Kaithal Town
An important town during Akbar’s
rule, it is located near the Bidkiar Lake. The town is said to have
been founded by Yudhishthira in celebration of the Pandavas’
victory in the Mahabharata. It was first known as Kapisthala, or Abode
of Monkeys, and is the birth place of the monkey god Hanuman. A temple
in memory of Hanuman’s mother, Anjana, is built here. At present
Kaithal is a flourishing agricultural town known for its cotton and
rice.
¤ The Site of Battle Between Razia Sultan and Delhi Forces
A fierce battle between Razia Sultan (Iltutmish’s successor) and
the rebel forces of Delhi, was fought here. She is said to be buried
here, although her tomb is also to be found in Delhi. There is also a
mosque near her tomb. The Emperor Akbar renovated this town and built
a fort, and after the third battle of Panipat the region came under
the rule of Bhai Desu Singh, a Sikh leader, whose palace has now been
converted into a police station and overlooks the lake.
¤ The Main Attractions
The Phelgu tank is a watery and holy site in honour of Rishi Phelgu
who meditated here, and the Pundri tank dates back to the Mahabharata
period. A few temples are also scattered around, like the Saraswati
temple, Kapil Muni temples and Baba Narayan Das temple. The tombs of
of Shah Wilayat, Sheik Shihabuddin, Shah Kamal and Bidkiyar Lake
itself are worth a look.
Brick Temples
Going by legend, a king called Shalivahana ruled thies area in the 7th
century AD. He was cursed that he would die during the night, but by a
stroke of luck he touched the earth where the temple now stands. The
curse was revoked, and the king’s happiness knew no boundaries.
So he gave orders for five temples to be built, out of which only two
stand now.
One of them must have originally stood on a terrace but is now half
buried under a mound of earth. Both temples follow the Ajanta-Ellora
pattern of a rock cut facade. Constructed from carved bricks, the
highest point culmintaes in a shikara (pinnacle) and is joined in a
beehive manner.
¤ Hotels & Restaurants
Koel, a motel, offers rooms at Rs 700 for deluxe, Rs 400 for standard
and Rs 1000 for the conference hall. Comes with a restaurant and bar.
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