Jind
The district derives its name from its headquarters town Jind that
is said to be a corruption of Jaintapuri. It is also said that this
town had been founded at the time of Mahabharta. According to an
old saying the Pandavas built a temple in honour of Jainti Devi
(the goddess of victory), offered prayers for success, and then
launched the battle with the Kauravas. The town grew up around the
temple and was named Jaintapuri (Abode of Jainti Devi) which later
on came to be known as Jind.
Excursion
The region comprising the Jind district formed boundary of the holy
region of Kurukshetra and as such many holy places connected with
tradition or referred to in religious literature are located in
the district. Many of these places are mentioned in the Mahabharta,
the Vamana,the Narda and the Padma Purans.
The town, headquarter of the district of the same name is situated
on the Ferozpur-Delhi section of the Northern Railway, 123 kilometers
away from Delhi and 57 Kilometers from Rohtak. It is also connected
by road with Delhi, Patiala, Chandigarh and other important towns
of the state.
Tradition assigns the settlement of the town to the Mahabharta
period. According to the legend, the Pandavas built here a temple
in honour of Jainti Devi(the goddess of victory) and offered prayers
for success in their battle against the Kauravas. The town grew
up around the temple and was named Jaintapuri) abode of Jainti Devi)
which in course of time corrupted to Jind.
Raja Gajpat Singh in 1755 seized a large tract of country including
the present districts of Jind from the Afghan and made Jind the
capital of the state in 1776. He made a fort here in 1775. Later,
Sangrur was chosen as capital of Jind State by Raja Sangat Singh
(1822 A.D to 1834 A.D)
Jind is noted for its numerous temples sacred to the worship of
Shiva. Raghbir Singh, ruler of Jind, built a temple known as Bhuteshvara
temple, with a large tank around it, locally known as Rani Talab.
It has been renovated and a tourist complex has been built nearby.
The other places of worship are the temples of Hari Kailash , tanks
of Surya Kund, Jawala Maleshvara tirath. There is a shrine of Shah
Walayat where an annual urs is held. There is also a gurdwara in
the sacred memory of Guru Teg Bahadur who on his way to Delhi stayed
here for sometime.
The town developed fast after the formation of Haryana and is
a well provided town of the state. The town has a Arjun stadium,
milk plant, cattle feed plant, Bulbul restaurant and a large grain
market. There are facilities for the stay at PWD rest house, canal
rest house and market committee rest house. The town is well provided
with schools, colleges, hospitals and other basic amenities.
Pindara (Tahsil Jind)
The village is situated about 6.5 KM from Jind on Jind-Gohana road.
According to a legend, the Pandavas offered here pinds to their
forefathers and hence the popular name of the village is Pandu
Pindara. A fair is held on Somavati Amavas.
Ramrai (Tahsil Jind)
Ramrai is located on Jind-Hansi road, 8 Kilometers west of Jind.
Ramrai or Ramahrada is a traditional south-west Yaksha of the
Kurukshetra region. It is connected with the mythological story
of Parsurama who after the annihilation of Kshatriyas, filled five
pools with their blood and propitiated his forefathers there. It
is believed that a bath at Ramahrada tirtha and Sanet tirtha is
very holy. There is an old temple of Parsuram where he is worshipped.
Dhamtan Sahib (Tehsil Narwana)
It is situated about 10 KM East of Narwana on Narwana-Tohana road.
Dhamtan is the corrupted name of Dharamsthan (religious place).
It is said to be the ashram of Rishi Valmiki and venue of Asvamedha
yagya of Lord Rama. Guru Tegh Bahadur, the ninth Sikh guru stayed
here on his way to Delhi and a fort like gurudwara was built in
his memory. There is also another gurudwara know as Manji Sahib.
Hansdehar (Tahsil Narwana)
Tradition connects the place with Rishi Kardam who practiced penance
(tapasys) here for many years. His son Kapilamuni took birth and
composed Sankhya Shastra here. Its name is said to have been derived
from the tradition that Brahma came here to attend the marriage
of Kardam Rishi on the back of a hans (goose). The sacred Saraswati
is said to have flowed by the place and Pandavas come here and offered
pinds to their forefathers.
A Shiva temple and Bindusar tirtha is located here. The people
worship Shiva and come in great number on Somavati Amavas to take
holy bath in the tank.
