Village renamed after Mahabharata''s Abhimanyu

Vishal Joshi

Tribune News Service

Kurukshetra, October 13

Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar today announced to promote an organised tourism circuit in the traditional 48-kos ‘parikrama’ of the ancient region of Kurukshetra comprising Kurukshetra, Kaithal, Jind, Karnal and Panipat districts.

Khattar said in the first phase, two buses would take tourists to 15 ancient sites in Kurukshetra district from tomorrow. A circuit of 134 spots in various districts under the Kurukshetra Development Board would be included further to boost tourist activities, said the CM.

He today visited all 15 sites associated with the Mahabharata age.

During a function held at Amin village, Khattar announced to rename the village Abhimanyupura. He also asked the KDB to install a grand statue of Abhimanyu fighting in the battle.

As per a common belief, the village located in the periphery of Kurukshetra was the site where the tactical ‘chakravyuha’ was arranged by the Kauravas for the Pandavas.

Abhimanyu, Arjuna's son, was trapped in it and killed during the Mahabharata war.

The village has an ancient mound of 10 m.

Khattar said Abhimanyupur would be included in the second phase of the Centre's Krishna Circuit Rs 200-crore development programme to boost tourism in Kurukshetra.

He said there was a need to apprise people of the forgotten legacy of the region.

He said all ancient sites would have basic amenities and efforts were being made to attract tourists from India and other countries in the holy land of the Mahabharata.

The CM directed the district authorities and the KDB to ensure maintenance of water bodies and hygiene at these sites.