A Guide to Kurukshetra: The Land of the Bhagavad Gita

Last Updated on: 12th March 2026, 08:39 am

It’s the location of the huge battle at the climax of one of India’s great epics, the Mahabharata. And it’s the setting of the Bhagavad Gita, one of India’s most important sacred texts. Given India’s massive ‘temple tourism’ industry, one would think that Kurukshetra would receive massive throngs of visitors daily. But it’s actually quite a peaceful town with subdued traffic and friendly locals.

Within easy reach of Delhi or Chandigarh, the highlights of Kurukshetra can easily be experienced with one full day in town. The following guide features the top sites related to the Mahabharata and Bhagavad Gita, as well as several that aren’t.

For those unfamiliar, the Mahabharata details a long-running conflict between two factions of the same family: the sons of Pandu (the Pandavas) and the sons of Pandu’s brother, the blind king Dhritarashtra (the Kauravas).

Ultimately, the conflict culminates at the Battle of Kurukshetra, a bloody war that also marked the dawn of the Kali Yuga – our current era, according to Hinduism.

But it’s right before the fighting starts that a conversation between Arjuna, one of the Pandava brothers, and his charioteer (and cousin) Krishna takes place. This dialogue is known as the Bhagavad Gita and is far better known than the much longer Mahabharata itself (which is the longest epic poem ever written).

For a recommended reading list, along with tips on transport and accommodation, be sure to check the end of the article.

Brahma Sarovar

Brahma Sarovar sits at the center of historic Kurukshetra, while it’s also near the railway station. My hotel happened to be just across from it (see below), so I was able to visit at various times of the day.

The Brahma Sarovar, a large rectangular water tank which measures 3600 by 1500 feet, is believed to date back to ancient times – even predating the events of the Mahabharata.

For centuries, it’s been a popular place for Hindus to gather and bathe during solar eclipses. But on most days, it’s just a tranquil place for locals and visitors to come and take a walk – especially in the evenings.

And surrounding the entire massive tank are seemingly countless bas-relief panels detailing both mythological and historical events related to Kurukshetra. Confusingly, however, some of them also depict scenes from the Mahabharata that don’t take place in Kurukshetra itself.

In any case, there’s no way one could get an understanding the overall Mahabharata narrative by simply observing these panels. But for those who’ve read it, they do help refresh one’s memory of certain scenes.

Bilingual informational signs detail the significance of each relief, many of which depict events from the Battle of Kurukshetra.

Currently, we have no conclusive archaeological evidence of a massive war that took place here. But ancient myths and epic poems often contain more historical truths than academics give them credit for.

There likely really was a large-scale war at Troy, for example. So perhaps future findings will reveal more about a large-scale war at Kurukshetra as well.

But for now, we can only talk about the Battle of Kurukshetra as it’s described in the Mahabharata.

According to the Mahabharata, a staggering 3.9 million soldiers participated in the battle which lasted 18 days. And in the end, only a small percentage of the participants survived.

As we’ll cover shortly, the most important chapter of the Mahabharata, the Bhagavad Gita, takes place on the battlefield, albeit right before the fighting commences.

One particularly interesting panel depicts the Buddha himself visiting Kurukshetra – a scene entirely unrelated to the Mahabharata epic.

While there don’t seem to be any records of Siddhartha Gautama’s trip here, he was indeed well-traveled. And in any case, as we’ll cover shortly, there’s an ancient Buddhist stupa right near the Brahma Sarovar.

In the center of the reservoir is an island which houses a modern bronze sculpture. It depicts Arjuna riding a chariot with none other than Krishna as his charioteer. In addition to being Arjuna’s cousin, Krishna was the human incarnation of Lord Vishnu.

Throughout the Mahabharata, Krishna tried numerous times to make peace between the Pandavas and the Kauravas.

But as it became clear that war was inevitable, he made an offer to the two sides: one side could have his entire army (that of Dwarka, which he ruled), and the other could have Krishna himself – but only as a non-combatant.

The Kauravas chose to have Krishna’s army, while Arjuna wanted Krishna to be his charioteer. And it was while the two were sitting in Arjuna’s chariot that the discussion known as the Bhagavad Gita (‘The Song of God’) took place.

The Bhagavad Gita: A Brief Summary

Shortly before the war is to begin, Arjuna starts having second thoughts. Despite being a brave warrior and the world’s greatest archer, the opposing side is comprised of his kith and kin. Even if he and his brothers were mistreated terribly by the Kauravas, Arjuna doesn’t like the idea of killing his cousins.

Furthermore, on the opposing side are individuals such as Bhishma, a righteous man who chose to side with the Kauravas out of loyalty – even while knowing they’re wrong.

Krishna reminds Arjuna that grief is illusory, as all living beings are trapped in an infinite cycle of deaths and rebirths. So when looking at the bigger picture, there’s no point in mourning a single death of an immortal soul.

But that’s not to say that nothing matters and that all actions are meaningless. The goal of the Battle of Kurukshetra is to establish order in the world, and therefore, its cause is righteous.

