Kurukshetra

Few places carry the mythic weight of Kurukshetra. In Hindu tradition this Haryana plain is Dharmakshetra, the field where the epic Mahabharata war was fought, and where, on its first morning, Krishna counselled a wavering Arjuna in the discourse that became the Bhagavad Gita. For millions, coming here is less about seeing monuments than standing on ground saturated with scripture.

The city's spiritual geography is organised around water and remembrance. The enormous Brahma Sarovar, one of the largest sacred tanks in India, is the ceremonial heart, especially during festivals; the nearby Sannihit Sarovar is believed to draw special potency during solar eclipses. At Jyotisar, a banyan tree marks the traditional spot of the Gita's telling, while the ancient Sthaneshwar Mahadev temple and the old town of Thanesar anchor the region's deep, layered history, including its later role under Harsha and the Mughals.

MyTripMyTravel treats Kurukshetra as a place best understood with a knowledgeable guide who can connect the sites to the epic and to real history. We time visits around the calmer hours, build in the excellent museums, the Sri Krishna Museum, the Panorama and Science Centre, and, for those who wish, align the trip with the grand International Gita Mahotsav in winter, chauffeuring the whole circuit from Delhi or Chandigarh in comfort.