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BRAHMASAR
Its local name is Kurukshetra tank and it is the biggest amongst the
existing ones. No sooner does the pilgrim arrive, his supreme
concern is to visit this first, and reach the spot where Gitopadesa
was given next. Its enormous dimensions and unearthly power keep the
visitor agog. It is 3860 ft. in length and 2860 ft. in breadth.
During its heyday, it had flights of steps on all four sides and had
two, islands - one in the middle and the other near the steps; and
they where connected by bridges for the benefit of pilgrims to avail
darsan of deities installed in temples therein. These little islets
were throbbing with the aaradhana activities of the godmen, who
dwelt there in temples and dharmasalas and every inch of the land
was soaked with hhagavannamas and the pitch of every syllable of
sankirthana was reverberating.
Always,
and it was heard for miles afar. Alas! it fell to the fanaticism of
Aurangazeb, who caused the conversion of the bigger islet into a
military post stationing armed soldiers in charge of collecting the
abominable tax - Jazia from every ardent pilgrim. The ruthless
zealot charged one rupee for a pot of water and five rupees for a
dip. The remorseless official punished the tax a vaders with severe
sentences and shooting in some cases too.
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