If Arjuna were to sit the war out, his inaction would lead to dire consequences. So refusing to fight would end up being more sinful than killing his own cousins. Krishna tells Arjuna to carry out his duty as a warrior from the perspective of non-attachment.

This is the path to liberation known as ‘karma yoga,’ or going about one’s duties in the everyday world, all the while remembering one’s true higher Self. (Interestingly, the Gita’s emphasis on action lies in contrast to the isolated, ascetic lifestyle promoted by the earlier Upanishads.)

Of course, attaining this state of mind – not to mention maintaining it – is much easier said than done. As such, Krishna proceeds to give advice to Arjuna about various meditation techniques.

Krishna then goes on to explain the nature of God and the Ultimate Reality. He also makes a distinction between those who worship only when in distress or with hopes of material prosperity, and those who do so for greater knowledge.

Worship with the right intentions, Krishna tells Arjuna, can be a way to purify the mind. And when it comes to sacred offerings, Krishna says that the devotee can offer anything, but the important thing is one’s mindset and attitude.

This is in contrast to the Vedas, which emphasize the execution of complex rituals in a specific manner. Furthermore, Vedic rituals often involved animal sacrifices. Krishna, on the other hand, mentions that a simple fruit, leaf or flower is substantial.

While those who pray for material things may indeed end up receiving them, the main goal of regular prayer is to keep the devotee’s mind fixed on the divine. This devotional approach is known as ‘bhakti yoga.’

TRANSPORT: For the following several locations of this guide, including Jyotisar, the ISKCON Temple and Bhishma Kund, you’ll want to hire a tuk tuk driver from the town center to take you around.

Typically, drivers will come to you and make an offer. But it’s best to talk with a couple of different people to get the best deal. As a foreigner, expect to pay around Rs 400-500 for the excursion, with the driver waiting for you at each temple.

Jyotisar

The most important temple in Kurukshetra would have to be Jyotisar, located about a ten-minute drive west from the Brahma Sarovar.

But why is it so sacred? Because it’s believed to be the exact spot where Krishna recited the Bhagavad Gita to Arjuna. Here you’ll find a sacred pool along with a small temple. But the main landmark of interest is the massive sculpture of Krishna in his Cosmic Form (Vishvarupa).

It was created by sculptor Ram Vanji Sutar using an alloy of different metals, and was just placed here as recently as 2021.

Even after hearing the teachings straight from the source, Arjuna still has difficulty comprehending them. As such, he requests that Krishna, an avatar of the Lord in human form, reveal himself as his true Cosmic Form.

But Krishna was never disguising himself. Rather, it was a mental block within Arjuna that was preventing him from perceiving this form. And so Krishna temporarily grants Arjuna with divine vision.

According to the narrative, Arjuna sees all celestial bodies within Krishna. And he has an infinite number of arms and legs. Looking at Krishna’s mouth, it appears as Time itself. Without Time of course, there is no death, and Arjuna witnesses various beings being crushed between Krishna’s teeth.

Arjuna is reminded that there’s just as much of a fierce, destructive aspect to the universe as there is a creative and nurturing side. But rather than stay attached to and stuck within this endless cycle of death and rebirth, the adherent should focus on going beyond it.

Meditation, prayer, and selfless action without attachment to the results are ways to achieve this state of spiritual Liberation, according to the Gita.

But even Arjuna is far from reaching this state, and he can no longer take much more of the terrifying vision. So he requests to see Krishna again as his human charioteer.

The rest of the Bhagavad Gita then largely focuses on practical information and terminology, essentially serving as an instruction booklet for how to achieve a state of enlightenment while still on this earth.

And then, the Battle of Kurukshetra ensues.

This particular sculpture is a bit different from the vision described in the Gita, but the overall message is the same. Aside from Krishna in the center, the sculpture features the heads of Shiva, Ganesha, Narsimha, Sugriva, Hanuman, Parshurama, and Agni.

It appears that the artist is trying to show us that all of these deities and forces are really part of a single Ultimate Reality.

Supposedly, the Jyotisar’s location was identified by none other than Adi Shankara, the influential Advaita Vedanta scholar, in the 8th century. One piece of evidence is the existence of an old bamyan tree, the presence of which is often associated with sacred places in Hinduism.

Additional Temples

Next, my driver took me to a couple more temples situated in the western part of town. The first one we stopped at, just east of Jyotisar, is labeled on Google Maps as ‘Shri Geeta Kunj Narayan Mandir Jyotisar.’

Multiple deities are worshipped here, but the primary one is Narayana, a specific form of Vishnu. Krishna is considered to be an incarnation of Vishnu, and throughout the Mahabharata, Arjuna is likened to Nara, Narayana’s divine counterpart.

A bit further east is the ISKCON Temple, officially known as the Sri Krishna Arjuna Mandir. It was still under construction at the time of my visit, and worshippers instead had to visit a much smaller, seemingly temporary temple next door.

