To mark pilgrimage sites, Kurukshetra Development Board seeks help of panchayats, historians

Nitish Sharma

Kurukshetra, December 30

Aimed at identifying and preserving the tirthas (pilgrimage sites) falling under 48-kos land, the Kurukshetra Development Board (KBD) is seeking the help of panchayats and historians who can help the board with a documentary proof in looking for the tirthas that have become extinct over a period of time.

There are believed to be around 360 pilgrimage sites under 48-kos land, spread across Kurukshetra, Karnal, Kaithal, Jind and Panipat, but only 164 have been identified so far. According to the information, the board has received 16 proposals for the inclusion of different sites in the list of tirthas. An official in the KDB said, “Though we are getting proposals from the panchayat samitis and the management of the pilgrimage sites, it requires documentary proofs and there is a set criteria for the selection. The tirthas are selected on the basis of their mention in the ‘shastras’, historical value, archaeological value and folklore. Verification and finding the mention in the ‘shastras’ is a time-consuming process. While 30 new tirthas were included last year, a large number of tirthas are yet to be identified.” Hari Singh, a retired teacher, said,

“ ‘Trisandhya’ and ‘Soranda’ sites are associated with the Mahabharata period and are very important sites. We have requested the KDB to develop these sites and include these in the list of tirthas.”

Honorary secretary of the board, Madan Mohan Chhabra, said, “Following the proposals received, we have visited both (‘Trisandhya’ and ‘Soranda’) sites at Sandholi village. There are archeological evidence, but we will now look for their documentary proofs as these (documentary proofs) play a very important role in giving these sites the status of tirthas. Merely sending the proposal is not enough and we are requesting historians and other people who have information about extinct tirthas or such tirthas, which are yet to be included in the list, to come forward and help the board identify these so that these can be preserved and developed.”