History

Brahma Sarovar is an ancient water pool sacred to Hinduism in Thanesar, in the state of Haryana in North India. Hinduism lays emphasis on taking bath for internal and external purity. Most religious sites have water pools or sarovar in or near the temple/gurdwara. The Hindu genealogy registers at Kurukshetra, Haryana are kept here.
According to stories of myths, Lord Brahma created the universe from the land of Kurukshetra after a huge yajna. The Brahma Sarovar here is believed to be the cradle of civilization. The sarovar is also mentioned in the eleventh century AD memoirs of Al Beruni, called ‘Kitab-ul-Hind’. The sarovar also has a mention in Mahabharata citing its use by Duryodhana to hide himself under water on the concluding day of the war.

A sacred shrine dedicated to Lord Shiva stands within the sarovar, accessible by a small bridge. According to scriptures, bathing in this sarovar increases the sanctity of performing the ‘ashvamedh yajna’. The pool offers a breath-taking sight during the Gita Jayanti celebrations held each year in the last week of November and early December when a ‘deep daan’ ceremony of floating lamps in water and  occurs. This also happens to be the time when migratory birds from distant places arrive at the sarovar. The Birla Gita Mandir and Baba Nath’s haveli and temple are the neighbouring attractions.
The historic Brahma Sarovar has been renovated with modern facilities and pathways. It is 3600 feet long and 1500 feet broad and is in the shape of perfect rectangle. It is considered as one of the largest man-made pools.