The cradle of Indian culture

By D.R. Vij

KURUKSHETRA can rightly be called the cradle of ancient Indian culture. In the hoary past, the Vedas and Upanishads were recited by seers, saints and scholars on the banks of the holy Sarasvati. Our ancient texts, including Matsya, Vaman, Padma and Agni Puranas, Ramayana and Mahabharata are connected to this land. This is the most ancient place of pilgrimage. It was here that the vedic Aryans, after the compilation of Vedas, performed the first-ever yajna and spread the teachings propounded in the Vedas throughout India.

Although the origin of Kurukshetra is lost in the mist of time, the Puranas disclose that Kurukshetra was named after valiant and adventurous King Kuru of Bharat dynasty, who was the ancestor of the Kauravas and Pandavas. The fascinating details narrated in Vaman Purana describe how this meritorious and virtuous King came to settle on this land.

King Kuru, after making global conquests, felt the need to leave behind him certain glorious monuments. In search of an appropriate place for the monuments, he reached the banks of the Sarasvati. He found that the whole area, through which the mighty river flowed, had been sanctified by various yajnas and sacrifices performed by numerous sages and therefore this land was called the Uttar Vedi (the northern sacrificial altar). He also learnt that the divine Parshu Ram had crushed to death the tyranical rulers who were exploiting their subjects. After destroying them, he filled five tanks with their blood and proclaimed that the rulers who usurp the wealth of their subjects would meet a similar fate.

King Kuru selected the area for sowing the seeds of spiritual culture, which involved eight virtues — austerity (tapas), truth (satya), forgiveness (kshama), kindness (daya), purity (sucha), charity (dana), yagya and brahmacharya. Lord Vishnu granted him a boon that the land will not only be known by the name of Kurukshetra (the land of Kuru) but also as the land of dharma and the entire humanity shall follow in the footsteps of saints residing there. Those wandering souls who hunt in search of divine bliss shall find solace on visiting his land of dharma. The opening shloka of Shrimad Bhagavadgita also asserts that the land of Kuru is the land of righteousness and justice (dharamkshetre Kurukshetre.....) When Al-Bairuni, an Arab historian, came to visit India in the 11th century he also corroborated the association of Kurukshetra with King Kuru. This legend has been repeated in other Puranas with some minor modifications.

The land of Kurukshetra was demarcated between two rivers — the Sarasvati and the Drishadvati. The Sarasvati was considered to be the mightiest and holiest of all the rivers known to Vedic seers. They prayed to the Lord that no calamity should befall the area, compelling them to leave this land of plenty (bahu dhanyak pradesh). The Bharat dynasty also settled in Kurukshetra, and later on the whole country came under its sway and was named after the clan.

Kurukshetra had a reputation for being a region that produced plenty of grains and a variety of crops. Foreigners who came to acquire knowledge on the banks of the Sarasvati were surprised to find that the flora and fauna of the area surrounding Kurukshetra was unique. The political importance of Kurukshetra reached its zenith during the time of Mahabharata. It was in this land that the great philosophy of Gita was pronounced by Lord Krishna.

After Mahabharata, the whole region was devastated and this land faced the onslaught of invasions by Greeks, Bactrians and Pahlavs. But soon the people of the area overthrew the rulers of the Kushan dynasty and the Yaudheyas, a community of warriors of Punjab, captured power in this land.

Later, this land was conquered by Samudragupta, known as the "Indian Napoleon" and the glory of Kurukshetra was restored. It is believed that great empire-builder Chandragupta and his political mentor, Chanakya, also visited this place while going to Takshila, a seat of international learning. From the archaeological findings at Hisar, it also becomes evident that Ashoka the Great made Kurukshetra a centre of learning for people from all over the world. They were invited here to learn Sanskrit and Pali. After the death of Pushyamitra, the great empire built by Ashoka was liquidated and many feudal principalities emerged in the region. This again made the area vulnerable to foreign invasions.

During the reign of Harshvardhana, Kurukshetra once again reached the pinnacle of glory, a description of which has been given by Bana Bhatt in Harshcharita. According to his account, the people of this land were dutiful, broadminded and healthy in body and mind.

A great Chinese scholar, Hieun Tsang, also visited this place, called Thanesar after the name of the presiding God Sthaneshvara Mahadev. He was astonished to find that although this land was full of wealth yet the persons residing there were following a simple, austere and a creative life. He also noted that the women of this land had a charming gait (Gajgaamini), but there was not a single case of adulterous conduct. After the death of Harshvardhana Kurukshetra’s glory declined.

