Brahma Sarovar

Brahma Sarovar audio|Brahma_Sarovar.ogg|pronunciation is a water tank sacred to the Dharmic religions in Thanesar.

Dharmic religions lay emphasis on taking bath for internal and external purity. Most religious sites have water tanks or sarovar in or near the temple/gurdwara.

History

According to Hindu myth, Lord Brahma created the universe from the land of Kurukshetra after a huge yajna. The Brahma Sarovar here is believed to be the cradle of civilisation. The sarovar is also mentioned in the eleventh century AD memoirs of Al Beruni, called ‘Kitab-ul-Hind’.

A sacred shrine dedicated to Lord Shiva stands within the sarovar, accessible by a small bridge. According to scriptures, bathing in this sarovar increases the sanctity of performing the ‘ashvamedh yajna’. The tank offers a breath-taking sight during the Gita Jayanti celebrations held in the last week of November and early December every year when there will be ‘deep daan’ and ‘aarti’. This also happens to be the time when migratory birds from distant places wing it to the sarovar. The Birla Gita Mandir and Baba Nath’s haveli and temple are the neighbouring attractions.

At Present

Today Brahma Sarovar has been renovated. It is 1800 feet long and 1400 feet broad. The tanks are especially crowded during solar eclipse because it is believed that a dip there during the solar eclipse absolves one of all sins. One of the most delightful occasions is the Gita Jyanti celebrations held in the last week of November or the first week of December. The tank presents breath-taking spectacle of Deep daan (ceremony of floating lamps in water) and Aarti organized on this occasion.

Bibliography

*Jagmohan (2005). "Soul and Structure of Governance in India". Mumbai: Allied Publishers.
*Kamran, Krishnam (1997). "Tourism: Theory, Planning, and Practice". New Delhi: Indus Publishing.
*(2006). "Kurukshetra Calling." "The Statesman" (India). September 5.
*Prasad, Ramanuj (2005). "Know Your Puranas". Delhi: Pustak Mahal.

External links

*http://Kurukshetra.nic.in