brahma Sarovar is an ancient sarovar with historical and religious importance as it is also one of the largest man made bathing tanks in Asia. Such is the size of this sarovar that Abul Fazl, who was one of the historians in Akbar’s court, called it a ‘mini sea made by man’.

Other significant places located here include Jyotisar, which is the place where Bhagwad Gita was born and the historical event is marked with the presence of a marble sculpture of Lord Krishna and Arjun in a rath.

The ancient temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu and Brahma by the name of Kamal Nabhi is also a popular attraction of Kurukshetra. Other temples located here include the Sthaneswar Temple, Arunay tirtha, Brahma Kund and Bhadrakali Temple that have both religious and historic importance.