The Muslim invaders, right from Mahmud Ghaznavi to Ahmad Shah Abdali and Nadir Shah, passed through this city and plundered its wealth. Thus, Kurukshetra remained a scene of battles throughout the time the Satnamis were raising a voice against Mughal empire.

Despite numerous political upheavals, Kurukshetra maintained its spiritual greatness. During Muslim rule, a great sufi saint, Sheikh Jalaluddin Thanesari, who belonged to the Chishti sect, made Kurukshetra his seat of spiritual learning and spread the message of universal brotherhood. His fame crossed the boundaries of Kabul and Iran. The place was visited by many scholars from Baghdad and Turkistan also. The saint’s grave is now known as Sheikh Chehli Tomb. Persons of all faiths believe in it.

Kurukshetra has also been sanctified by the visit of nine Sikh Gurus in whose memory Gurudwaras have been constructed at different places. The sixth Sikh Guru, after his release from Gwalior Fort, made Kurukshetra his headquarters.

Kurukshetra has also been the seat of Nirmala sect of Sikh religion. Its headquarters still exist near Sannihit Tank.

After the dissolution of Mughal empire, Kurukshetra witnessed great turmoil. Small federations were raising their heads and there was no central power that could keep India under one banner. During this time in 1770 A.D. Kurukshetra was conquered by the reckless ruler Desu Singh. He could not keep his control for long and his sons started fighting for power amongst themselves. After lot of bloodshed Bhanga Singh seized Thanesar. He was known to be a tyrant. After the rise of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, Kurukshetra came under the sway of the Sikh empire.

Maharaja Ranjit Singh tried to restore the old glory of this region. This area was annexed to the British regime in 1850. The British linked this area with Delhi province so that the people of this land would remain backward and uneducated.

From that time onwards, Kurukshetra and Thanesar decayed into slum towns. There was no trade and no proper means of transport or commercial activity. After the establishment of Kurukshetra University in 1956, the town again started humming with academic activity. It also gave rise to business activities. Initially, the university, located in a small building on the premises of Geeta Bhavan, dealt with Sanskrit alone. Later, it was converted into a multi-faculty university. Its foundation stone was laid by President Rajendra Prasad on January 11, 1957. Now the university accommodates 26 teaching departments and two colleges.

Academic activities have been further augmented with the addition of regional Engineering College and Ayurveda College, originally established by Gulzarilal Nanda, the then acting Prime Minister.

Since time immemorial, Kurukshetra has attracted pilgrims from all over the country for the occasion of solar eclipse. The Puranas proclaim that when the glory of sun is shadowed by demon Rahu, it gives bliss and merit to all those who take bath in the holy tanks at Kurukshetra. This tradition still continues. The last solar eclipse occurred on August 22, 1998. The next one will occur on August 11 next year.

Some of the important sacred places present in Kurukshetra are:-

Brahm Sarovar: Brahm Sarovar is believed to have been excavated by king Kuru long before the epic battle of Mahabharata. About 1,318.6 metres in length and 640 metres in breadth, Brahm Sarovar has been divided by a road into two parts. The pilgrims take a holy dip in the sarovar on the occasion of solar and lunar eclipses and amavasya as well as other festivals.

Sannihit Tank: It is 457 metres in length and 137 metres in breadth. It is regarded as one of the holiest places of Kurukshetra. It is believed that if a man performs shradha during a solar eclipse, and takes bath in this tank, the rewards are equivalent to 1000 Ashvamedha sacrifices. It is a resort of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. It was here that sage Dadhichi gave up his life for the sake of Indra.

Sthaneshwar Mahadev Mandir: Situated on the north side of Thanesar, the temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva. It was constructed by Raja Pushyamurty, an ancestor of emperor Harshvardhana.

Geeta Bhavan: Situated on the northern bank of Brahm Sarovar, Geeta Bhavan was constructed in 1921-22 by Maharaja Sir Venktraman Singh Bahadur of Rewa state of Madhya Pradesh. This building accommodates various religious books, including copies of Shrimad Bhagavadgita translated in various Indian and foreign languages.

Shri Devi Koop (Bhadrakali)Mandir: This temple is one of the 51 Shakti Peethas of India. It is believed that the right ankle of Bhadrakali (Sati) fell into a well located here.

