Kurukshetra is a city located in Haryana and famous for historical reasons and pilgrimage for Hindus. Mahabharat, took place in Kurukshetra and nearby places which is also the world largest and longest poem. In the great battle of Mahabharat between Pandavas and Kauravas at Kurukshetra, Lord Krishna preached Bhagwat Gita to Arjun.
In this blog post will describe the Places to Visit in Kurukshetra, Geeta Mahotsav, Trip Cost, How to Reach Kurukshetra and How many days are needed to explore the city.
Places to Visit in Kurukshetra
Braham Sarovar
The first destination is Braham Sarovar which is in the name of Lord Brahma, the creator of Universe. It is believed that by taking a holy dip in the water during Solar Eclipse, devotees get of benefits of performing thousands of Ashvamedha Yagya. After winning the Mahabharat Battle, Yudhisthir placed a Victory Tower in the middle of the island. Near the sarovar, there is a famous “Draupadi Koop” where Draupadi washed her hair with the blood of Dhushahan as vowed. A famous temple of Lord Shiva, known as Sarveshwar Mahadev lies in the middle of the northern bank of the sarovar. Many devotees take a circle “Parikrama” around the sarovar which are considered holy. When you sit around this place your mind and soul feel relaxed and peaceful.
Srikrishna Museum
The museum was established in 1987, later moved to another building and in 2012 Multimedia Mahabharat and Gita Gallery was created. The theme of the Srikrishna Museum is Lord Krishna, Mahabharat and Kurukshetra. The view of this museum is to culturally awaken the people, ideals of Sri Krishna and the history of Krukshetra. You can find stone and artifacts which was extracted from the Dwarka City, the one which was submerged in the sea. You can learn the importance of our culture and history, if you have kids, they can learn and understand our culture.
Museum Timings: 10:00 am to 5:00 pm (Entry closed at 4:00 PM)
Ticket Price: The prices as per age category is mentioned below, you can book ticket online also.
a. Age Group 0 to 5 years: Free of Cost
b. Age Group 5 to 10 years: Rs. 10/-
c. Age Group 10 years above: Rs. 30/-
Jyotisar
Jyotisar which is known as the “Birthplace of Gita” and the meaning of this place is “Ultimately of God”. As per Mahabharat, when Arjun refused to battle with Kauravas stating they are their relatives and how can he kill them. At this point, Lord Krishna brings the Chariot “Rath” to the centre of the battle ground and gave the sermon of Bhagavad Geeta to Arjun and the world. The knowledge clears the clouds of Arjun’s mind, and he proceeds with Dharma Yudh. At Jyotisar there is a decade old Banyan Tree which is the centre of attraction. It is believed that the tree was cut down by the Mughal King, but instead of dying the tree grows immensely because of the Geeta Gyan the banyan tree heard from Lord Krishna.
Kalpana Chawla Planetarium
The planetarium was built across 5 acres of land at the cost of 6.50 crores. The planetarium is surrounded by lush green Astro-Park which is a peaceful place to relax and a learning environment for students in the field of science and space. The Astronomy Shows runs in both Hindi and English languages, but now due to construction work the shows are not running in the planetarium.
Ban Ganga
The last destination of Kurukshetra Trip is Ban Ganga, as per Mahabharat Arjuna arrowed Bhishma Pitamaha and grounded him on the bed of the arrows. Bhishma Pitamaha has the ability to choose his death on his own will. During his final time, when he felt thirsty, Arjuna made the Ganges erupt. You can visit the Bhishma Temple and take the blessings of Lord Hanuman too.
Gita Mahotsav Kurukshetra
The Gita Mahotsav is celebrated at international level every year. In the year 2024, the festival starts from November 28th and ends on December 15th. The Gita Jayanti Festival begins on Margsheersh Shukla Mokshada Ekadashi and the event is presided over by the Chief Minister of Haryana, Nayab Singh Saini. The other Union Ministers, Manohar Lal Khattar, Shivraj Singh Chauhan and Suryabanshi Suraj joined the event. As I said, the festival is celebrated at International Level, this year the Minister of Tanzania, Ms. Pindi Hazara Channa also joined the Gita Mahotsav at Kurukshetra.
The cultural programs were organized, which includes, recitation of Srimad Bhagvadgita and Gita Yajna, Global Gita Chanting by 18000 students, Cultural Programmes in Odisha Pavillion, 48 Kos Tirtha Sammelan, Gita Shobha Yatra, The Resonance of Dialogue – Panchjanye Haryana’s Transformation, Deepostav at Thirthas and conclude with Gita Maha Aarti and Deep Daan. Don’t miss this opportunity and celebrate our culture.
Budget & Itinerary for Kurukshetra
The per person cost is approximately 8000/- per person including travelling, hotels and food. The cost may vary if you are not travelling from Delhi – NCR region. To explore Kurukshetra you need only 2 days maximum, so you can plan a trip on weekends.
How to Reach Kurukshetra
- By Air: Chandigarh International Airport is the nearest airport and Kurukshetra is only 90 kms away from the airport. You can hire a cab and taxi to reach the city.
- By Train: Kurukshetra has its own railway station, Kurukshetra Junction (KKDE) which is well connected with the major northern cities.
- By Bus: The Buses are readily available, you can use Haryana State Run Buses or Volvo Buses which drop you at Kurukshtra Bus Stand.
- By Road: The roads are well connected with the major nearest cities. If you are planning from Chandigarh, the distance is around 90 kms which can cover in 2-3 hours. If you stay in Delhi NCR, the distance is approx. 160 kms and you will reach Kurukshetra in 4 hours. You can book a cab also; we planned a trip with a group of 6 people, and it cost us Rs. 7500/-.
Final Thought
The journey to Kurukshetra is peaceful where you experience the connectivity with your culture and learn Indian History. In this blog post we explained everything which is necessary for planning a trip. If you plan in Gita Mahotsav you can explore various spiritual things. Why are you still waiting? Plan a trip and share your thoughts.
Pack your bag and explore unexplored places with Hema…………
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