Given the size and history of the organization, and the fact that they operate elaborate temples in Vrindavan and various other places, I was surprised that they had yet to complete one here. Nevertheless, it will surely be impressive once finished.

Bhishma Kund

A bit further east still is Bhishma Kund, dedicated to one of the Mahabharata’s most important characters. But who was Bhishma?

Bhishma was the son of King Shantanu and the heir apparent to the throne of the Kuru Kingdom. But Shantanu fell in love with a woman named Satyavati, who only agreed to marry him on the condition that her son take the throne.

Out of loyalty to his father, Bhishma vowed to never take the Kuru throne. But he did serve as a statesman to the Kuru Kingdom for the remainder of his life. And he was a great mentor to the five Pandava brothers, as well as the Kauravas.

Notably, despite personally feeling closer to the Pandavas, he chose to fight alongside the Kauravas out of a sense of loyalty to the throne. This is one of the Mahabarata’s great moral tragedies.

He even served as the Kauravas’ top commander. As mentioned above, the presence of Bhishma on the opposing side is what caused Arjuna to hesitate at the start of the battle.

But ultimately, it was Arjuna who took Bhishma out of the fight. The details of the exchange are too complex to discuss here, but Arjuna had aid from someone named Shikhandini, an incarnation of Amba, whom Bhishma had once abducted.

Arjuna shot Bhishma with so many arrows that when he fell, he was essentially lying on a bed of them. This is depicted in the sculpture at Bhisha Kund.

And when the thirsty Bhishma requested water, Arjuna shot a special arrow into the earth, after which water came gushing out. It’s now believed to be this reservoir.

In exchange for vowing to never take the throne, Bhishma was given the boon to choose his time of death. Wanting to die at an astrologically auspicious time, he remained alive on this bed of arrows, offering consultations to both the Kauravas and the Pandavas for the remainder of the war. He ultimately passed away nearly two months later.

The Dharohar Haryana Cultural Museum

Yes, Kurukshetra has a few things to do that aren’t directly related to the Mahabharata. One of them is the Dharohar Haryana Cultural Museum located on the campus of Kurukshetra University.

It’s located just west of the Brahma Sarovar, though finding the exact building can be a bit tricky.

Entrance costs Rs 30 (for both foreigners and locals) plus a small extra fee if you want to take photos.

The museum largely functions as an anthropological museum, with various local textiles, clothing and household objects on display.

Out back, however, is a surprisingly large set of dioramas with mannequins depicting craftsmen and other traditional occupations.

The whole thing is well designed and very much worth at least a quick visit.

The Buddhist Stupa

The Buddhist Stupa is located just west of the Brahma Sarovar on the other side of the road. (Despite how it appears on the map, you cannot access the stupa from the Kurukshetra University campus.)

As mentioned, some locals believe that the Buddha himself visited Kurukshetra, though evidence is lacking. This Buddhist stupa, however, is believed to date back at least to the Kushan era (1st-3rd century AD).

Later phases of construction, meanwhile, date back to the Gupta era (4th-6th centuries). Amazingly, this stupa may have been one of the ones visited by the 7th-century Chinese monk Xuanzang during his visit to India.

There’s not a whole lot to see, but it still makes for an interesting visit. The stupa was actually officially closed during my visit, but I arrived right when an acquaintance of a staff member showed up.

I was kindly let in and was asked to buy a ticket for just Rs 15.

The Sri Krishna Museum

Located just northeast of the Brahma Sarovar, the Sri Krishna Museum should not be missed by anyone visiting Kurukshetra.

Established in 1987, this is a private museum that mainly focuses on archaeological artifacts related to Krishna (well, mainly Krishna worship) in the region and in other parts of India.

Entrance costs just Rs 30 for both foreigners and locals and it’s open daily from 10:00-17:00.

Unfortunately, the museum has a strict no-photography policy, but there’s quite a lot to see. In additonal to the various historical artifacts on display, a large portion of the museum uses mannequins and other artwork to depict important scenes from the Mahabharata epic.

Just next door is the Kurukshetra Panorama & Science Centre, though I didn’t go inside as it appears largely intended for children.

The Nabha House

Just north of the museums is the Nabha House, a historical structure that dates to the 19th century. It was constructed by Maharaja Hira Singh of the Sikh-ruled Nabha princely state.

Notably, Sikhs have also traditionally visited Kurukshetra for solar eclipses, and the Nabha House was built for members of the royal family to stay in during those visits.

There were no staff on-site during my visit and I was free to walk in. But all of the rooms were locked, and it’s unclear if there are certain portions of the interior that sometimes open up for visitors.

Sannihit Sarovar

Just across the street from the Nabha House is the Sannihit Sarovar, yet another large tank of water in Kurukshetra. All of the waters of India’s sacred rivers are said to converge here – at least spiritually.

In addition to the Brahma Sarovar, these waters are considered very auspicious to bathe in during solar eclipses.

And in the Mahabharata, it was here that various mourning and cleansing rituals were carried out in the aftermath of the bloody Battle of Kurukshetra.