Jyotisar: Jyotisar is the land of Bhagwadgita where Lord Krishna is believed to have delivered the message to Arjuna on the eve of the battle of Mahabharata. The Kurukshetra Development Board (KDB) has constructed a new lake at a cost of Rs 16.50 lakh in Jyotisar.

Shri Krishna Museum: The museum was established by the KDB under stewardship of its former chairman Gulzarilal Nanda in 1987. This museum, situated on the Pipli-Pehowa road, depicts the life of the Krishna and the Mahabharata episodes.

Sheikh Chehli Tomb: The Sheikh Chehli mausoleum, situated near Sthaneshwar Mahadeva Mandir, was built by Sher Shah Suri.Sheikh Chili was an Iranian Sufi saint and lived during the time of Shahjahan.

Ban Ganga: This is a place where, according to a local legend,Arjuna pierced the earth with his arrow, to quench the thirst of Bhishma who was lying on the bed of arrows. This place is about 4.8 km south of the Brahm Sarovar.

Rice bowl of Haryana

THE district’s economy is based on agriculture. Kurukshetra, the land of Mahabharata, is one of the leading districts of the country in the production of foodgrain. The district plays a vital role in making the state self-sufficient in foodgrain. About 80 per cent of the population of the district is engaged in agriculture. The district is known for its superior basmati rice and is rightly called the "rice bowl" of Haryana.

The industrial scenario of the district too is influenced by the agro-based economy. It has 175 rice shellers, shelling 1400 metric tonnes of paddy per day. Seven solvent plants, 14 straw board/mill board mills, five units producing hand-made paper, corrugated box units, three milk plants, nine cattle feed industries, five flour mills, one vegetable oil refinery and two paper mills are the other agro-based industries in the district. This district has taken a lead in the use of agro-waste materials like sugar cane bagasse and rice husk in industries.

Kurukshetra district today has seven large and medium industrial units with an investment of Rs 61 crore. They have given employment to more than 900 persons. The small-scale industrial sector has about 2650 registered units with an investment of about Rs 120 crore. It provides employment to 10,065 persons. These units are mainly engaged in the manufacture of glass ampoules, oxygen and nitrogen gases, PVC pipes, drilling rigs, ice, woollen carpets, plastic goods, paper cones, agricultural implements, wooden and steel furniture, handloom items, paint and varnish, TV antennae, etc.

In spite of its many units, Kurukshetra fails to make its presence felt on the industrial map of Haryana. Although it is located near the national highway, it has not became an industrial town like Yamunanagar or Ambala. Even though it is a historical town, it has not developed much as a tourist centre.

An industrial estate, carved out in Sector 2 by the Haryana Urban Development Authority, is not spacious enough. There is an urgent need to develop the agro-based and food-processing industries in the district. With that numerous ancillary units like the packaging industry will come up.

There are certain food-processing industries which have tremendous scope in this district. These units make breakfast serials, onion powder, garlic flakes, readymade gravy paste, fast-food snacks etc. The four laning of the G.T. Road will certainly give a fillip to the industrial growth of the district.

The entrepreneurs feel sore about the withdrawal of the industrially backward area subsidy. They say it has adversely affected the industrialisation of Thanesar block.

The state government had planned to set up an agency at the district level to handle all clearance certificates concerning pollution, town planning, power connection, land allotment etc. The plan, however, is yet to be implemented. Consequently, the entrepreneur continues to knock at various doors before he can get his project cleared.

Haryana Governor Mahabir Prasad, at the 69th meeting of the governing body of Kurukshetra Development Board (KDB), held in the Raj Bhavan, Chandigarh, recently, announced that with a view to promote tourism in and around Kurukshetra, the KDB would initiate many ambitious and new projects to make the holy land of Kurukshetra an international centre for tourism.

—D.R.V.

Eminent persons

King Harshvardhana: He ruled over this region and was a renowned Sanskrit poet and playwright.

Bana Bhatt:Court poet of King Harshvardhana. He wrote Kadambri.

Sheikh Jalaluddin Thanesri: Eminent Sufi saint.

Sheikh Chihli: His original name was Abdul Rahim. He was the spiritual adviser to Dara Shikoh.

Ahmed Baksh Thanesri: Writer of the Ramayana in Chamola (chhands) in Urdu.

Mitha Singh: A Manjha Jat of the Dallewalia misl. He seized Thanesar in 1764.

Bhanga Singh and Bhag Singh: Nephews of Mitha Singh. The kingdom was divided between them in 1777.

