Kurukshetra is a city and the headquarters of Kurukshetra district in the northern Indian state of Haryana. Long associated with Indian religious tradition, it is widely identified as the site of the Kurukshetra War narrated in the Mahabharata and the place where, according to the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna delivered his discourse to Arjuna. The town is also known by the older name Thanesar (Sthanvishvara), which forms an adjoining historical settlement.
Key facts
| Country | India |
|---|---|
| State | Haryana |
| District | Kurukshetra |
| Region | Northern India, on the Indo-Gangetic plain |
| Languages | Hindi, Haryanvi, Punjabi |
| Known for | Mahabharata associations, Brahma Sarovar, Sthaneshwar Mahadev Temple, Kurukshetra University |
| Wikidata | Q593256 |
Geography
Kurukshetra lies in the northern part of Haryana, roughly between Delhi and Ambala, and is served by the Grand Trunk Road and the Delhi–Ambala railway corridor. The surrounding region is part of the fertile alluvial plain drained historically by the Sarasvati and Drishadvati river systems referenced in early Sanskrit literature. The terrain is generally flat, and the climate is characterised by hot summers, a monsoon season, and cool winters typical of the upper Gangetic plain.
Etymology and traditional extent
The name Kurukshetra means "field of the Kurus", referring to the ancient Kuru kingdom. Traditional texts describe a sacred zone known as Kurukshetra Bhumi or Dharmakshetra, encompassing a wider tract of land that includes numerous tirthas (pilgrimage sites). Thanesar, the older urban core, derives from Sthanvishvara, a name linked to the Sthaneshwar Mahadev Temple.
History
Ancient period
Kurukshetra figures prominently in Vedic and epic literature. It is mentioned in the Rigveda and later texts as a region of ritual significance, and the Mahabharata places the climactic eighteen-day war between the Pandavas and Kauravas on its plains. The Bhagavad Gita, embedded in the Bhishma Parva of the Mahabharata, opens with the words Dharmakshetre Kurukshetre.
Early historic and medieval period
Thanesar emerged as a major political centre in the early seventh century CE under the Pushyabhuti (Vardhana) dynasty, with Harsha (Harshavardhana) ruling from the city before shifting his capital to Kannauj. The region suffered destruction during the raid of Mahmud of Ghazni in the early eleventh century, when Thanesar was sacked. It later passed through the control of successive Delhi-based powers, including the Delhi Sultanate and the Mughal Empire.
Modern period
In the colonial era, Kurukshetra fell within Punjab Province. After the reorganisation of Punjab in 1966, it became part of the new state of Haryana. Kurukshetra district was constituted in 1973, with the town as its administrative headquarters.
Religious and cultural significance
Kurukshetra is one of the principal Hindu pilgrimage centres in northern India and also holds importance in Sikh and Jain traditions. Major sites include:
- Brahma Sarovar — a large sacred tank that is the focal point of major festivals.
- Sannihit Sarovar — believed in tradition to be a meeting place of sacred waters.
- Sthaneshwar Mahadev Temple — an ancient Shiva temple at Thanesar.
- Jyotisar — traditionally identified as the spot where Krishna delivered the Bhagavad Gita, marked by an old banyan tree.
- Bhadrakali Temple — counted among the Shakti Pithas.
- Birla Mandir / Krishna Museum and the Kurukshetra Panorama and Science Centre, which interpret the region's heritage.
A solar eclipse bath at Brahma Sarovar and Sannih