48 kos parikrama
The 48 kos parikrama is a parikrama (a circumbabulatory pilgrimage) of various Mahabharata-related and other Vedic-era tirthas (Hindu sacred sites) around the Hindu holy city of Kurukshetra in the state of Haryana, India.
It is one of three major pilgrimages related to Krishna in North India, the others being the "Braj parikarma" in Mathura in Uttar Pradesh state and "Dwarka parkarma" at Dwarkadhish Temple in Gujarat state.
Within Kurukshetra, along with Brahma Sarovar, other important sites are Jyotisar (place of "Gitaupadesha" - the first Upadeśa or discourse of Bhagavad Gita by Krishna)[6][7] and Sannihit Sarovar (Hindu genealogy registers of Kurukshetra are kept here).
[8] Pilgrims also visit the Bhishama kund, Surya kund and Sthaneshwar Mahadev Temple (where Pandavas along with Krishna prayed to Shiva to receive his blessings for victory in the battle of Mahabharata)[9][10] In addition, pilgrims also visit Pehowa, where the most revered sites are Saraswati tirtha and Prithudak tirtha.
[11] In Yamunanagar district, Kapal Mochan (Kapal Mochan (visited by Rama)[12] and Sri Sarasvati Udgam Tirath at Adi Badri (place where deified mother goddess Sarasvati is revered because the sacred Sarasvati River enters the plains from the foothills of shivalik range) are also important sacred sites.
[13][14][15] Buddha had visited Sthaneshwar and gave discourse on the banks of Brahma Sarovar where a Bodh Stupa was built.
[16] For the Buddhist pilgrims, the most important sites are Brahma Sarovar and the Bodh Stupa on its northwestern flank.
Many pilgrims prefer to follow the path taken by Buddha along Grand Trunk Road in Haryana.
Stupas, pagodas and places in the order of travel by Buddha are: Several Sikh gurus had visited Sthaneshwar, Pehowa and Kapal Mochan for the holy dip.
In Kurukshetra, Sikh pilgrims visit Brahma Sarovar and the "Gurudawara Pehli Patshai" (just next to Sthaneshwar Mahadev Temple on the south bank of Brahma Sarovar where the ninth Guru Tegh Bahadur stayed at).
Following the trail of Sikh gurus, the pilgrims also visit Pehowa as well as Kapal Mochan.
[25][26] Other important Sikh pilgrimage sites are Sadaura, Lohgarh (capital of Banda Singh Bahadur)[27] and Badkhalsa in Sonipat (where Bhai Kushal offered his head to retrieve Guru Teg Bhadur's head beheaded by mughals so that it can be taken to Anandpur Sahib}.
Hindu genealogy registers of Kurukshetra are kept at Pehowa and Sannihit Sarovar.
In 2019, over 40 lakh (4 million) people had attended the Gita Mahotsav festival in December.
Govt is undertaking steps to revive ancient Sarasati river, develop ghats and in-situ plantation of panchavati trees.
[30] Visitors facilities such as roads, shades, water, toilet, landscaping, parking, cafe, interpretation centres etc.
The Panchavati trees, are trees scared to Indian-origin religions, such as Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism, such trees are the Vata (ficus benghalensis, Banyan), Ashvattha (ficus religiosa, Peepal), Bilva (aegle marmelos, Bengal Quince), Amalaki (phyllanthus emblica, Indian Gooseberry, Amla), Ashoka (Saraca asoca, Ashok), Udumbara (ficus racemosa, Cluster Fig, Gular), Nimba (Azadirachta indica, Neem) and Shami (prosopis spicigera, Indian Mesquite).
From June 2014 to July 2021, ₹31.48 crore have been spent by the Haryana government on the development and upgrade of 81 tirthas of '48-kos parikrama'.
Ghats, and visitor facilities, such as toilet, shelter, water, parking, etc.
Jyotisar: The famous site where SGitaupadesha (Bhagavad Gita was revealed) to Arjuna under the tree.
Ekshumati tirtha, Theh Polar partially excavated ancient archaeological mound associated with the rishi Pulastya.
Majority of the tourists visit Kurukshetra during sacred events, specifically Somvati Amavasya, solar eclipse, Gita Mahotsav and to perform post-death rituals only.
[5] International Gita Mahotsav (on varying dates in November or December based on the Vikram Samvat lunar calendar), Saraswati Jayanti (also known as the Vasant Panchami, on the fifth day of spring around February or March) and Holi festivals are celebrated at Brahma Sarovar every year.
[35] Jyotisar is one of the important site where the Gita International Festival is held every year in December.
To conserve the religious and cultural heritage these tirtha-specific festivals and fairs will be revived.
In order to revive, the Kurukshetra Development Board (KDB) is identifying the fairs and religious events held at each tirthas (pilgrimage sites).
Just like Mathura peda as prasāda (consecrated food offered as blessing) is a specialty of Braj Krishna circuit in Mathura area, the sweet laddu made from the roasted channa (Indian chichpea) will be used as the geo-specialty food prasāda of various tirthas within 48 kos kurukshetra prikarma.
Compared to other sweets such as barfi or peda, the laddu does not spoil easily and has a longer shelf life at room temperature.
Kurukshetra Development Board (KDB) has advised all the sweet shops if any tourist or pilgrim asks for prasad then only chana laddoo must be given.
KDB will open 5 shops of its own to sell channa laddu as Kurukshetra Prasadam.
