Friday, March 25, 2011

Delhi – To the North, Kurukshetra and Thanesar

Around 160 kilometres north of Delhi Is Kurukshetra which is another important site in Indian history having been the site of the great battle of the Mahabharata and where Krishna is said to have preached the Bhagavad Gita to Arjuna.
There is an interesting Krishna museum here and a large Panorama and Science Centre.

Although there are lots of small temple sites they tend to be difficult to access and nearby Thanesar has much more to offer visitors.
There is a very impressive Mughal era tomb here for a Sufi Saint, Sheikh Chilli set in a large walled compound.

The marble tomb complex buildings sit on a raised sandstone platform and while not large are certainly impressive.




The Tomb building itself is raised on a small marble platform and is octagonal in design.


To one side is a walled garden courtyard, and on the other a madrasa compound
Next to the tomb is the Pathar Masjid, a small early mosque from the Tughlaq period.


The tomb complex includes a museum of artifacts from the excavations of the Bhagwanpura mound adjacent to the tomb, and from Kurukshetra.


There is evidence of pre-Harappan and Harappan culture dating back to the 1st Century AD including a unique type of pottery known as Painted Grey Ware.

More on Kurukshetra:

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