Kurukshetra

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Kurukshetra district lies between latitude 29-52' to 30- 12'N and longitude 76-26' to 77-04'E in the North Eastern part of Haryana State in the north of India. The district headquarter is located at Kurukshetra town and is about 160 Kilometres North of Delhi, 39 Kilometres North of Karnal and 40 Kilometres South of Ambala. It is at a distance of about 6 kilometre from Pipli an important road junction on the National Highway No.1 popularly called the Grand Trunk Road.

Kurukshetra Railway Station, also called the Kurukshetra Junction, is located on main Delhi-Ambala Railway line. The other important towns of the district are Pehowa, Shahbad & Ladwa. The district consists of 419 villages.

On the whole, the district is a plain which slopes from North East to South and South West. The plain is remarkable flat and within it, are the narrow low-lying flood plains, known as either Betre Khadar of Naili. Saraswati, Markanda and Ghaggar are the important rivers of the district. A good network of canals is providing irrigational facilities. Underground water level is not relatively high. Tubewell irrigation is also common in the district. It is one of the prosperous district from agriculture point of view. The soil is generally alluvial, loam and clay does not constitute average texture of the soil.

Kurukshetra is a place of great historical and religious importance, revered all over the country for its sacred associations. It was here that the battle of Mahabharta was fought and Lord Krishna preached his Philosophy of "KARMA" as enshrined in the Holy Geeta to Arjuna at Jyotisar. In the very first verse of Bhagwat Gita, Kurukshetra is described as DHARAMKSHETRA i.e. field of righteousness. Mythologically, the name Kurukshetra applied to a circuit of about 48 KOS or about 80 miles (128 Kms) which includes a large number of holy places, temples and tanks connected with the ancient Indian traditions and the Mahabharata War and Kururu, the pious ancestor of Kaurvas and Pandavas.

During the 15th and 16th century, several Sikh Gurus visited this holy lands. Several Gurdwaras stand in the district and mark important events in Sikh history. The main holy shrines are:

Gurdwara Raj Ghat Patshahi Dasvin (Kurukshetra)

Main article: Gurdwara Raj Ghat Patshahi Dasvin (Kurukshetra)

When Guru Gobind Singh came to Kurukshetra on the occasion of the solar eclipse fair in 1702-03, he camped at the place now occupied by this Gurdwara. It was, as it still is, the custom to give rich presents as alms to Brahmans during the eclipse, and receive their benediction in the belief that this would relieve the Sun-god from the clutches of demons eating him away (as the eclipse had been traditionally interpreted), and also earn, for the donors, riches in the hereafter. Guru Gobind Singh found a novel way of dispelling this misbelief. .....More



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