Of 18 new ‘tirthas’ identified, 12 in Kaithal
Kurukshetra, December 27
With the inclusion of 18 new ‘tirthas’, the number of ‘tirthas’ under ‘48 kos’ area has increased to 182 from the current 164 that are spread over Kurukshetra, Karnal, Kaithal, Panipat and Jind districts of Haryana.
Of the 18 ‘tirthas’, 12 have been identified in Kaithal, four in Jind, and one each in Karnal and Kurukshetra districts. In 2021, 30 new ‘tirthas’ were included by the Kurukshetra Development Board (KDB).
Chairman of ‘48 kos’ Tirtha Monitoring Committee Madan Mohan Chhabra said, “Concerted efforts are being made to identify and develop the ‘tirthas’.
As a result, 48 new have been included since 2021. Developmental works are being carried out at all the ‘tirthas’. Surveys and documentation are still on and more pilgrimage sites may be added in the near future. While Kurukshetra will remain the centre of attraction, the new ‘tirthas’ can play a positive role in increasing the religious tourism in the state.”
As per the latest list, Kaithal district has the maximum number of ‘tirthas’ under the ‘48 kos’ land with 73 ‘tirthas’, followed by Kurukshetra (46), Karnal (40), Jind (22), and one in Panipat. There are believed to be 367 ‘tirthas’ of which so far 182 have been identified by the Kurukshetra Development Board.
The identification and survey are carried out by the members and officials of the KDB and Shri Krishna Museum.
An official at Shri Krishna Museum said: “Since Kaithal has the maximum area under the ‘48 kos’ land, a majority of the ‘tirthas’ come from Kaithal district. A large number of ‘tirthas’ have become extinct over the period of time and finding those is a time-consuming process. Similarly, every site can’t be included in the list of ‘tirthas’ and it requires a lot of work and research.
“There is a set criteria for selection, like documentary proof, mention in ‘shastras’, historical and archaeological value, and folklore. Some more proposals have been received and the survey is still on,” the official said.
