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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.^[1][2][3][4]

Associated with Krishna and the Mahabharata, it is an important place of pilgrimage for Hindus. 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.

Kurukshetra Development Board (KDB) was established to develop the 48 Kos Parikrama of Kurukshetra, its tirthas and related activities.^[5]

Brahma Sarovar is the focal site of this circuit, which can be subdivided into various other itineraries.

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. Pehowa is an ancient city and its religious significance is mentioned in several puranas, such as Skanda Purana (1st to 5th century CE), Markandeya Purana (4th to 6th century CE) and Vamana Purana (5th to 11th century CE).^[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.

Many pilgrims like to trace their genealogy going back hundreds of generation, trace prior visits by their ancestors and record their own visit in the Hindu genealogy registers of Kurukshetra and Hindu genealogy registers of Pehowa maintained by Pandas (professional genealogists).^[13][14][15]

List of most important sacred sites

• Kurukshetra: Brahma Sarovar, Sthaneshwar Mahadev Temple, Sannihit Sarovar, Jyotisar, Hindu genealogy registers of Kurukshetra
• Pehowa: Saraswati tirtha and Prithudak tirtha
• Yamunanagar district: Kapal Mochan and Adi Badri

Buddha had visited Sthaneshwar and gave discourse on the banks of Brahma Sarovar where a Bodh Stupa was built.^[16] Stupa has five structures of brunt brick, first three from Kushana period, 4th from Gupta period, and the last from Verdana period and later medieval period. During Harshavardhana reign, a 3 meters wide compound wall was built.^[16]

For the Buddhist pilgrims, the most important sites are Brahma Sarovar and the Bodh Stupa on its northwestern flank. Other Buddhist pilgrimage sites nearby Buddhist sites include Chaneti, Topra, and Adi Badri Sharirika stupa. 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:

• From Mathura in Uttar Pradesh, Buddha travelled along Grand Trunk Road in Haryana (also see Buddhist pilgrimage sites in Haryana).
• Kamashpura Aastha Pugdal Pagoda (Kumashpur) in Sonipat city, the place where Buddha gave Mahasatipatthana sutta.^[17][18]
• Assandh Kushan stupa at Assandh in Karnal district
• Kurukshetra Stupa on the banks of sacred Brahma Sarovar in Kurukshetra city was also visited by Hieun Tsang,^[16]
• Topra between Kurukshetra and Yamunanagar, now has a large open air museum park housing several replica of Ashoka's edicts including largest Ashoka Chakra in the world,^[19][20] original site of Ashokan pillar which was moved to Feroz Shah Kotla in Delhi in 1356 CE by Firuz Shah Tughlaq.^[21]
• Srughna, now known as the Sugh Ancient Mound, on outskirts of Yamunanagar city
• Chaneti Buddhist Stupa, on outskirts of Yamunanagar city, according to Hieun Tsang it was built by the King Ashoka.^[22][23][24]

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. Kapal Mochan was visited by Guru Nanak and Guru Gobind Singh after Battle of Bhangani in 1688 CE.^[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}.^[28][29]

Hindu genealogy registers of Kurukshetra are kept at Pehowa and Sannihit Sarovar.^[8]

In 2019, over 40 lakh (4 million) people had attended the Gita Mahotsav festival in December.^[5]

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. are also being developed.

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).^[31] See also sacred groves of India.

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'. Improving the standard of cleanliness of tiraths has been raised an issue. Ghats, and visitor facilities, such as toilet, shelter, water, parking, etc. are being developed.^[32]

In 2021, it was announced that to develop Kurukshetra as a cultural hub, the by the Government of India will develop the Buddha Haryana circuit and a Sikh museum in Kurukshetra as all 10 Sikh gurus and Buddha had made yatra (pilgrimage) to Kurukshetra.^[32]

At least 134 Tirthas (sacred sites) have been identified.^[30] Some of the pilgrimages are listed below:^[33]

50. Tarntauk Yaksha, Sinkh

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. During the International Gita Mahotsav, more than 300 national and international stalls are set up around the Brahma Sarovar.^[35]

Jyotisar is one of the important site where the Gita International Festival is held every year in December. This also entails a Gita Deepotsav (Gita festival of lights) during which hundreds of thousands of traditional earthen diya lamps are lit on the banks of Brahma Sarovar, Sannihit Sarovar and Jyotisar Sarovar. For example, 300,000 lamps were lit in December 2020.^[36]

Historically each of more than 134 tirthas in the 48 Kos Parikrama of Kurukshetra used to have its own unique festival. With passage of time, several of this tirthas have faded into oblivion and several such festivals have become extinct. To conserve the religious and cultural heritage these tirtha-specific festivals and fairs will be revived. This will also boost the local economy. In order to revive, the Kurukshetra Development Board (KDB) is identifying the fairs and religious events held at each tirthas (pilgrimage sites).^[5]

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. This will be called Kurukshetra Prasadam. 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.^[37]

General

• Hindu pilgrimage sites in India

Krishna related pilgrimages

• Vraja Parikrama
• Dwarka

Other religious

• Adi Badri, Haryana
• Dhosi Hill
• Kapal Mochan
• Hindu pilgrimage sites in India
• Famous Hindu yatras
• List of Hindu festivals
• Padayatra
• Ratha Yatra
• Tirtha
• Tirtha and Kshetra

Vedic era

• King Kuru
• Cemetery H culture
• Painted Grey Ware culture
• Historicity of the Mahabharata

• Google Maps search results for phrase "48 Kos temples near Haryana"