Kurukshetra, Haryana, India
People rarely go to Kurukshetra. I wonder why. It was on the way where I was going and I stopped by.
For those unfamiliar with Indian culture, the Mahabharata war was fought in Kurukshetra. And the Bhagvad Gita , which is now a sacred book of the Hindus was lectured by Lord Krishna to Arjuna on the battlefield at Kurukshetra.
I was fully prepared to find a congested chaotic small town with nothing indicating the Mahabharata. Completely wrong. Its a planned town, very neat and they have immaculately maintained the Brahma Sarovar. This is where the final fight took place as the legend says. Duryodhana was lounging / hiding in this lake when the Pandavas found him, Bhima challenged him to a battle and killed him ending the war. They have also marked symbolically a spot, with a bronze sculpture, to signify the site of the Gitopadesh. Very nice, very clean and although its all modern and we don't even know if the Mahabharata is a fable or history, who cares. Its all in the mind, isn't it.
If I had known it was this nice, I would have come in the evening and spent an hour or two. But then this isn't a spiritual trip - I am not going to any Hindu temples this time and so it just wasn't planned.
I have ambivalent feelings towards the Mahabharata. On one hand it gave us the Gita. On the other hand, there are innumerable instances of treachery, deceit and foul play. Take even the Gita's central message of doing one's duty. What happened finally ? All the Kauravas were killed. All the elders were killed. The Pandavas lost all their children. So, who "won" ? And what did victory even mean ?
No, this is neither the space nor the time for such musing. This is a "pleasure" trip. Not a metaphysical one. So let it all be. Kurukshetra was nice.
Dada
2018-09-16
TS Eliot, "The Dry Salvages", Canto III from "The Four Quartets". Look it up on your next stop. Drive safe
Narayanan
2018-09-17
This place looks lovely ... as you explained clean, neat and the well maintained Brahma Sarovar... Safe Travels
indigoite
2018-09-17
@Dada - Oh yes - Only you can make such a comment !!
indigoite
2018-09-17
@Narayanan - Yes, a fairly neat place
Sandhya Sriram
2018-09-18
Nice pics... I don’t know if I will ever get to visit this place but happy that I could e visit with you. On your musing... maybe that’s the ultimate truth of life... every journey in search of material outcomes always finish with dissatisfaction. The only true meaningful journey is the one within...
indigoite
2018-09-18
@Sandhya - as usual you make a wise comment. Amen.
Anne in Salem
2018-09-19
A pleasant surprise to be sure. Beautiful pictures. Unfortunate you didn't have more time to visit. A trip for pleasure doesn't rule out a spiritual exercise - hardly mutually exclusive. So, who "won"? And what did victory even mean? Those questions have been asked for millennia and are rarely answered satisfactorily.
indigoite
2018-09-19
@Anne - Yup - the fundamental quandries of life. You are right, the exercise is hardly exclusive. Can't keep the spiritual element out of anything, especially at my age !
Suja
2018-09-19
Nice pics! I remember that our family visited Kurukshetra in my childhood but nothing in the pics trigger any memories. Our epics are so old that it is impossible to even guess what is truth and what is a myth (hey, did you notice that mithya is so very close to myth?!!). I reckon that the real 'kurukshetra' is in our minds, that is where all the battles are fought. I agree with Anne, perhaps you'll gain spiritual insights from this trip of pleasure..
Peeyush
2018-09-22
Keep adding pictures, your pictures help to add places to cover in future. Take care!!! and safe and caffein full of journey :-)
gils
2018-09-25
krishna was the forerunner to Thanos (refer to avengers - infinity war). His mission was to reduce bhoomi baaram and to be Off with bad souls. ivlo thooram car otinathunaala ..krishnar parthasarathy endraal..enga thala CARthasaarathy
indigoite
2018-09-25
@Suja - That is so true - we cannot separate myth from reality and the real KUrukshetra is indeed only in our minds
indigoite
2018-09-25
@Peeyush - Thank you my friend. Pictures, and oe or two videos too :)
indigoite
2018-09-25
@Gils - Oh my God. You are really a master at word play Gilsu :)
Vincy
2018-09-26
Carthasarathy :-) :-) OMG Gilsu thats a fitting title to our Thala :-) :-) Yes. Krushethra was nice. Thank you for taking all your virtual travellers there.