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Tourist
Attractions in Kurukshetra
The main tourist attraction in Kurukshetra is the
Brahmasar or Kurukshetra Tank. There are also the
remains of a Muslim Fort, including the Tomb of Shaikh
chilli Jalal and Lal Masjid, a small red sandstone
mosque. The carving on the domes is similar to that at
Fatehpur Sikri. |
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India.
It is believed that the waters of all India’s sacred
tanks meet together in the Kurukshetra tank at the
moment of eclipse, giving extra merit to anyone who can
bathe in it at that moment.
Excursion
from Kurukshetra
Thanesar
Thanesar, near Kurukshetra, is an ancient town and
birthplace of the ruler Harsha Vardhana. Thanesar,
originally known as Sthanvisvara became the launching
pad for Harsha’s campaigns. Harsha’s father, a local
chief had fought off the Huns besides feuding with his
neighbours. From his capital in Thanesar, Harsha
extended his territory from Bengal to Gujarat, and
received tribute from as far a field as Assam. Thanesar
was a Hindu pilgrimage centre and was sacked by Mahmud
of Ghazni in 1011 AD.
Ambala
Ambala is situated about 50 km from Kurukshetra and lies
on the Haryana and Punjab border on the road from Delhi
to Chandigarh. During the British times, it became a
large cantonment area and covered 78 square km, laid out
from 1843 in grid fashion. The famous Gupta iron pillar
which is now at the Qutub Minar in Delhi was originally
placed on the hill just outside Ambala town before being
moved by the Muslim rulers to its present position.
Paget Park on the northern side of the city is a
pleasant open space with the shell of St. John's
cathedral, designed in 14th century Gothic style. It was
bombed in the 1965 Indo–Pakistan war. The city is the
headquarters of the district and an important wheat
market.
Narnaul
Narnaul was once a place of faith, but, today, it is
most definitely an earthly domain with its disorderly
bazaars and chaotic streets. Narnaul is situated on the
south-western tip of Haryana. Narnaul has some historic
and architecturally significant buildings. The most
interesting of these buildings is the five-storeyed Rai
Mukund Das Chhatta, which Birbal one of the ‘nine
jewels’ of Akbar’s court, has visited very often. This
building is built in stone and lime mortar, with a
courtyard at its heart. This building also has ingenious
lighting for underground rooms, as well as inventive
water retrieval and storage systems. Adding to its
mystery quotient is the rumour that underneath the
building are long escape tunnels, some of which run as
far as Delhi and Jaipur. The terrace affords
unparalleled views of the town and the surrounding
hills.
Pataudi
Pataudi is the home of the famous Pataudi Palace. The
town gets its name from a Mewati chieftain, Pata, who
founded it and named it Pataudi. Pataudi Palace, which
has been turned into a heritage hotel, was built in 1935
to bring home the daughter of the Nawabs of Bhopal. It
is undoubtedly a remarkable building but not open to
tourists.
Farukhnagar
The Nawabs of Farukhpur were used as pawns by the
British against Rajput rulers as part of their ‘divide
and rule’ strategy. After partition, they migrated to
Pakistan, leaving behind their legacy of palaces,
gardens and the famous Sheesh Mahal. The Sheesh Mahal
has some unusual, intricate mirror decorations. This
palace houses a jail that was also used as a torture
chamber. Other places which can be seen in Farukhnagar
are Ghaus Ali Shah’s shrine, Delhi Gate and the Salt
wells. |
