Kurukshetra

Kurukshetra is a holy city in Haryana, India, roughly 160 km north of New Delhi on the great plains between the Yamuna and the Sarasvati's vanished course. For Hindus it is one of the most sacred sites in the country: it is the legendary battlefield of the Mahabharata, the site of the eighteen-day war between the Pandavas and the Kauravas, and the place where, on the eve of that battle, Krishna delivered the Bhagavad Gita to the warrior Arjuna. The administrative town at the heart of the district is Thanesar (Sthaneshwar), an ancient settlement that was the capital of Harsha's empire in the 7th century; today "Kurukshetra" usually refers to the wider pilgrimage zone of sacred tanks, temples and memorials spread around Thanesar and the nearby village of Jyotisar.

The city's character is defined by pilgrimage rather than commerce. Its focal points are two great sacred water tanks — Brahma Sarovar and Sannihit Sarovar — ringed by temples, ghats and dharamshalas, with Kurukshetra University and its museums and planetarium giving the place a quieter academic side. Pilgrims arrive year-round to perform shradh rites for ancestors, but the great gatherings come at a solar eclipse, when bathing in the tanks is believed to carry exceptional merit, and during the multi-day Gita Jayanti Mahotsav in late November or early December, when the ghats are lit with thousands of lamps for the evening deep daan and aarti.

The climate is hot-summer and monsoonal, typical of the north Indian plains. Summers (April–June) are very hot, often above 40 C, and the monsoon (July–September) is humid. The best time to visit is the cool, dry winter (November–February), which also coincides with Gita Jayanti and with migratory birds gathering on Brahma Sarovar.

By Plane

Kurukshetra has no airport of its own. The nearest major airport is Chandigarh (IXC), about 90–95 km to the north, with domestic flights and some regional international service; from there it is a 1.5–2 hour drive or train ride south. Delhi (DEL), Indira Gandhi International Airport, about 165 km south, offers far wider domestic and international connections and is the practical choice for most foreign visitors, who then continue by train or road. Pre-paid taxis are available at both airports; agree the fare or use the pre-paid counter before setting off.

By Train

Kurukshetra Junction is a station on the busy New Delhi–Ambala–Amritsar main line, so rail is the easiest way to arrive. Trains run from New Delhi, Old Delhi and Hazrat Nizamuddin stations, with a typical journey time of around 2.5 hours from Delhi; the city is roughly 250 km from Amritsar in the other direction. Many trains between Delhi and Chandigarh, Ambala and the Punjab stop here. Book reserved seats in advance through IRCTC, especially around Gita Jayanti and on weekends.

By Car / Road

Kurukshetra sits just off the Grand Trunk Road (National Highway 44, the old NH-1), the main Delhi–Chandigarh–Amritsar artery, so road access is excellent. By road it is about 150 km (roughly 3–4 hours) from New Delhi, around 90 km from Chandigarh, about 35 km from Karnal and roughly 100 km from Patiala, with direct connections also toward Haridwar and Ludhiana. Long-distance buses run from Delhi's Kashmiri Gate / ISBT and from Chandigarh ISBT; Haryana Roadways and other state services stop at the local bus stand. Allow extra time for congestion on the Delhi end of the journey.

Distances between the main sights are short but the sites are scattered (Jyotisar, for example, is several kilometres west of the centre), so you will need transport. Shared and hired auto-rickshaws (three-wheelers) are the standard way to move around town and the most readily available option; agree a fare before you set off, as meters are rarely used. Cycle-rickshaws cover short hops near the bazaars and the tanks. For visiting Jyotisar, Sannihit Sarovar and Brahma Sarovar in one trip, hiring an auto or taxi for a few hours is the most efficient approach. The area immediately around Brahma Sarovar and the old town of Thanesar is walkable.

Sacred tanks (sarovars)

• Brahma Sarovar — one of Asia's largest sacred water tanks and the spiritual heart of the city; mentioned in Al-Beruni's Kitab-ul-Hind. Pilgrims bathe here, especially at a solar eclipse and during Gita Jayanti, when the ghats are lit for deep daan and evening aarti. The Birla Gita Mandir stands on its bank. Free; most atmospheric at dawn and dusk in winter.
• Sannihit Sarovar — about 3 km from Kurukshetra railway station on Pehowa Road; believed to be the meeting place of all sacred tirthas on the new-moon day and the abode of Vishnu. It is the principal spot for shradh rites and is especially venerated at the time of a solar eclipse. Temples to Vishnu, Hanuman and Durga line the banks.

Temples and religious sites

• Jyotisar — a few kilometres west of the centre on the Pehowa road, the spot revered as the place where Krishna delivered the Bhagavad Gita to Arjuna. An ancient banyan tree and a marble chariot mark the site; a light-and-sound show is sometimes held here.
• Sthaneshwar Mahadev Temple — the ancient Shiva temple in Thanesar from which the town takes its older name; an important pilgrimage shrine of great antiquity.
• Bhadrakali Temple — a shakti peeth and one of the city's most visited temples.
• Birla Mandir and Chatti Patshahi Gurudwara, the latter marking visits by the Sikh Gurus.

