Kurukshetra is a small sacred town for the Hindus. Sthaneshwar Mahadev Temple at Thaneswar
in Kurukshetra is another holy center. It is small
and distinct. With
an air of an ancient presence, lies the Sthaneshvara
Mahadev Temple at Thanesar. It was here that the
Pandavas prayed to Lord Shiva and received his blessings
for victory in the battle of Mahabharata. The ninth
Guru, Shri Tegh Bahadur stayed at a spot near the
Sthaneshwar Tirtha that is marked by a gurdwara.
Legend
Legend has it that the waters of the tank adjoining
the temple are holy. A few drops of water cured
the King Ban of leprosy. And, no pilgrimage of Kurukshetra
is believed to be entirely complete without a visit
to this holy Temple. The tank and temple lie a short
distance from Thanesar town, which gets its name
from this temple. The temple of Sthaneswar is the
abode of Lord Shiva say the devote. It once formed
an important part of the kingdom of the King Harsha
Vardhan of the Pushyabhuti dynasty. It isalso believed
that Lord Shiva was first worshipped here in the
form of a linga. The ancestor of the Mahabharata
heroes, Kuru, performed penance on the banks of
the Yamuna and Parshurama, the great warrior and
sage killed many Kshatriyas (warriors) here.
About the
Deity
The temple of Sthaneshwar is the abode of Lord Shiva.
It once formed an important part of the Kingdom
of King Harsha Vardhan of the Pushyabhuti dynasty.
The temple with a domical roof follows regional
type of architecture. The facade of the roof is
shaped like an 'amla' shape along with a tall pinnacle.
The 'Linga' is ancient and worshipped still by the
people.
Main attraction
Kamal Nabhi
Adjacent the town of Thanesar lies the temple of
Kamal Nabhi. The Nabhi Kamal is a sacred tank. Mythology
has it that the tank houses a sacred lotus that
happens to play abode to Lord Bramha (one of the
Trinity Gods). The Lord is believed to have manifested
from the navel of the lotus. The temple here has
the images of Lord Vishnu and Brhama.
Bhisham Kund
Narkatari
About one and half miles from Thanesar on Kurukshetra-Pehowa
road lies a tank named Narkatari. It is here say
legends, that Bhishma Pitamah of Mahabharata epic
lay on a bed of arrows.
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