Narwana
It is the headquarters of the sub-division and tahsil of the same
name and is connected by rail as well as road. It is situated 37
kilometers northwest of Jind
Narwana is said to be the corrupted name of the word Nirvan
which means salvation. There is a tomb of Sufi Saint Hazrat Gaibi
Sahib who is said to have miraculously disappeared in ground. There
is a tank around the tomb.
The town has PWD rest house, canal rest house, schools, colleges,
hospitals, bus stand and other basic amenities.
Safidon
The town is the headquarters of the tahsil of the same name. It
is situated on the bank of the Hansi branch of the Western Jumna
Canal, 35 kilometers North-East of Jind.
The place is possibly the site of Sarpadevi or Sarpidadhi referred
in Mahabharta and Vamna Puran. It is associated with snake sacrifice
of Janamejaya son of Parikshit. The latter lost his life in the
struggle against the Nagas of Taxile, which was later avenged by
his son Janamejaya, symbolised in the epic tradition of Sarpasastra
(snake sacrifice) which possibly took place at Sarpadevi. There
are three ancient temples and tirthas of Negesvara Mahadeva, Nagadamni
Devi and Nagashetra.
It has a rest house, schools, hospital and other basic amenities.
Uchana (Tahsil Narwana)
The town is situated on Jind-Patiala-Chandigarh road, it is a railway
station on Delhi-Ferojpur railway line.
There is a famous Dharmarth eyes hospital built by a Sanyasi Ganesh
Nandh through public donation. The other places of public utility
include a milk-chilling centre and a big grain market.
There are many tirthas mentioned in the old texts, which are located
in the district. A description of more important place along with
the legends associated with them is given below:
Asvini Kumara Tirtha
It lies at village Assan, 14 kilometers east of Jind and is associated
with the Vedic twin deities Asvins. Bathing here on Tuesday has
sanctifying effect. It is mentioned in the Mahabharta, Padma, Narada
and Vamana Puranas.
Varaha
It lies at village Brah 10 kilometers from Jind. According to the
Vamana Purana, this well-known tirtha was praised by Vishnu and
bathing here is considered as helpful in the attainment of final
beatitude. The Padma and the Mahabharta inform us that it was the
place of Vishnu who stayed here in his boar incarnation. A stay
at this place is considered equivalent to the benefit of an Agnistoma
sacrifice.
Ekahamsa
It lies at the village Ikkas, 5 Kilometers south-west of Jind. According
to a local tradition it is associated with Krishna who concealed
himself here in the guise of hans for escaping from gopies who sought
him in the same form.
Yakshini Tirtha
It lies at village Dkhnikhera, 8 Kilometers south of Jind . According
to the Vamana Purana it is located near Munjavata and is the place
of Yakshini Mahagrahi. It is believed that bathing here and propitiating
the Yakshini and observing fast enable a person to shed all sins.
Pushkara
It lies at the village Ponkar Kheri, 11 Kilometers south of Jind.
According to the puranic tradition Parasurama, the son of Jamadagni,
founded it. The worship of gods and ancestors here is rewarded with
the merit of Asvamedha sacrifice. Other places of religious significance
here are Kapila Mahayaksha, one of the dwarpalas and his wife Ulukhalamekhala.
Dasasvamedha tirtha
It lies at village Didwara in Safidon tahsil, 13 Kilometers north
of Safidon. Bathing here with devotion is considered to have the
merit of ten Asvamedha Sacrifices.
Panchanada
It lies at village Hat, about 10 kilometers south west of Safidon.
The creation of this tirtha is attributed to Rudra. Inhabited by
the gods, Panchanada tirtha is considered the remover of all sins.
Koti tirtha
It is situated near village Hat. Lord Rudra created a crore of tirthas
here, it was known as Koti tirtha. It is associated with Siva Kotisvara
and is believed that by bathing here one gets the religious merit
of performing five yajnas.
Mention may also be made of Parasara tank and a brick temple of
Mahadeva at Paju Kalan (5 Kilometers north-west of Safidon), Suraj
Kund built in honour of Sun God at Kalwa (15 Kilometers south-west
of Safidon), temple of Mahadeva at Barod (5.5 Kilometers north-east
of Safidon) and a tank named after the Vedic sage Vasishtha at Budha
Khera (12 Kilometers north-west of Safidon ).
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General Information & Accomdation info on Jind city of Haryana - India
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