Gulzarilal Nanda: Former Acting Prime Minister of India, founder of Nav Jeewan Trust, Kurukshetra Development Board, Manav Dharam Mission and Shri Krishna Government Ayurvedic College in Kurukshetra.

Pt. Sthanu Dutt Sharma: A great Sanskrit scholar who was honoured by the President of India and Jagadguru Shankaracharya of Kaanchi Kaam Koti Peetham.

A town not fit for its temples

KURUKSHETRA, the holy town famous for its tanks and temples, is plagued with problems. Fear of floods has always haunted residents of this district. Flood prone villages are Narkataari, Gulabgarh and those situated on the western outskirts of Kurukshetra.

Unemployment is another major problem faced by the inhabitants. This is mainly due to the absence of any major industry in this region.

Only 65 per cent of the residential area of the town has so far been covered by the sewer system. In those areas too the system remains defective. The manholes begin to overflow just 15 minutes after torrential rains because open drains have been illegally connected to sewers for draining out sullage.

Due to the haphazard growth of the town, the storm water drainage system is defective, too. Earlier, the rain water had an outlet in the nullah passing near the sixth Padshahi Gurdwara, and flowing into the Sarasvati. This year the nullah was desilted before the onset of the rainy season, but there is still acute water-logging at different points as markets and residential colonies have come up haphazardly.

The stagnant rain in the old Surya Kund, located between the Jyoti Nagar locality and the Kurukshetra-Narwana Northern Railway track, has also become health hazard. The water hyacinth (jalkumbhi) on the surface of Surya Kund has spread from the railway track till the residential houses of the Jyoti Nagar colony.

The pucca nullah, which was constructed by the district administration to carry storm water to the Surya Kund, has virtually been converted into a stinking drain. It is seldom cleaned of the waste that includes polythene bags. It is strongly felt that the religious and mythological sanctity of Surya Kund should be maintained.However, little has been done.

Kurukshetra has been divided into two parts with the closure of the railway crossing on Northern Railway track near Mohan Nagar. The flyover constructed over the rail tracks connecting the HUDA colony, Mohan Nagar and the Sandhu Mandi area with rest of the town is extremely narrow. When the flyover was constructed, the population of Kurukshetra was half the present strength. But now, with the coming up of the HUDA colony and the constant flow of traffic from Delhi, Yamunanagar and Ambala on the Pipli- G.T. Road crossing 5 km from here, the flyover is not in a position to cope with the heavy vehicular rush. The citizens’ demand for a subway near the Kurukshetra railway station, connecting different parts of the city, has not been met so far. The heavy vehicular traffic on the flyover often results in fatal accidents.

Stray cattle create a traffic hazard too. They can be sitting adjacent to road-dividers near the old bus-stand. The Birla Mandir Chowk and other parts of the town from the old subzi mandi area stink, as, heaps of garbage remain uncleared for days. The new grain market is also seldom cleared of its rubbish. The farmers complain that the inner roads of the new grain market are damaged and the road to the market from Gamri village gets water-logged during the rainy season. They say there is neither a rest house nor a canteen for refreshments. Even drinking water is not provided by the market committee. The flood lights and shedlights usually remain out of order. The vegetable growers too have similar grievances against the market committee. They say the new subzi mandi lacks basic amenities like drinking water facility.

Most streetlights are out of order, while the damaged inner roads remain submerged in knee-deep water during monsoon, creating serious traffic hazards. The markets do not even have sheds to provide shelter from rain and sun. Further, all three mandis lack the provision of postal service.

The shortage of drinking water in various localities, including Guru Nanak Pura, Chakarvarti Mohalla, Mahadev Mohalla, the Masita House area and Chautala Mohalla in Thanesar town during summer season is reported every year. Residents of Thanesar complain of frequent power cuts throughout the year.

Residents of the town are not satisfied with the medical facilities available at the local Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narain Hospital. Kurukshetra, located merely 5 km from the G.T. Road, gets road accident victims frequently. Most of the seriously injured persons, who need blood, are referred to the PGI, Chandigarh, due to inadequate stock of blood available in the blood bank on the hospital premises. Major surgery procedures are also not undertaken due to non-availability of an anaesthetist. The casualty department too is not properly equipped to handle serious emergency cases.

On the eve of almost every solar eclipse fair, the district administration earmarks parking places for vehicles but there is no permanent parking lot for trucks. Trucks, thus, remain parked on the roadside, obstructing the flow of traffic.

— D. R. V.