The remote village of Mugalpur in Uklana Mandi took the spotlight after incredible archaeological discoveries in 2020. Uklana town itself is a repository of Harappan culture and is closely associated with the Vedic Period and the various tribes. The ancient mound is approximately 70 - 80 acres in area and largely holds artefacts from... Continue Reading →
Ambala Onion
It is perhaps not known to many that Bharat is the second - largest producer of onions in the world with the states of Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Gujarat, Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan and Haryana contributing a sizeable share to the overall production. As Haryana is predominantly an agrarian economy with over 70 percent of... Continue Reading →
Ancient Brick Baoli, Kaithal, Kaithal District, Haryana
The historical city of Kaithal has been revered for its spiritual and religious potency since the ancient days and has been mentioned in the Hindu scriptures, commentaries and Puranas. The city is dotted with temples, halls, dharmashalas and stepwells that are thousands of years old. One of the finest examples of baoli construction is the Chajju... Continue Reading →
On the history trail: The citadel of Bassein
The fortified enclosure of Bassein, the pride of the Portuguese on the west coast held its own and resisted all attacks by the Marathas from land. This triangular piece of land measuring a mile and a half in circumference had good defensive walls of 5 feet thickness and were almost 30 to 40 feet high.... Continue Reading →
On the history trail: A religious war waged against the Portuguese
The total annihilation of the Portuguese, a dominant naval power with advanced artillery is one of the most glorious chapters of Maratha history. The Portuguese controlled several strategic posts on the west coast extending from Goa to Daman. These fortified enclosures served as impregnable defences to any attacks from land or sea. The Peshwa desired... Continue Reading →
On the history trail: Nadir Shah makes a hasty retreat upon learning Peshwa Bajirao’s march to the north
The ruler at Delhi in his hour of distress and humiliation turned to Sawai Jai Singh and summoned him to his aid. However, Sawai Jai Singh on hearing the reports of savagery and atrocities committed by the Muslim invader Nadir Shah and his men chose to stay in Jaipur. Dhondo Govind wrote to Peshwa Bajirao... Continue Reading →
On the history trail: Nadir Shah plunders Akhanda Bharat
The Battle of Karnal resulted in a complete decimation of the warring factions of the Mughal army. The Mir Bakshi Khan Dowran VII (Khan-i-Dauran) received mortal wounds and died two days later. Saadat Khan was wounded and captured. Nizam-ul-Mulk did not participate in the actual operations and waited for events to unfold. The Muslim barbarian... Continue Reading →
On the history trail: Nadir Shah invades Akhanda Bharat (The Battle of Karnal)
After Nizam-ul-Mulk faced another ignominious defeat at the hands of the astute Peshwa Bajirao, he made a hasty return to Delhi. He did not reveal the events that transpired at Bhopal and refused to proceed with the ratification of the terms of the agreement drafted on 7 January 1738 near Sironj. In December 1738, the... Continue Reading →
Bahadurgarh Footwear
It is perhaps not known to many that India has a thriving footwear industry and is the second-largest footwear producer in the world. The main clusters are Bahadurgarh, Gurgaon, Faridabad, Karnal and Ambala in Haryana, Jalandhar and Ludhiana in Punjab, Kanpur, Agra and Noida in Uttar Pradesh, Kolkata in West Bengal, Mumbai in Maharashtra, Hyderabad... Continue Reading →
Prachin Shiv Mandir, Salwan Village, Karnal District, Haryana
Karnal named after Daanveer Karna is one of the most historically, culturally and spiritually important cities of India. Karnal has been at the centre of many great battles and wars that have determined the course of Indian history. Karnal district is home to many archaeological sites predating the Harappan civilization, tirthas and ancient temples of... Continue Reading →
Raja Harsh Ka Tila, Thanesar, Kurukshetra District, Haryana
The ancient city of 'Dharmakshetra Kurukshetra' holds the key to understanding our glorious past dating back to the Vedic times. Every square inch of this city and its outskirts is both historically and archaeologically important. Kurukshetra has been at the helm of many significant events and has faced the brunt of successive Muslim invasions over... Continue Reading →
Prachin Shiva Temple, Pehowa, Kurukshetra District, Haryana
The holy city of Pehowa in Kurukshetra district is held in high esteem by historians, archaeologists and spiritualists. This city finds mention in Hindu scriptures (several Puranas) and is believed to be named after the legendary Chakravarti Prithu. Chakravarti Prithu is credited with saving the earth from famine in the ancient times. This divine... Continue Reading →
Raja Karna ka Kila (Raja Karna’s Fort), Mirzapur Village, Thanesar Tehsil, Kurukshetra District, Haryana
Our quest to draw a map of ancient India specifically the Mahabharat era leads us to Mirzapur village in the municipality of Thanesar in Kurukshetra district. The ancient town of Thanesar also known as Sthaneshwar, deriving its name from the presiding deity, Lord Shiva who is seated at Sthaneshwar Mahadev Temple is considered to be... Continue Reading →
Dhosi Hill, Narnaul, Mahendragarh District, Haryana
Pahadi Dhusran or Dhosi ka Pahad (Dhosi Hill), located at a little distance from Narnaul in Mahendragarh district is one of the most sacred places in India. This lone hill is an extinct volcano and a part of the Aravalli mountain range and has been mentioned in the Puranas, Brahmanas, Mahabharat and Hindus scriptures. The... Continue Reading →
