Jyotisar
Jyotisar, Haryana · Lord Krishna · Heritage Temple
The Kurukshetra tirtha held to be where Krishna delivered the Bhagavad Gita to Arjuna.
At Jyotisar near Thanesar, Haryana Tourism describes the most venerated tirtha of Kurukshetra — the birthplace of the Bhagavad Gita, where Krishna is believed to have delivered the Gita to Arjuna on the eve of the Mahabharata war. A sacred banyan tree, stone platform and chariot tableau marking the Gita Updesha stand on the site, which also hosts a daily Hindi and English light-and-sound show in the evening.
History
State tourism notes that Adi Shankaracharya is said to have identified the tirtha during his journey to the Himalaya, that a Shiva temple was raised here in 1850 by the King of Kashmir, and that the King of Darbhanga built a stone platform around the holy banyan tree in 1924.
In 1967 the Shankaracharya of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetha installed the chariot depicting Gita Updesha facing east. Architectural members from a 9th–10th century temple destroyed in medieval times are displayed on the main platform.
Stories
The banyan that heard the Gita
Hindu tradition says that at Jyotisar, on the eve of the Mahabharata war, Krishna spoke the Bhagavad Gita to a wavering Arjuna and showed him his universal form. The sermon is said to have been delivered beneath a banyan tree.
A banyan on a raised platform here is traditionally regarded as an offshoot of that original tree. The tradition also says that Adi Shankara identified this exact spot as the place of the Gita's teaching during his travels.
A platform, a temple and a chariot added over time
Haryana Tourism records that architectural members of a temple of the 9th-10th century, destroyed in medieval times, are displayed on the main platform. A Shiva temple was raised here in 1850 by the King of Kashmir.
In 1924 the King of Darbhanga built a stone platform around the sacred banyan. In 1967 the Shankaracharya of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetha installed the chariot tableau of the Gita Updesha, which faces east.
Light, sound and Gita Jayanti
Each evening a laser, light and sound show at Jyotisar Lake retells the Mahabharata and the Gita, and Haryana Tourism lists it in Hindi and English. The site is part of the Krishna circuit and is looked after by the Kurukshetra Development Board.
Gita Jayanti, the traditional birthday of the Gita, and the International Gita Mahotsav at Kurukshetra bring extra visitors in the winter months, so evenings at the banyan platform can be busy.
Good to know
Held to be the spot where Krishna recited the Bhagavad Gita to Arjuna
Sacred banyan tree and Gita Updesha chariot on the platform
Daily evening light-and-sound show in Hindi and English (Haryana Tourism)
Getting there
Nearest airport: Chandigarh. Kurukshetra Junction serves Thanesar; Jyotisar lies in Kurukshetra district near Pehowa Road.
Best time to visit: Oct – Mar