Museums and monuments

• Shri Krishna Museum — multimedia and sculptural displays on Krishna, the Mahabharata and Indian art and culture.
• Kurukshetra Panorama and Science Centre (Panorama Science Museum), Pehowa Road, Dukh Bhanjan Colony — a large circular panorama of the Mahabharata war combined with science galleries (tel. +91 1744 251 100).
• Kalpana Chawla Memorial Planetarium, on the Jyotisar–Pehowa road, named for the Karnal-born astronaut.
• Sheikh Chilli's Tomb — a fine Mughal-era tomb complex with gardens in Thanesar, the burial place of the Sufi saint Abd-ur-Rahim.
• Raja Harsh ka Tila — the mound marking the ancient citadel of King Harsha at Thanesar.

Nature

• Bhor Crocodile Park (Crocodile Breeding Centre), Bhor Saidan village — a breeding centre with around twenty mugger crocodiles and knowledgeable guides.

• Mini Zoo and Black Buck Breeding Centre, at Pipli.

• Attend Gita Jayanti Mahotsav (late November / early December), the city's great festival, with the deep daan (floating of lamps) and aarti on Brahma Sarovar, cultural programmes, crafts and a Gita recitation.

• Witness a solar-eclipse bathing pilgrimage if your visit coincides with one — Kurukshetra draws enormous crowds to its tanks for ritual bathing and shradh on these days.

• Take an evening at the ghats of Brahma Sarovar for the lamp-lit aarti, especially beautiful in winter.

• See a film — the town has classic single-screen cinemas, and there are multiplexes at Kessel Mall and Divine Business Park.

• Birdwatching in winter, when migratory birds gather on Brahma Sarovar.

The food is everyday North Indian and Punjabi-Haryanvi, strongly vegetarian-friendly given the city's pilgrim character, with plenty of cheap street food. Look for the famous chole bhature on Railway Road, chaat stalls around Brahma Sarovar and the main city in Thanesar, and poori with petha and chole in the old city near Ambedkar Chowk. For sit-down meals, multicuisine restaurants such as Kimaya, Mezbaan and Saffron are well regarded; the Crown Hotel at Pipli is known for its chicken dishes; and the Kurukshetra University cafeteria is a popular spot for South Indian food. Pipli, on the highway just outside town, is a well-known roadside dhaba stop.

As a pilgrimage town, Kurukshetra is fairly dry in spirit and there is little in the way of a bar scene. Parakeet Resort (Haryana Tourism) serves alcohol, and most hotels have no objection to guests bringing their own liquor to consume in their rooms. Otherwise the usual non-alcoholic staples are everywhere: masala chai, lassi, fresh-pressed sugarcane and seasonal fruit juices, and nimbu pani (lime water). Stick to bottled or filtered water rather than tap water.

• Budget: Numerous dharamshalas near the railway station, old bus stand and Birla Mandir offer simple, very cheap pilgrim lodging — among them Agarwala Dharamshala (near the railway station), Brahman Dharamshala (near the old bus stand), Jat Dharamshala (near Birla Mandir) and Saini Samaj Bhavan. Expect basic rooms at low cost.
• Mid-range: Hotel Neelkanth and other mid-range hotels in the town centre provide air-conditioned rooms with private bathrooms.
• Upscale / heritage: Parakeet Resort (Haryana Tourism), Sector 2, about 200 m from the Pipli bus stand — a government-owned resort with air-conditioned rooms, Wi-Fi, free parking and a large private park used for jogging and yoga, and the most comfortable option in the area.

Shopping in Kurukshetra is centred on pilgrimage and everyday needs rather than luxury. Around Brahma Sarovar and in the Thanesar bazaars, stalls sell devotional items — copies of the Bhagavad Gita, brass and idols, prayer beads, religious prints and souvenirs. The famous local foodstuff to take home is the petha (a translucent ash-gourd sweet) sold in the old city. General markets in Thanesar cover textiles, household goods and snacks. Bargaining is normal in the bazaars and with rickshaw drivers, though shop prices in fixed-price stores are not negotiable.

• Karnal (about 35 km) — historic town with the Karnal Lake, gateway to the region and birthplace of Kalpana Chawla.
• Chandigarh (about 90–95 km) — the planned modern capital with Le Corbusier's architecture, the Rock Garden and Sukhna Lake.
• Patiala (about 100 km) — former princely Punjab city known for its fort, palaces and the "Patiala" turban and salwar.
• Kasauli (about 138 km) — a quiet colonial-era hill station in the Himachal foothills.
• Haridwar (around 200 km) — major Ganges pilgrimage city, famous for the evening Ganga aarti at Har-ki-Pauri.
• New Delhi (about 150 km) — the national capital, with onward connections everywhere.