Kurukshetra

Kurukshetra () is a city in the state of Haryana, India. It is also known as Dharmakshetra ("Holy Place"). It is also known as the "Land of Bhagwad Gita".

According to the Puranas, Kurukshetra is a region named after King Kuru, the ancestor of Kauravas and Pandavas. This is place where Mahabharata war was fought. Also the Bhagavad Gita was explained there during the war when Lord Krishna found Arjuna in a difficult situation.

Before 1947, Thanesar was the name of the tehsil headquarters and the town. Thanesar or Sthaneswar is a historical town next to newly created Kurukshetra city. Thanesar derives its name from the word "Sthaneshwar", which means "Place of God".

In most ancient Hindu texts, Kurukshetra is not a city but a region ("kshetra" meaning "region" in Sanskrit). The boundaries of Kurukshetra lies to the central and western parts of state of Haryana and southern Punjab. Thus according to the Taittiriya Aranyaka 5.1.1., the Kurukshetra region is south of Turghna (Srughna/Sugh in Sirhind, Punjab), north of Khandava (Delhi and Mewat region), east of Maru (desert) and west of Parin.

History 

It is written in Puranas that Kurukshetra is named after King Kuru of the Bharata Dynasty, ancestor of Pandavas and Kauravas.

The Vamana Purana tells how King Kuru came to settle here. He chose this land at the banks of Sarasvati River which dried up before 1900 BCE for embedding spirituality with eight virtues: austerity (Tapas (Sanskrit)), truth (Satya), forgiveness (Kshama), kindness (daya), purity (Shuddha), charity (Daana), Yajna and Brahmacharya. Lord Vishnu was impressed with the act of King Kuru and blessed him. God gave him two boons: one that this land forever will be known as a Holy Land and the other that anyone dying on this land will go to heaven. The land of Kurukshetra was between two rivers — the Sarasvati and the Drishadvati.
This land has been known as Uttarvedi, Brahmavedi, Dharamkshetra and Kurukshetra at different periods. When King Kuru came on this land it was called Uttarvedi. Over the period this land has been ruled by many empires. The Bharata Dynasty came and settled here.

By the archaeological grounds it has been proved that Ashoka the Great made Kurukshetra a centre of learning for people from all over the world. It reached the peak of its progress during the reign of King Harsha, during which Chinese scholar Xuanzang visited Thanesar.

Places of interest

Hindu Religious Sites 

 Brahma Sarovar: Every year lakhs of people come to take a holy bath at Brahma Sarovar on the occasion of "Somavati Amavasya" (Sacred No-Moon Day that happens on a Monday) and on solar eclipse believing that a bath in holy sarovar frees all sins and cycle of birth-death.
 Sannihit Sarovar: This sarovar is believed to be the meeting point of seven sacred Saraswatis. The sarovar, according to popular belief, contains sacred water. Bathing in the waters of the tank on the day of Amavasya (night of complete darkness) or on the day of an eclipse give blessings equal to performing the ashvamedh yajna.
 Jyotisar: The famous site where Bhagavad Gita was delivered to Arjuna under the tree. The tree of that time is the witness to Gita.
 Srikrishna Museum has some historical artifacts and paintings represent the Mahabharata war.
 Kurukshetra Panorama and Science Centre: A panorama represent the Mahabharata war with scientific explanations justifying every episode in the war.
 Jyotisar Light and Sound Show: A newly built tourist attraction which shows some aspects of Geeta Saar using lights and sound.
 Dharohar Museum: A museum to know the tradition and culture of Haryana; in Kurukshetra University.

 Bhishma Kund at Naraktari: The place where Arjuna shot an arrow towards the earth to satisfy Bhishma Pitamah's thirst.

Other Religious/Historical Sites 

 Sheikh Chilli's Tomb: This monument is maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India. It was built during the Mughal era in memory of Sufi Saint Sheikh Chehli, believed to be the spiritual teacher of Mughal Prince Dara Shikoh. However, this is an wrong belief, since the Prince's main 'Murshid' or 'Sheikh' (Spiritual Guide) is historically known to have been Hazrat Sheikh Mian Mir Sahib, of Lahore, although Sheikh Chehli might have been an additional/minor guide. There is another theory that the site of the supposed 'makbara' or tomb was one of the meditative 'Chillas' or sites of Hazrat Mian Mir Sahib, who might have visited the area during his journeys from place to place.

48 Kos Parikrama 

Kurukshetra has great importance as a Hindu pilgrimage. There are several pilgrimages around the city of kurukshetra and a complete parikrama means to visit all these pilgrimages. 48 kos parikrama is a Hindi phrase meaning 48 miles circle around the holy city of Kurukshetra.

Educational Institutes 
 Kurukshetra University: one of the India's leading universities, established in 1956
 University Institute of Engineering and Technology, Kurukshetra University
 National Institute of Technology, Kurukshetra: Established as the Regional Engineering College, Kurukshetra in 1963. It is an Institute of National Importance and one of the top most engineering colleges in the country.
 National Institute of Design, Kurukshetra: The institute offers courses in industrial design, visual communication and textile and apparel design.

References 

Settlements in Haryana
Towns in India