ÿþ<HTML><HEAD><TITLE>TH&#256NESAR (Kurukshetra) (29º-58'N, 76º-50'E)</TITLE> <style type="text/css"> .BODY { background-color: #EAF1F7; background-image: url('images/gtbh.jpg'); background-repeat: no-repeat; background-attachment: fixed; background-position: center; color: #0066CC;} .C1{text-align: justify;color: #0066CC;FONT-size: SMALL;FONT-family: Tahoma;} .BIB{text-align: center;color: #000099;FONT-size: SMALL;FONT-family: Tahoma;} .CONT{text-align: right;color: #FF0000;FONT-size: SMALL;FONT-family: Tahoma;} </style><META NAME="keywords" CONTENT="THNESAR"> <META http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8"></HEAD> <BODY class="BODY" oncontextmenu="return false" ondragstart="return false" onselectstart="return false"> <FONT ALIGN="JUSTIFY" FACE="Tahoma"> <p class="C1">&#65279TH&#256NESAR (Kurukshetra) (29º-58'N, 76º-50'E) is an ancient pilgrim centre of the Hindus. Devotees from all over India have since time immemorial been for gathering here for a dip in the holy lakes, especially on the occasion of solar eclipse. Several of the Sikh Gur&#363s also visited the place to preach to the pilgrims. There are today six historical <i>gurdw&#257r&#257s</i> in Th&#257nesar commemorating their visits.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;GURDW&#256R&#256 CHHEV&#298&#7748 P&#256TSH&#256H&#298 is dedicated to Gur&#363 Hargobind who visited Th&#257nesar at the time of the solar eclipse fair probably in 1638. This was not his first visit, for he had spent some time here while returning from N&#257nak Mat&#257. Gur&#363 N&#257nak and Gur&#363 Amar D&#257s had been there as well and people had known them as holy men. They were now surprised to see Gur&#363 Hargobind, in succession from Gur&#363 N&#257nak, carrying arms and having armed attendants as his companions. But their doubts were dispelled as they heard his discourse full of spiritual insight.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The place near the Sen&#257yat tank where the Gur&#363 had stayed was later marked by a memorial platform over which a <i>gurdw&#257r&#257</i> was raised in 1909. This too has since been replaced by an imposing white-marble building by Sant B&#257b&#257 J&#299van Si&#7749gh and his successors. It has a large hall with a high ceiling and a canopied throne for the Gur&#363 Granth S&#257hib in the centre. Above it is a large lotus dome with an ornamental pinnacle. The whole exterior surface, inducting the dome, is covered with white-marble slabs. In the adjoining compound are the Gur&#363 k&#257 La&#7749gar and rooms for pilgrims. The headquarters of the Hary&#257&#7751&#257 branch of the Shiroma&#7751&#299 Gurdw&#257r&#257 Parbandhak Committee are also located on these premises.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;GURDW&#256R&#256 DASV&#298&#7748 P&#256TSH&#256H&#298, a small shrine in a house in Mohall&#257 Saud&#257gar&#257&#7749 occupied by the descendants of Pa&#7751&#7693it Man&#299 R&#257m, who had received Gur&#363 Gobind Si&#7749gh's blessing when he visited Kurukshetra in 1702-03. At the request of Man&#299 R&#257m the Gur&#363 had visited his house. The shrine in the old premises is a small square room. It is privately owned.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;GUR&#362DWARA N&#256V&#298&#7748 P&#256TSH&#256H&#298, north of the old town of Th&#257nesar is dedicated to Gur&#363 Te<u>gh</u> Bah&#257dur who arrived here from B&#257rn&#257 in the course of one of his journeys through these parts. The Mañj&#299 S&#257hib set up to commemorate the visit has been replaced by a new building, which has a hall, with the sanctum in the middle of it.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;GURDW&#256R&#256 R&#256J GH&#256&#7788, a single flat-roofed square hall, commemorates the visit of Gur&#363 Gobind Si&#7749gh to Kurukshetra on the occasion of the solar eclipse in 1702. It stands on the northwestern and of the holy tanks and marks the site where the Gur&#363 had pitched his tents.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;GURDW&#256R&#256 SIDDH BA&#7788&#298 P&#256TSH&#256H&#298 PAHIL&#298 is sacred to Gur&#363 N&#257nak who came to Kurukshetra at the tune of the solar eclipse fair. As the tradition goes, he invited the wrath of the Br&#257hma&#7751 priests by having meat cooked on the occasion. Cooking of food at the time of eclipse was considered a sacrilege and eating meat was in any case taboo.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Gur&#363 N&#257nak said that the eclipses were the natural phenomena and had nothing to do with the food men ate. This discourse took place on the southern bank of the main sacred tanks. The original shrine established on the spot was destroyed during the devastation suffered by Th&#257nesar at the hands of Mu<u>gh</u>al and Af<u>gh</u>&#257n invaders. It was rebuilt after the Sikhs had occupied this territory in 1764. The present shrine was constructed by Bh&#257&#299 Udai Si&#7749gh of Kaithal. It is about two kilometres from Gurdw&#257r&#257 Chhev&#299&#7749 P&#257tsh&#257h&#299, the premier Gurdw&#257r&#257 of Th&#257nesar and headquarters of the local managing committee. It is in the form of a walled <i>havel&#299</i> built on a high plinth. The sanctum consists of a single square room in the middle where the Gur&#363 Granth S&#257hib is seated.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;GURDW&#256R&#256 T&#298SAR&#298 ATE SATV&#298&#7748 P&#256TSH&#256H&#298, common to the memory of Gur&#363 Amar D&#257s and Gur&#363 Har R&#257i, is about half a kilometre northeast of Th&#257nesar railway station. Gur&#363 Amar D&#257s' visit took place on the occasion of the solar eclipse on 14 January 1553, a date which has been abstracted by a contemporary scholar from one of Gur&#363 R&#257m D&#257s' hymns in the Gur&#363 Granth S&#257hib. Gur&#363 Har R&#257i, when he visited Kurukshetra, stayed here at this spot.</p> </font> <p class="BIB"> BIBLIOGRAPHY<p class="C1"><ol class="C1"><li class="C1"> Narotam, T&#257r&#257 Si&#7749gh, <i>Sr&#299 Gur&#363 T&#299rath Sa&#7749grahi</i>. Kankhal, 1975<BR> <li class="C1"> Gi&#257n Si&#7749gh, Gi&#257n&#299, <i>Tw&#257r&#299<u>kh</u> Gurdu&#257ri&#257&#7749</i>. Amritsar, n.d.<BR> <li class="C1"> Santokh Si&#7749gh, Bh&#257&#299, <i>Sr&#299 Gur Prat&#257p S&#363raj Granth</i>. Amritsar, 1927-35<BR> <li class="C1"> &#7788h&#257kar Si&#7749gh Gi&#257n&#299, <i>Sr&#299 Gurdu&#257re Darshan</i>. Amritsar, 1923<BR> </ol><p class="CONT">Major Gurmukh Si&#7749gh (Retd.)<br></p><BR> </font><img src="counter.aspx" width="1px" height="1px" alt=""></HTML></BODY>